SCHEDULE Thursday - January 10, 2008
9:15am-10:30am
10:45am-12:00pm
1:45pm Keynote
3:30pm-4:45pm
topics and times subject to change
9:15am to 10:30am - Program Session I
Dr. Jim Cain, Author and Director of Teamwork & Teamplay
"My favorite ten teambuilding activities."
Dr. Jim Cain shares his favorite, newest, and best teambuilding activities.
BIO
Luke Austenfeld, CEO Sherman Lake YMCA Outdoor Center
"Camp to Classroom...Strong Kids...Healthy, Smart, and Good"
When you are at your best and feeling successful you are using your signature strengths and skills. From critical thinking to enthusiasm, everyone excels in some areas. Teach staff to define what those skills are and to identify those jobs at camp that use them. Using ideas from Positive Psychology learn new ways to develop, evaluate and effectively manage everyone.
BIO
Scott Arizala, The Camp Couselor
"Where ya’ been? Teaching counselors how to “get on their level"
Counselors that get “it” try hard to get on the campers’ level both
physically and emotionally. This session is full of the communication
strategies, leadership skills, and training techniques to teach “it.”
Using the concept of “getting on their level” learn a comprehensive way
to train, facilitate and role model how to connect with campers.
BIO
Ann Sheets, President American Camp Association
"Inside ACA: a Texan's perspectives on our national association and our future."
Learn where ACA is headed and why, and how you will benefit from proposed changes in our organization. Plus, Q&A with your national president about ACA before her time is up!
BIO
Ed Metzendorf, Bunk1.com
"Use the Internet to Engage Your Parents and Keep Your Camp Full"
Maximize your website's potential to keep parent's focus year round with latest, greatest, and FREE technologies! This session will look at steps you can take to retain and recruit campers, increase your online exposure, engage camp parents, and add $$$ to your bottom line. Special emphasis will be placed on online registration.
BIO
Gary Forster, Camping Specialist YMCA of the USA
"Wow, These are Great Ideas! (stolen from other camps!)"
Gary visits 60 camps a year capturing photos and stories of ideas in program, facilities, and marketing that BRING CAMPERS BACK because their parents were happy and the campers made friends.
Vince Glorioso, Community Programs Director, YMCA of San Diego County/LaJolla Branch and YMCA national Advisory Council Member
"Creative Marketing and Promotion"
See some of the most successful tools, methods and materials used to market and promote Parent/Child Programs. Videos, brochure development and a variety of advertising material will be presented.
10:45am - 12:00pm - Program Sessions II
Dr. Jim Cain, Author and Director of Teamwork & Teamplay
"Everything With Nothing.”
For those times when you have
plenty of people, but zero equipment, here are dozens of useful
activities to keep them moving!
BIO
Wynne Whyman, Callippe Solutions, LLC
"Your memorable place: Successful property management strategies"
Your campers are growing, learning, and having fun. After all, it’s camp, right? But what do you need for a memorable place (site and facilities) that is tightly integrated with the programming? From an administrator’s perspective, learn tactical and strategic management techniques that you can use at your camp. Session is based Wynne’s newly published book: Outdoor site and facility management: Tools for creating memorable places.
BIO
Scott Arizala, The Camp Couselor
"Do You! A new approach to staff and professional development"
When you are at your best and feeling successful you are using your
signature strengths and skills. From critical thinking to enthusiasm,
everyone excels in some areas. Teach staff to define what those skills
are and to identify those jobs at camp that use them. Using ideas from
Positive Psychology learn new ways to develop, evaluate and effectively
manage everyone.
BIO
Sylvia Dresser, Executive Director, Association for Challenge Course Technology
"ACCT Certification Standards"
The Association for Challenge Course Technology has been setting standards for the industry since 1994, recently adding standards for Practitioner Certification. The standards will be outlined, and questions answered.
Jacob Zlotoff, Bunk1.com
"Social Networking Revealed - How Your Camp Can Handle the Risks of Today's Technology"
Delve into the world of social networking and the latest web trends, and learn how these technologies work and why your campers and staff love using them.
BIO
Evan Heltay, President - MySummerCamps.com
"Online Marketing for Summer Camps "
This seminar is valuable to any organization that wants to improve the marketing performance of its website & will demonstrate the potential of summer camp professionals to interact online with parents, children, and staff. Summer camp administrators are building websites for marketing purposes. The high search ranking of summer camp directories and their utilization of Search Engine Optimization drive targeted traffic to summer camp websites through search-related terms.
BIO
Doug Fox , volunteer, former YMCA Director and current National
Advisory Council Member
"Program Magic"
Explore the magical themes of successful Parent/Child programs. Learn
how to light campfires safely and mysteriously, script ceremonies,
structure a dynamic activities and inject fun and exciting themes into
your Adventure Guide Programs.
BIO
12:00pm LUNCH W/EXHIBITORS
1:45pm- 3:15pm - GENERAL SESSION - KEYNOTE
Cathi Cohen
Author and Director of
In Step
Stepping Stones to Building Friendships at Camp
Why do children return year after year to camp? To
see their friends! Everyone knows that there is no
better place for a child to make friends than camp.
But, sometimes kids need help learning the social
skills they need to make friends. Counselors play a
huge role in helping their campers create the
relationships at camp that they so desire. Camp
directors can insure a positive camp experience for
all by training counselors in the basic "stepping
stones" campers need to make and keep friends. This
keynote is based on the book Stepping Stones to
Building Friendships - A Guide for Camp Counselors
and will give camp directors a specific skill building
approach that is simple to create and truly effective
in its result: happy campers that come back year
after year.
See Cathi's' BIO
back to top
3:30pm - 4:45pm - Program Sessions III
CATHI COHEN, Author and Director of
In Step
"Stepping Stones to Building Friendships at Camp"
In this active, experiential workshop, based on
Cohen's book "Stepping Stones to Building Friendships - A Guide for Camp Counselors", audience members will
learn and practice techniques and exercises that
encourage friendships between campers. Using some of
the dynamic strategies and activities described in the
book, this fun workshop will help camp staff develop a
social skills training component to their work with
campers.
Tommy Ferguson, Camp Director, Camp Olympia; Carla Weiland, CEO, Camp Summit; Toni Hooten, Camp Director, Camp El Tesoro
"Has Camping gotten in to you? How bout getting into camping?"
Thinking about making a career in camping? Curious how it’s done? Sit back, relax, and take this wonderful opportunity to learn from these three camping professionals as they share their tales of how they got into camping. Then, join other new members of EPIC (Emerging Professionals in Camping) in this panel discussion to ask any questions you may have.
BIO
Scott Arizala, The Camp Couselor
"Operation Wet the Moose: Sneaking, pretending, and storytelling your way through camp"
Once upon a time at a camp far away… sneaking around, secret places, pretending, secret handshakes, ceremonies, storytelling, and adventures are all tools that can make the camp experience magical. Learn the techniques for implementing more of this kind of play at camp and how to intertwine culture, community and your mission into it. Help save imagination!
BIO
Ken Katz, SofterWare, Inc.
"Decision 2008: How Will You Collect Camp Fees?"
This session will include a discussion of the latest technology for integrated credit card processing, preauthorized payment collection, and online credit card & “electronic check” payment.
BIO
Gary Forster, Camping Specialist YMCA of the USA
"Using POWER-Hiring to recruit and interview your staff"
Hard to find good staff candidates? Even harder to pick the right ones? The “POWER Hiring” behavioral interviewing techniques have been used by major companies for years, but few camps have ever learned how. You’ll receive a “tool kit” designed for your camp counselor interviews. These materials have been created for camps with a grant from the AT&T foundation.
BIO
Susan Coker, Director of Marketing YMCA of Greater Houston
"Strategic Marketing Techniques to Help Market Your Camp"
Learn some key strategies to marketing your camp successfully. See how you can target market to your demographics. Learn about the importance of research and data gathering and the effect it will have on the success of your camp. Word of mouth marketing, communications and how both can positively affect your camper numbers will be discussed.
Rick Mirando, volunteer and Chairman of the YMCA National Advisory Council for Adventure Guides and Pam Atkins, Associate Vice President of Program Services /Development, YMCA of Metro Dallas
"Building Successful Volunteer/Staff Teams"
Great Adventure Guide programs are the direct result of a dynamic Volunteer and staff partnership. Hear about how volunteer leaders are recruited, trained, motivated and given appropriate roles in local Programs.
What are the do’s and don’ts for staff involvement.
BIO
4:45pm Virtual Tours
5:30pm DINNER With Exhibitors
7:30pm SWCC COFFEE HOUSE
