Drive-Through Drop-Off
Just rip off the Band-Aid. Even saying those words is enough to make most people cringe, and yet, there are times when it's best to grimace and go for it. The reality of running a traditional summer camp during a global pandemic challenged my team to devise new and creative solutions, and yes, to rip off some Band-Aids.
Mission-Driven Day Camps
Girl Scouts in the Heart of PA (GSHPA) relies on day-camp and school-based programming to meet the needs of girls, families, and the community at large. By utilizing the Girl Scout Leadership Experience model that emphasizes a sense of self, challenge seeking, healthy relationships, and community problem solving, day camps become girl-led, fun summer experiences.
Implementing A Junior Lifeguard Program
Long Island, N.Y., is known for its beautiful beaches, freshwater lakes, and miles of scenic waterfront. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that most local parents prioritize “learning to swim” as a critical skill for their kids.
Safe Sailing
Sailing-related injuries at camp—and in junior sailing in general—are rare; however, when accidents do occur, the results can be serious and even deadly. Too often, camps invest heavily in lifeguard training for sailing staff members, but neglect the type of training needed to prepare instructors to operate powerboats in close quarters to kids in sailboats.
What Should I Be Doing Right Now?
“There has been an alarming increase in the number of things I know nothing about.”
Jane Seabrook, Furry Logic Wild Wisdom
The Case For Aluminum
For many camps, the signature element of the campus is the waterfront. And the heart of the waterfront is the dock system. The dock design determines where people can swim, how lifeguards will supervise, and how other elements of the waterfront (e.g., access to boats or location of slides, diving boards, or inflatables) are managed.
Talking To Lifeguards
Larry, the waterfront director at Camp Whatsit, was on top of his game. He boasted new certifications in swimming instruction and lifeguarding from national organizations, had been teaching swimming for four years at his town’s parks and rec department, and even turned down an offer to be the head lifeguard at the local beach to become the waterfront director at Camp Whatsit.