The Summer Camp Society Blog
TSCS PODCAST 11: Culture of Belonging
11 | Culture of Belonging
In this podcast we are talking big ideas, actual and actionable takeaways, and lots of fun with the camp community and professionals!
Jack is joined by TSCS’s very own Allison Krabill & Alice Hospitel to talk the culture of belonging for your staff at camp. We’ve all been there, our first day of a new job, school, or group. The make or break moments of first impressions and what to expect upon arrival. On the podcast, these three talk ideas and plans for how to make your staff feel connected and have a sense that they belong there.
If you’re looking for real ways to plan staff arrival and camp culture (WITH ways to delegate these plans) , this is the pod for you.
Producer EmJ’s takeaways:
Without relationships at camp, not much else can happen.
Is Taylor Swift a camp director?
Seeing things for the first time is a superpower.
What to be part of the belonging at tscs? — become a member
alice Hospitel
Alice, the Director of Member Success at The Summer Camp Society, is the world's best connector. Okay, that's what Jack says. They are classically trained in fine arts, play a mean zombie at camp, and run the Stomping Ground CIT program.
More than anything, Alice thinks way outside the box while somehow building authentic relationships with everyone they meet. Want to know more, check out this video!
To get in contact, email alice@thesummercampsociety.com
Allison Krabill
Allison Krabill first chanted the camp name to light the magic campfire at age 6 and quickly became that one kid that never stops talking about camp. At 28, she became one of the youngest YMCA executive directors in the country as she led YMCA Camp Immokalee through doubling the budget, master planning, board restructuring, capital improvements, and more. She loves being a camp director to camp directors through TSCS and will never turn down a game of a Gaga.
To get in contact, email allison@thesummercampsociety.com
jack schott
Host Jack Schott struggles with bureaucracy, loves fun, and secretly stays up late obsessing over businessy stuff. His unique perspectives come from his varied background. An engineer, Jack took the first few years post-college to travel the country visiting over 200 camps in 47 states. Building on what he saw, he co-founded Stomping Ground, a non-profit sleepaway camp inspiring radical empathy and co-founded The Summer Camp Society. In 2022, Jack trained more than 2000 camp staff at 20+ camps.
To get in contact, email jack@thesummercampsociety.com
The Summer Camp Society Podcast is edited and produced by EmJ Juszczyk.
TSCS PODCAST 10: 5 Minute Expert Talks
10 | 5 Minute Expert Talks
In this podcast we are talking big ideas, actual and actionable takeaways, and lots of fun with the camp community and professionals!
One of the powers of The Summer Camp Society is the number of voices that are heard. Through countless trainings, Expert Calls and retreats, the summer camp community gets the opportunity to hear every voice. This week we spotlight some of the many voices heard during the Fall 2022 TSCS Retreat. Monia Johnson, Maddy Linder, Claire Griffith and John Rice share their 5 minute expert talks.
The idea behind 5 Minute Expert Talks is that everyone is an expert in something. What is something you can talk about for 5 minutes because you know so much about it? This can be anything from the best water bottle for each person to why philosophy is for every age. If you’re looking for some quick inspiration and new perspectives, this is the podcast for you.
Producer EmJ’s takeaways:
One size doesn’t fit all— in SO many ways.
What could we learn from those around us if we gave the space for them to teach?
Math is clearly made up, thanks John.
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Maddy & Monia have joined TSCS as Blog Contributors! Read their first posts — Creating a Year Round Camper Board & The Source: EYWA
monia johnson
Monia Johnson, Founding Camp Director for Camp Beyond, a camp affiliate of Change Summer. Monia holds a bachelor's degree in Psychology, and a Master’s of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. Monia has worked in numerous industries across sectors (Finance, Learning & Organization Development, Education, Youth Development & Advocacy). Through her work at Change Summer, Monia aspires to build robust social-emotional learning opportunities where campers can discover their strengths, test their limits and learn new skills while having fun.
To get in contact, email Monia
Maddy Linder
Maddy is a dedicated and passionate kid-advocate. She grew up going to a self-directed democratic school in Washington state and has been going to summer camp since she was a kid; she is currently a Camp Director at Camp Stomping Ground. She believes in the power of play and that having a space to belong is transformative. Maddy is her happiest when on a hiking trail, petting a dog, or playing a board game with friends.
To get in contact, email Maddy
CLAIRE GRIFFITH
Claire is a co-coordinator of camp and nature programs who is a fierce advocate for accessibility and a lover of nature. Growing up they moved around the world, getting to see all of the natural beauty it had to offer. After settling down in Michigan with their family, nature hikes became a way to decompress and step away from the busy day to day life, so when they came to work at Howell Nature Center it only made sense that they wanted to give that same experience to everyone, regardless of age, gender, sexuality, or ability. Claire is also currently working on their master's degree in outdoor accessibility and safety management.
To get in contact, email Claire
JOHN RICE
As a ‘cross-pollinator’ of ideas, John has a passion for creating welcoming environments that kindle the power of imagination. With over a decade of direct youth development work, John has seen the revolutionary value that sharing, exploration, and collaboration can have on re-imagining the norms in spaces. John serves as the Director of Impact at Camp Reimagined where he is partnering with young people to create sleepaway camp experiences.
To get in contact, email John
MK THOMASON
Substitute Host, MK is a director at Stomping Ground. They love climbing things, chasing children in CTF, and will pet any animal that will let them. This year, they are working with staffing, programming, and logistics.
To get in contact, email MK
The Summer Camp Society Podcast is edited and produced by EmJ Juszczyk.
TSCS PODCAST 9: Digging into Conflict
9 | Digging into Conflict
In this podcast we are talking big ideas, actual and actionable takeaways, and lots of fun with the camp community and professionals!
Jack is joined by Laura Kriegel and Allison Klee to breakdown restorative justice at camp, conversational receptiveness and more that created the foundation to inspire the next generation of radically empathetic decision makers at Camp Stomping Ground.
The crew starts at the beginning with, “What even is RJ?” to then dig deeper into:
1) Why practice it at camp?
2) How do you put systems in place to practice with staff and campers?
If you’re looking for the 101 on Restorative Justice at camp and some good resources, this is the pod for you.
Producer EmJ’s takeaways:
When you look at conflict as an opportunity for innovation and connection, it makes it less intimidating to confront because there is powerful purpose behind it.
Gaga Ball is a great medium to actively work on circles and community building
A common theme that we hear throughout these podcasts is the importance of building a team of staff that have a wide variety of interests and skills. We hear this when they discuss the importance of the systems needed to build in community and space for connection to take place.
MORE LAURA & KLEE
Want to learn more from these two and Restorative Justice at camp? — Restorative Justice Training
allison klee
Allison Klee (she/her/hers) graduated from SUNY New Paltz summa cum laude in three years with a degree in Human Services. She is currently pursuing her master’s degree in social work at SUNY Brockport and is a social worker intern at Flower City School #54 in the Rochester City School District.
She has worked at a nonprofit summer camp, Camp Stomping Ground, since 2016 and has fallen in love with the community, the vision, and – most of all – each camper she had a chance to interact with. This experience led to her interest in implementing restorative practices into more youth-centered spaces. As a result, Allison facilitates Restorative Justice training for professionals in the childhood development field such as camp directors, teachers, mental health counselors, along with other consulting work. You can also hear more about her work with restorative justice on the podcast, “Inspiring Radical Empathy.”
Allison also works as community ambassador for 540WMain, Inc., a nonprofit focused on antiracist education and consulting.
To get in contact, email klee@stomingground.org
Laura Kriegel
Laura Kriegel is a fierce advocate for children. A graduate of Columbia Universities School of Social work, Laura has equipped herself with the tools she needs to build organizations focused on equity, inclusion and social justice. In 2015, Laura founded Camp Stomping Ground, a non-profit children's sleep away camp located at the base of the Adirondack Mountains. Stomping Grounds mission is to inspire the next generation of Radically Empathetic decision makers. Through her determination she helps fosters a culture based on humble curiosity and restorative-justice, where kids and staff from diverse cultural backgrounds, races, socioeconomic statuses and geographic locations come together to solve problems collaboratively and learn about each other's perspectives on the world.
To get in contact, email laura@campstompingground.org
jack schott
Host Jack Schott struggles with bureaucracy, loves fun, and secretly stays up late obsessing over businessy stuff. His unique perspectives come from his varied background. An engineer, Jack took the first few years post-college to travel the country visiting over 200 camps in 47 states. Building on what he saw, he co-founded Stomping Ground, a non-profit sleepaway camp inspiring radical empathy and co-founded The Summer Camp Society. In 2022, Jack trained more than 2000 camp staff at 20+ camps.
To get in contact, email jack@thesummercampsociety.com
The Summer Camp Society Podcast is edited and produced by EmJ Juszczyk.
TSCS PODCAST 8: Practice Camp
8 | Staff Training: Practice Camp
In this podcast we are talking big ideas, actual and actionable takeaways, and lots of fun with the camp community and professionals!
This episode brings together Jack, Scott Arizala, Nelson Strickland & Paige Moffett to take a deeper dive into staff training. They discuss different ways to artificially create the “second session feeling”, strength based approaches to training sessions and more.
The ideas start to form and are dissected to cover all different types of camps and training set ups. How do you create training opportunities that don’t add to the “staff crunch”? If you’re looking for close to a million ways to think through staff training, this is the pod for you.
Producer EmJ’s takeaways:
If your campers learn differently, why wouldn’t your staff? Consider a Personal Learning Plan for staff members!
The concept of “needing 80% of you” seems much more realistic and digestible as an expectation as opposed to 100% all the time.
Asking returning staff to role play as “campers” that have complexity to them throughout the week is a great way for staff to learn different personalities and isn’t just a one-off scenario. (I will play a camper for your staff training, just let me know.)
ITS THE RETURN OF THE RESTORATIVE
Our Restorative Justice seminar is back! Laura Kriegel & Allison Klee are ready to help more camps heal harm, mitigate future harm, and build community. — Restorative Justice Training
WANT MORE FROM TSCS?
Become a member. The single best way to have more fun and be more effective as a camp professional.
Scott Arizala
Scott Arizala is a leading expert and premier trainer on kids, staff and the experience of summer camp. He has been involved with camps and youth development for over thirty years as a camper, counselor, administrator, teacher and consultant.Scott grew up at Camp Al-Gon-Quian in Northern Michigan where he spent 18 summers going from the youngest camper to the director.
He went on to direct traditional resident camps, day camps, single gender camps, and camps for kids with special needs. Currently, he is the Founder & Chairman of Chasing Summer (an organization dedicated to creating access for people with autism in summer camp), founder of Camp Stomping Ground (a camp focusing on radical empathy and child freedom), CEO of The Camp Counselor, and an award-winning author.
To get in contact, email Scott
NELSON STRICKLAND
Nelson Strickland is a camp director, consultant, envelope pusher, and song singer from Camden, New Jersey. Nelson started going to camp at DragonFly Forest at the age of 11 and hasn't missed a summer of camp since. Aiding in the advancement of over 40+ camps, he now uses his diverse background to encourage others to ask themselves “How can we make this more awesome?”. Nelson never aims to give folks “the right answer” and is consistently attempting to engineer innovative ideas from other industries to work in the camp space. He is currently the Director of Operations for TIC Summer Camps in the DC area and Lead Content Creator for an amateur esports organization.
To get in contact, email Nelson
PAIGE MOFFET
Prior to joining The Summer Camp Society Team as the Director of Continuous Improvement, I helped open a Spanish immersion camp in Tennessee. That experience felt like I was in a cocoon of growth, and allowed me to begin to form my identity as a camp leader.
Jack said it well in an email to me once: “I am seeing more and more how writing this stuff down is not only an act of organizational efficiency, but also illuminating the hidden curriculum and inclusion.”
I see so much space for this in the industry, and I’d like to be a part of making it happen. The question on my mind is: How can we use clear, collaborative processes to make it easier for camp teams to focus their time on creating life changing moments for campers at our camps? And that is the question I’ll be answering in my work moving forward with the various organizations I work with: TSCS, Change Summer, S’more Melanin, OAAARS, and counting!
To get in contact, email Paige
Jack Schott
Host Jack Schott struggles with bureaucracy, loves fun, and secretly stays up late obsessing over businessy stuff. His unique perspectives come from his varied background. An engineer, Jack took the first few years post-college to travel the country visiting over 200 camps in 47 states. Building on what he saw, he co-founded Stomping Ground, a non-profit sleepaway camp inspiring radical empathy and co-founded The Summer Camp Society. In 2022, Jack trained more than 2000 camp staff at 20+ camps.
To get in contact, email Jack
The Summer Camp Society Podcast is edited and produced by EmJ Juszczyk.
TSCS PODCAST 7: Change the Program
7 | Change the Program
In this podcast we are talking big ideas, actual and actionable takeaways, and lots of fun with the camp community and professionals!
Jack is joined by James Davis and Nelson Strickland in this episode to discuss a plethora of topics from camp OGs to ELO bands. Before Nelson joins, Jack and James talk about progressive programming and sharing the purpose of a program to set the expectation for all involved.
It only takes off from there when video games are brought in and they work to level up the programming with optimal strategy and bringing older campers in on the camp magic. Additionally, they’re covering the choice models of making sure everything gets done at camp to make it run. Would you rather take out the trash or maintain the website? If you’re looking for gamers’ analysis of camp and upping your programming mindsets, this is the pod for you.
Producer EmJ’s takeaways:
“Elo Rating Algorithm is widely used rating algorithm that is used to rank players in many competitive games. Players with higher ELO rating have a higher probability of winning a game than a player with lower ELO rating. After each game, ELO rating of players is updated.”
Programming can often be for all ages when it’s clear to all if the purpose of the program is open-play or competitive.
Be aware that learning activities can create the symptoms of learning, but not actual lesson.
ITS THE RETURN OF THE RESTORATIVE
Laura is mentioned quite a bit here. Want to learn more from her and Allison Klee and the Restorative Justice Program at Camp Stomping Ground? — Restorative Justice Training
WANT MORE FROM TSCS?
Become a member. The single best way to have more fun and be more effective as a camp professional.
James Davis
James Davis is a stay-at-home Dad to 3 kids. In a past life, he was the executive director of the Vanderkamp Center, where he challenged common conceptions in summer camping about how adults and children can live in community with one another. He co-founded Camp Stomping Ground in 2015 and still serves on the board of directors today. After stepping away from full-time camping he continued to work with kids in a liberated learning center and a homeschooling community center, and works to try and figure out how to help kids get from where they are now to where they want to be in the future while honoring who they are in the present.
To get in contact, email grev79@gmail.com
NELSON STRICKLAND
Nelson Strickland is a camp director, consultant, envelope pusher, and song singer from Camden, New Jersey. Nelson started going to camp at DragonFly Forest at the age of 11 and hasn't missed a summer of camp since. Aiding in the advancement of over 40+ camps, he now uses his diverse background to encourage others to ask themselves “How can we make this more awesome?”. Nelson never aims to give folks “the right answer” and is consistently attempting to engineer innovative ideas from other industries to work in the camp space. He is currently the Director of Operations for TIC Summer Camps in the DC area and Lead Content Creator for an amateur esports organization.
To get in contact, email nelsonstrickland@gmail.com
Jack Schott
Host Jack Schott struggles with bureaucracy, loves fun, and secretly stays up late obsessing over businessy stuff. His unique perspectives come from his varied background. An engineer, Jack took the first few years post-college to travel the country visiting over 200 camps in 47 states. Building on what he saw, he co-founded Stomping Ground, a non-profit sleepaway camp inspiring radical empathy and co-founded The Summer Camp Society. In 2022, Jack trained more than 2000 camp staff at 20+ camps.
To get in contact, email jack@thesummercampsociety.com
The Summer Camp Society Podcast is edited and produced by EmJ Juszczyk.
TSCS PODCAST 6: Making Culture Happen
6 | Making Culture Happen
In this podcast we are talking big ideas, actual and actionable takeaways, and lots of fun with the camp community and professionals!
Bringing people in is a superpower —that is exactly what this episode entails. Jack Schott, Monia Johnson & Murph Hammer assemble like a crew of superheroes to talk through putting staff or campers first, camp culture, and staff time off.
The TSCS Avengers take on creating culture at camp and what to do when you’re new to an existing camp. Camp is full of rich traditions and culture, what do you do when you don’t agree with it? And how do you even start it when the 14 year old campers want to sleep through breakfast? If you’re looking for a staff PTO plan and mic drop knowledge, this is the pod for you.
Producer EmJ’s takeaways:
The shortcut to self-discovery is at camp.
If you’re not 100% into the camp’s traditions, seek to understand before you critique and change (& if/when you change it, get the staff to help rethink it).
BONUS: Be in the moment to learn and then improve.
Still a little lost on who is the chicken & who is the egg between staff and campers.
WANT MORE FROM Monia and murph?
Here’s the thing, they will BOTH be at the Spring 2023 Retreat. They say don’t meet your heroes, this is the one exception — Spring 2023 Retreat
WANT MORE FROM TSCS?
Become a member. The single best way to have more fun and be more effective as a camp professional.
Monia Johnson
Monia Johnson, Founding Camp Director for Camp Beyond, a camp affiliate of Change Summer. Monia holds a bachelor's degree in Psychology, and a Master’s of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. Monia has worked in numerous industries across sectors (Finance, Learning & Organization Development, Education, Youth Development & Advocacy). Through her work at Change Summer, Monia aspires to build robust social-emotional learning opportunities where campers can discover their strengths, test their limits and learn new skills while having fun.
To get in contact, email monia@summercampbeyond.org
Murphy hammer
Murphy Hammer has served in many roles at many camps all across Michigan before joining Camp AGQ, campagq.org / annarborymca.org, as the Executive Director in April 2022. Before camps and in a past life, Murphy was a social worker.
When you ask Murphy for a bio, they will say, “I have a wife and a dog. And I think rubber chickens will change the world.”
To get in contact, email murphyhammer@gmail.com
Jack Schott
Host Jack Schott struggles with bureaucracy, loves fun, and secretly stays up late obsessing over businessy stuff. His unique perspectives come from his varied background. An engineer, Jack took the first few years post-college to travel the country visiting over 200 camps in 47 states. Building on what he saw, he co-founded Stomping Ground, a non-profit sleepaway camp inspiring radical empathy and co-founded The Summer Camp Society. In 2022, Jack trained more than 2000 camp staff at 20+ camps.
To get in contact, email jack@thesummercampsociety.com
The Summer Camp Society Podcast is edited and produced by EmJ Juszczyk.
TSCS PODCAST 5: Selling Fun
5 | Staff Recruitment: Selling Fun
In this series of episodes we’re taking a deep dive addressing how staff recruitment is needed more than ever and what the people around the camp community are doing about it.
On this episode, Jack Schott and Justic Pritikin tackle some hard hitting reality checks. Does your camp have a leadership succession plan? How can you really sell camp to staff when you’re 20 years older than them? Is Jack someone you’d consider a “classic model”?
The guys talk reframing the summer camp experience, keeping camp on your professional resume and so so much more. If you’re looking for a podcast that gets your wheels turning, this is the pod for you.
Producer EmJ’s takeaways:
Craft the language of selling camp by the experiences, but don’t make promises you can’t keep (ex: “you’re going to make so many friends” vs “you’re going to meet some cool people”).
Don’t refer to people as their generation label.
No public math, but your staff is doing the math.
WANT MORE FROM TSCS?
Join a group of camp directors that give a shit about you. Level up your network.
Show Notes:
JUSTIN PRITIKIN
At the outset of 2022, Justin started working for lululemon as a part-time sales associate in the wealthy suburbs of Pennsylvania. Six months later, Justin underwent a cross-country move to Los Angeles, CA where he was able to combine his Villanova University degree in Organizational Development, and maintain his 75% off at lululemon as the company’s Product and Inventory Lead. In the role, Justin spearheads aspects of product development and product rollout with an emphasis on brand strategy and inventory logistics. Thriving, tan, and a tad tired, Justin still operates as a key trainer within the company with a core focus on talent development, technical product education, and guest experience.
Camp was the defining developmental experience for Justin. With 14 summers spent as a camper between Liberty Lake Day Camp and Camps Kenwood and Evergreen, Justin quickly realized his dream job was to eventually become a camp counselor. Unfortunately, that means he peaked at the age of 16. After a successful first summer, Justin continued working in camping for another six years, serving in various administrative and group-staff positions at both Camp Champions (TX) and Liberty Lake Day Camp (NJ).
To get in contact, email pritikin.justin@gmail.com
Jack Schott
Host Jack Schott struggles with bureaucracy, loves fun, and secretly stays up late obsessing over businessy stuff. His unique perspectives come from his varied background. An engineer, Jack took the first few years post-college to travel the country visiting over 200 camps in 47 states. Building on what he saw, he co-founded Stomping Ground, a non-profit sleepaway camp inspiring radical empathy and co-founded The Summer Camp Society. In 2022, Jack trained more than 2000 camp staff at 20+ camps.
To get in contact, email jack@thesummercampsociety.com
The Summer Camp Society Podcast is edited and produced by EmJ Juszczyk.
TSCS PODCAST 4: Lean on Your Ideas
4 | Staff Recruitment: Lean on Your Ideas
In this series of episodes we’re taking a deep dive addressing how staff recruitment is needed more than ever and what the people around the camp community are doing about it.
Grab your party attire (there's a dress code, don't worry), this episode is chock full of the fun ideas that get your staff and community together and build it bigger. Jack Schott, Allison Klee and EmJ Juszczyk throw out many ideas on how to level up your TikTok game, recruiting staff older than 21 and getting your people involved.
The crew addresses how to get the most out of social media and starts planning several parties and get togethers for all ages. If you’re looking for a party planning team and radical recruitment within your existing community, this is the pod for you.
Producer EmJ’s takeaways:
Lean into the fun of recruitment
Lean on your ideas and then find the trends
Lean on your staff for help to recruit and to get the content
Lean with it.
WANT MORE FROM KLEE?
Take some time to scroll through the Tik Tok feed — Putting on our best show!
WANT MORE FROM TSCS?
Become a member. The single best way to have more fun and be more effective as a camp director.
Show Notes:
From the pod:
Allison Klee
Allison Klee (she/her/hers) graduated from SUNY New Paltz summa cum laude in three years with a degree in Human Services. She is an honors program alumna and completed her thesis “The Benefits of Summer Camps for Underserved Youth: A Circle of Courage Framework,” in her senior year. She is currently pursuing her master’s degree in social work at SUNY Brockport and is a social worker intern at Flower City School #54 in the Rochester City School District.
She has worked at a nonprofit summer camp, Camp Stomping Ground, since 2016 and has fallen in love with the community, the vision, and – most of all – each camper she had a chance to interact with. This experience led to her interest in implementing restorative practices into more youth-centered spaces. As a result, Allison facilitates Restorative Justice trainings for professionals in the childhood development field such as camp directors, teachers, mental health counselors, along with other consulting work. You can also hear more about her work with restorative justice on the podcast, “Inspiring Radical Empathy.”
Allison also works as as community ambassador for 540WMain, Inc., a nonprofit focused on antiracist education and consulting.
To get in contact, email klee@stompingground.com
EmJ Juszczyk
Having spent her whole adult life in camp planning and programming, all EmJ knows is professionalism that is learned through yell-singing at campfires and giving board presentations on the importance of a 40 foot water slide.
After spending college summers at Camp Bob Cooper, EmJ served in various roles until she became the Camps and Program Director at Camp Happy Days, a non-profit camp for children with cancer and their families until 2022. She is now the Programs Director at Project Kindred based in Milwaukee. Outside of camps, EmJ enjoys editing this podcast, watching KU men’s basketball and going on long runs with longer podcasts about reality shows.
To get in contact, email eajuszczyk@gmail.com
Jack Schott
Host Jack Schott struggles with bureaucracy, loves fun, and secretly stays up late obsessing over businessy stuff. His unique perspectives come from his varied background. An engineer, Jack took the first few years post-college to travel the country visiting over 200 camps in 47 states. Building on what he saw, he co-founded Stomping Ground, a non-profit sleepaway camp inspiring radical empathy and co-founded The Summer Camp Society. In 2022, Jack trained more than 2000 camp staff at 20+ camps.
To get in contact, email jack@thesummercampsociety.com
The Summer Camp Society Podcast is edited and produced by EmJ Juszczyk.
TSCS PODCAST 3: Invest in the People
3 | Staff Recruitment: Invest in the People
In this series of episodes we’re taking a deep dive addressing how staff recruitment is needed more than ever and what the people around the camp community are doing about it.
Make sure you have your swim buddy because we are JUMPING IN! On this episode, Jack Schott, Sarah Kurtz Mckinnon and Carly Vargas dive deep into retention plans (from lenses of money and relationships), balancing camp professionalism and camp fun, AND sending support to those that support your staff. Do you have your coffee? You may need your coffee for all this.
The team addresses what barriers your staff may need to overcome to get to camp, and Kurtz (our resident MBA) draws parallels between staff recruitment and donor relationship building. If you’re looking for more than the average touchstone ideas and ways to invest in your people, this is the pod for you.
Producer EmJ’s takeaways:
Everything you do recruits.
Think about the story you're selling and the audience you want to cultivate.
Sometimes you don't need to be a professional, you just need to be human.
WANT MORE FROM KURTZ?
Become a member of The Summer Camp Society. TBH at $50/month one good idea a year makes your money back. I bet you get more than two great ideas.
Show Notes:
Carly Vargas
Carly Vargas grew up at Kohut, where she spent many summers as a camper, a counselor, and then a member of the Leadership Team. Carly has a Bachelor of Arts in anthropology from Colby College and a Master of Camp Administration and Leadership from Touro University. At Colby, Carly was captain of the Women’s Lacrosse team (NESCAC champions) and coached high school lacrosse in Maine and Massachusetts. After college, Carly worked for the educational recruitment and placement firm Carney, Sandoe & Associates placing teachers and administrators in independent schools K-12 worldwide. While Carly enjoyed staffing, she missed the satisfaction of working directly with young people and joined the Kamp year-round team in 2015. She is now an Associate Director and Head Counselor. Carly was selected to be a board member of the New England American Camp Association, has presented at the ACA New England Camp Conference and the ACA NY/NJ Teen LEADership Conference, and was recently awarded the ACA’s Leadership and Service award.
Carly lives in Cape Elizabeth with her husband Alex, their son Jack, and their dog Libby. She enjoys taking walks with her family and keeping up with friends. Carly enjoys working side by side with her parents, Lisa and Dan, and looks forward to continuing Kohut’s rich legacy into the future.
To get in contact, email carly@kampkohut.com
Sarah Kurtz Mckinnon
When I was a college sophomore enrolled in a highly-competitive college journalism program, I decided the last thing I wanted was to get a stressful magazine internship. Thinking it was my last summer ever to “be a kid”, I decided to apply to work at a summer camp for that year only. I ended up at Ann Arbor YMCA Camp Al-Gon-Quian (AGQ) in Northern Michigan as the newspaper instructor. Instead of staying for just one summer, I haven’t left camp since!
When I was 23 years old, I was hired to be the director of AGQ, becoming one of the youngest YMCA executives in the country. It was a lot of work, of course—but good work. I was alongside of my best friends impacting kids’ lives in a very tangible way. From crafting a positive staff culture to managing million-dollar construction projects, I found great fulfillment in my career in camping.
Camp AGQ became one of the preeminent YMCA camps in the country during my time there. We were widely recognized across the movement for our high staff and camper retention numbers, creative programming and leadership. In 2015, I left AGQ to pursue some new goals: I entered graduate school at the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan, pursuing my MBA. I also started my own camp consulting and training business, Kurtz McKinnon Creative LLC, where I work with other camps and camp leaders across the country to help them make more camp magic.
I’m interested in making processes and practices at camp more efficient. But I also believe that community is the root of everything good at camp, and that kids, staff and alumni should all feel like camp is a home. As camp leaders, it’s steady mix for us of professionalism, creativity and unconditional love.
When I’m not traveling to different camps or working at them when I can (shout-out to AGQ Family Camp and Camp Tall Tree!), you can find me playing tennis, hangin’ with my husband Robert (who I met through camp, of course!) and our two Brittany Spaniels or working on an art project.
Camp life has given me the good life, and for that I am eternally grateful!
To get in contact, email kurtz@thesummercampsociety.com
Jack Schott
Host Jack Schott struggles with bureaucracy, loves fun, and secretly stays up late obsessing over businessy stuff. His unique perspectives come from his varied background. An engineer, Jack took the first few years post-college to travel the country visiting over 200 camps in 47 states. Building on what he saw, he co-founded Stomping Ground, a non-profit sleepaway camp inspiring radical empathy and co-founded The Summer Camp Society. In 2022, Jack trained more than 2000 camp staff at 20+ camps.
To get in contact, email jack@thesummercampsociety.com
The Summer Camp Society Podcast is edited and produced by EmJ Juszczyk.
TSCS PODCAST 2: Supporting Staff in Finding Their Fun
2 | Staff Recruitment: Supporting Staff in Finding Their Fun
In this series of episodes we’re taking a deep dive addressing how staff recruitment is needed more than ever and what the people around the camp community are doing about it.
On this episode, Jack Schott and Chris Rehs-Dupin turn to staff recruitment tactics with an emphasis on retraining former seasonal staff and how to keep them fired up in the on and off seasons. Often in the heat of the summer, we don’t take the time to celebrate the wins, but at the end of the day, that’s what staff will remember.
The guys examine a multitude of avenues to get in touch with potential staff, including but not limited to Tik Tok stars, gift-giving, and roller-skating parties. If you’re looking for more than the average hype tactics, this is the pod for you.
Producer EmJ’s takeaways:
Know when staff need to celebrate & recap the joy
I hope Simone is listening too, Jack
National & international resources are great, but do you have someone in your community doing equity work that you could work with?
WANT MORE FROM TSCS?
Become a member of The Summer Camp Society. TBH at $50/month one good idea a year makes your money back. I bet you get more than two great ideas.
Show Notes:
Chris Rehs-Dupin
Chris Rehs-Dupin spent the majority of his professional career (17 years) in youth development in the outdoors- including 8 years in overnight programming, and 9 years in day programming. Chris is a passionate speaker, trainer, and educator- who has spoken at numerous conferences, camps, and to larger organizations. Participants agree that Chris works to meet them where they are- and educates in the absence of shame.
Chris loves to support camps as they foster gender inclusive practices. He is available for consulting services, which will directly support a camp’s goals within in the context of their community.
Chris is an active member in his church community as part of the social justice ministry- especially in the area of LGTBQ+ advocacy. Chris is a father of two children who are the center of his universe and his consistent reason for trying to make the world a better place.. When he is not working he enjoys running, maple syrup production, gardening and wine making.
To get in contact, email chris@transplaining.info
Jack Schott
Host Jack Schott struggles with bureaucracy, loves fun, and secretly stays up late obsessing over businessy stuff. His unique perspectives come from his varied background. An engineer, Jack took the first few years post-college to travel the country visiting over 200 camps in 47 states. Building on what he saw, he co-founded Stomping Ground, a non-profit sleepaway camp inspiring radical empathy and co-founded The Summer Camp Society. In 2022, Jack trained more than 2000 camp staff at 20+ camps.
To get in contact, email jack@thesummercampsociety.com
The Summer Camp Society Podcast is edited and produced by EmJ Juszczyk.
TSCS PODCAST 1: We Know We Need to Change How We Staff Camp
1 | Staff Recruitment: We Know We Need to Change How We Staff Camp
In this series of episodes we’re taking a deep dive addressing how staff recruitment is needed more than ever and what the people around the camp community are doing about it.
What do summer camps and musical festivals have in common? Actually quite a bit when you think about it, BUT specifically– they both need staff! On this episode, Jack Schott, Nelson Strickland and Gregg Golf start tossing out ideas for this next season of staff recruitment.
The guys consider how camps optimize their budgets to recruit in the most meaningful way, and question what we are really trying to sell to potential staff. If you’re looking for more than the average recruitment tactics, this is the pod for you.
Producer EmJ’s takeaways:
Staff love the “clout”, give it to them on Instagram
Cool people know cool people, get your staff to help recruit their community
Jack greatly underestimates the sizes of musical festivals
WANT MORE JOKES, IDEAS, AND BANTER?
Become a member of The Summer Camp Society. TBH at $50/month one good idea a year makes your money back. I bet you get more than two great ideas.
Show Notes:
Greg Golf
Greg Golf grew up at Camp Champions, in Marble Falls TX and eventually served as the Boys Camp Director after graduating from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo with a degree in Business Administration. In late 2019, he left Camp Champions to start Shabang Music Productions, a music festival production company in California.
Unable to let go of his passion for summer camp, Greg still works in the camp world as a consultant, staff trainer, and part-time director. He has developed high school leadership programs, built camper marketing and staff hiring plans, and delivered staff training at various camps across the country.
To get in contact, email gregorywgolf@gmail.com
Nelson Strickland
Nelson Strickland is a camp director, consultant, envelope pusher, and song singer from Camden, New Jersey. Nelson started going to camp at DragonFly Forest at the age of 11 and hasn't missed a summer of camp since. Aiding in the advancement of over 40+ camps, he now uses his diverse background to encourage others to ask themselves “How can we make this more awesome?”. Nelson never aims to give folks “the right answer” and is consistently attempting to engineer innovative ideas from other industries to work in the camp space. He is currently the Director of Operations for TIC Summer Camps in the DC area and Lead Content Creator for an amateur esports organization.
To get in contact, email nelsonstrickland@gmail.com
Jack Schott
Host Jack Schott struggles with bureaucracy, loves fun, and secretly stays up late obsessing over businessy stuff. His unique perspectives come from his varied background. An engineer, Jack took the first few years post-college to travel the country visiting over 200 camps in 47 states. Building on what he saw, he co-founded Stomping Ground, a non-profit sleepaway camp inspiring radical empathy and co-founded The Summer Camp Society. In 2022, Jack trained more than 2000 camp staff at 20+ camps.
To get in contact, email jack@thesummercampsociety.com
The Summer Camp Society Podcast is edited and produced by EmJ Juszczyk.