Staffing Your Camp The Easy Way (Kind Of)
“Employees are a company's greatest asset - they're your competitive advantage. You want to attract and retain the best; provide them with encouragement, stimulus, and make them feel that they are an
Founding Principles
When you drive out of the city of Cleveland and travel Interstate 71, Interstate 77 or even the Ohio Turnpike, the real beauty of Ohio lies before you. Miles and miles of rolling acres, quaint farm
Are You Gonna Eat That?
Said one way, the question, “Are you gonna eat that?” is an informal query among friends that is the chummy equivalent of “Can I finish that?” You might hear it at a diner among best friends. Although
Thank A Teacher
Three Lifetime Lessons From Unforgettable Elementary TeachersEach year in May, students celebrate Teacher Appreciation Week by honoring teachers with thoughtful cards and other tokens of
Staff Pointers
Camps are the most powerful counter-cultural mechanism there is for positive youth development. Founding directors wove military, Native American, pioneer, folk and religious traditions into a unique
Pondering The Big Questions
It was almost 4 o’clock on a summer afternoon in 1971. I was 11 years old and my buddies were over at my house playing kickball in the back yard. I heard the cranking noise that the window off the kit
Time Redesign
Attacking Five Common Enemies of EfficiencyPart 1 of this Week-Ender series (“The Science of Time Management”) drew the distinction between controllable and uncontrollable aspects of our existence. Re
Perfect Eggs
Visiting my relatives in California is always a pleasure. They’re a West Coast group and we’re Midwestern, so we can go decades without seeing each other. As we’ve aged, visits have been fewer and fa
Mobile Kitchen Webinars
Kitchens To Go, a provider of mobile and modular kitchen solutions, is offering a free webinar series designed to educate food service professionals on the benefits of using temporary kitchen
Little Becomes Big
Two words changed my life. Even the smallest detail can loom large. Sometimes, it doesn’t take a lot to make a point or to be profound. Sometimes, it’s not in the amount that you say; it’s in the powe
Some More Recipes For S'mores
I was just sitting here wondering what to do with leftover Easter Peeps when I stumbled across Summer Camp Culture's collection of creative recipes for s'mores! I want s'more Peeps!I'll be munching
Invisible Blame
“I’ve waited long enough!”“No one should have to be this patient!”“Why does this world always do this to me?”“I never have any luck!”“I don’t see other people having these problems. Why do I?”Do any o
The Science Behind Time Management
The psychological starting point for time management goes like this: Although some of our reality happens outside of our awareness, we are consciously aware of some portion of our existence. Focus
Camp Song Madness!
Sure, basketball rules the roost during March Madness. But that doesn't mean summer camp folk can't get in on the fun! Can we get a marching band for this madness?Tune in to Camp Song Madness,
How To Change A Gas Mantle
Here's a short instructional video on how to change a mantle on a gas lantern, from the folks at Camping In
Tough Love
One evening in my third year of marriage, I called my mom to vent that I didn’t have any close friends to go out with. My husband and I had spent our first two years living three hours from both our f
This-N-That
MV Sport Is Powered By The Sun MV Sport/Weatherproof, a supplier of custom decorated apparel based in Bay Shore, NY, announced that it is installing a large solar panel system that will generate most
Letting Go
I’m about to give some bad news to a multi-year summer staff member: “It’s time to move on.” Saying no: A camp director's toughest job. I will say it better, with more grace and love, but that’s the
Universal Vulnerabilities
In Part I of this series on maintaining professional boundaries with young people, I introduced the concept of a fiduciary, suggested the guideline of “Doubt = Don’t,” and outlined practical and effective ways in which directors could train staff to act responsibly.
Step In Time
Pasquale could feel the frigid draft from the window over their bed. The blankets they had hung there buffered the winter wind, but if the sound of that wind was any indication of its power, the