|
American Camp Association 2007 National
Conference
Widening the Circle
February 13-16
Austin, Texas
We're Live in the Live Music Capitol
of the World!
Compelling reasons for learning "live"
together in Austin at the ACA National
Conference!
- Tackle hard-to-solve challenges and
gain a new perspective on how your peers
address issues at their camps.
- Do more than access the research, access
the researcher.
- Post critical questions and participate
in a learning environment of inquiry
and investigation.
- Learn more about what you are doing
well.
- Experience the sense of belonging in
our national, learning community.
- Extend that sense of belonging by widening
our circle, right in Austin.
- Enjoy the three “R's”:
Revive, Recharge, and Renew!
Widening the Circle
"Widening the Circle" challenges us to increase our capacity to bring
the camp experience to people who are not yet "in the circle" and
to rethink the role that camp can play in the community and the lives of all
connected with it. Every camp can fill beyond capacity if we succeed in showing
our potential families that the camp experience can make a difference for each
and every camper, for a lifetime. We're committed to continuous improvement,
with a shifting focus on strategies each year. Our efforts to widen the circle
complement our past focus on putting missions into action and partnering with
parents.
Austin, Texas
Texas is a state rich in culture, people,
geography, spirit, and politics. Austin
is a gem of a city—a small-town feel,
with bigger city conveniences, all wrapped
up in a celebration of independence. Live
music fans, outdoor enthusiasts, historians,
students, epicureans, athletes, and shoppers
will enjoy all that Austin offers. We encourage
you to come a day early or stay for the
weekend following the conference to fully
experience Austin! To learn more about
Austin and plan your stay, visit www.ACAcamps.org/conference.
Hilton Austin Hotel
All major conference events will take place
in the Hilton Austin, located in downtown
Austin, conveniently close to the Historic
Sixth Street Entertainment District. Guests
of the Hilton will enjoy convenience, value,
and a variety of amenities that enhance
the conference experience.
The hotel is located at 500 East Fourth
Street, Austin, TX 78701, phone 512-482-8000.
For more information about the hotel, visit: www.austin.hilton.com.
To make reservations by phone, call 800-236-1592 and identify yourself with the American
Camp Association. You can also make reservations
online.
Special rates will be available three days
prior and after the conference dates for
those who wish to extend their stays to
enjoy Austin sites and activities.
Hotel Sleeping Room Rates
Single Rooms: $154
Double Rooms: $154
Triple Rooms: $169
Quad Rooms: $184
*Rates do not include state and local
taxes.
Target Audience
The national conference is designed for
a range of youth development professionals
who work, teach, volunteer, lead, study,
research, and contribute in a variety of
ways to the camp experience. You'll
find seasoned camp owners and directors
engaged in intense debates with researchers.
The conference serves “pickles in
the middle” by building on some early
professional experiences. Students, from
undergraduates to those in doctoral programs
access the conference as attendees, panelists,
and investigators. Educators contribute
content and take back new knowledge to
students. Programs are designed for the
full range of learners; however, most programs
are geared towards experienced professionals.
The program book indicates the intended
audience, session by session. Participants
are welcome to sample each and every component
we offer.
Expected Outcomes
Leave the conference with timely, relevant
information, including best practices,
applied research, personal insights, group
insights, specific case scenarios, staff
training templates, and business innovations. Engage
in networking opportunities designed to
complement the program content offered.
Challenge Your Current Way of Thinking
with Our Program
Keynote lectures, discussion groups, poster
sessions, panels, lectures, and hands-on
sessions are divided among five key areas:
- Youth Development for Campers and Staff—How
camp professionals can effectively use
the camp experience to help prepare young
people for healthy and successful lives. Topics
include: exploring participant development
and behavior in the areas of health and
wellness, bullying, etc.; creating program
design; and establishing other ways to
build on the fun and link activities
to desired outcomes.
- Human Resources and Staff Training—In
addition to critical areas in human resources
like skillfully recruiting, selecting,
managing, training, and motivating staff
and volunteers, we're addressing
goal-setting, leadership, outcomes attainment,
youth involvement in decision making,
and developing life skills on the job.
- Business Operations—Specific
topics for camps and conference centers
such as fund raising, development, finance,
risk management, strategic planning,
site and facility, environmental issues,
food service, transportation, technology,
and public policy.
- Strategies and Tools to Address Emerging
Issues — Emerging and urgent issues,
and how camps and conference centers
can rapidly and appropriately address
these challenges. Best practices
in like-minded organizations, case-studies,
and applicable research in take-home
formats.
- A Special Fifth Area: "Widening
the Circle" — Sessions
that build our skills and knowledge base
in public awareness, demographics, needs
assessment, outreach strategies, effective
partnering techniques, forming meaningful
community links, marketing, and working
with missions and outcomes.
ACA Headliners
 Dr. David Elkind
The Power of
Play
Dr. Elkind, professor of child development
at Tufts University, joins us on Wednesday
morning for a special keynote lecture,
The Power of Play. Dr. Elkind's research
in the areas of perceptual, cognitive,
and social development of young children
fueled the books, The
Hurried Child, All
Grown Up and No Place to Go, Miseducation,
and Grandparenting:
Understanding Today's
Children. This much loved author and psychologist
is the past president of the National Association
for the Education of Young Children, and
a frequent contributor to television programs
including the Today
Show, 20/20, Oprah,
and the Lifetime series which he co-hosted,
Kids These Days.
 Ann Sheets, National President, American
Camp Association
Welcome and State of the American Camp
Association
In addition to having arguably the best
Texan accent, Ann deftly leads the American
Camp Association in her role as national
president. In a mix of wisdom, wit, common
sense, compassion, and a clear sense of
what is right and good, Ann is an exceptional
navigator. Ann's limitless energy
is matched by her absolute dedication to
what ACA can and will do!
 Peg Smith CEO, American Camp Association
ACA Now and Beyond
For nearly a decade, ACA has enjoyed the
leadership, drive, and vision of CEO Peg
Smith. Addressing one person or television
audience of millions, Peg's passion
is overwhelmingly obvious—improving
the lives of children and their families
through camp experiences. Executive,
soccer mom, child advocate, gardener .
. . these are just a few hats Peg wears,
typically in the same day!
 Neil Howe
Millennials Rising
Opening Keynote Lecture
Renowned authority on generations in America,
historian, economist, demographer, and
author Neil Howe separates facts from myths
about the new crop of teens. The “millenials” as
a whole, are doing much better than most
adults think. Neil talks about what motivates
them as consumers and workers, and how
they will shape our national future. We
know our circle is constantly changing—come
gain insight on what is next.
Abigail A. Van Slyck
A Manufactured Wilderness
Why were summer camps created? What concerns
and ideals motivated their founders? How
did they change over time? What factors
influenced their design? Abigail
A. Van Slyck trains an informed eye on
the most visible and evocative aspect of
camp life: its landscape and architecture.
She argues that summer camps delivered
much more than a simple encounter with
the natural world. Instead, she suggests,
camps provided a man-made version of wilderness,
shaped by middle-class anxieties about
gender roles, class tensions, race relations,
and modernity and its impact on the lives
of children. We will explore our changing
attitudes toward children's health,
sanitation, play, relationships between
the sexes, Native American culture, and
evolving ideas about childhood.
Aha Process
Along with the opportunity to serve and
support campers and staff different than
ourselves, we need workable strategies
to meet the challenges that often result.
Camps have a wonderful opportunity to contribute
to the lives of all children—and
in one example, camp can be in the lives
of children caught in generational poverty.
The two things that move children out of
poverty are education and meaningful relationships.
Come learn from the Aha Process about what
innovative schools and nonprofits have
successfully implemented.
Students Welcome!
The conference team welcomes students. Full-time
students with current ACA memberships may
attend the national conference at no charge—an
exceptional benefit. Sessions especially
helpful to students are highlighted in
the program book.
Kindred and Affiliate Events
Many groups meet along with ACA as Kindreds,
Councils, and Affiliates. Some groups meet
off site and others meet in the Hilton
Austin. As of September 26, 2006, groups
planning to hold events include the American
Cancer Society, the Association of Camp
Nurses, the Association of Independent
Camps, the Boy Scouts of America, C.A.M.P.,
Not For Profit Council, Religiously Affiliated
Camps, Woodmen of the World, and others.
For more information, visit www.ACAcamps.org/conference and
consult the registration form.
Exhibitors
Conference attendees enjoy quality time
with exhibitors. New exhibitors sign on
with the ACA National Conference daily.
Seriously Live—ACA Open Mike Night—Wednesday,
February 14
Following the Grand Opening Event in the
exhibit hall, plan to attend, wait . .
. plan to perform at the ACA Open Mike
Night. The Texoma House Band will back
you up. Come enjoy the talents of your
peers. Interested in performing? Visit
www.ACAcamps.org/conference.
Night on the Town—Thursday,
February 15
Try some true Texas barbeque, sample Southwest cuisine, and more on Night on
the Town in Austin. One set price includes dinner and transportation and a whole
lot of fun! Individuals are encouraged to sign up and enjoy a meal while meeting
new camp professionals. Groups are welcome to sign up as well.
Top of page
Student Camp Leadership Academy
The Student Camp Leadership Academy (SCLA) is an opportunity for university and
college juniors, seniors, or graduate students, who are passionate about the
camp experience, to explore the potential for a career in the camp experience
field. The pilot event took place last November . . . this year's SCLA
will be held Friday, November 3 – 5, 2006 at Timber Pointe Outdoor Center.
Visit www.ACAcamps.org/scla for
full information and a registration form.
Top of page
Camp Administrator Course in Cooperation
with the NRPA, October 10, 2006
Youth development professionals in recreation and parks, attending the National
Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) Congress and Exposition in Seattle, may
register for a half-day pre-conference, "New Camp Administrator Orientation." The
course is adapted from the New Director Orientation and will have a day camp
focus. ACA and NRPA members may register at a reduced rate. Register
today!
Top of page
Sections Offer Basic Camp Director Course
in Four Locations
Directors have multiple options to take the
Basic
Camp Director Course (BCDC) in 2006/2007.
The BCDC provides the basics and more for
camp directors with fewer than six years
of experience or for seasoned program directors
and site managers. This is an excellent opportunity
to be sure you have well-rounded knowledge
of the core areas and to begin a personal
network of camp professionals. Course size
is limited. We
encourage potential participants to register
early.
Top of page
DECA Express ‘06
The 2006 Diabetes Education & Camping
Association Conference
(DECA Express '06),
October 11 – 15, 2006, will be hosted
by Camp Hertko Hollow, a specialty camp for
youth with diabetes. The conference will
be held at the Des Moines YMCA Camp in Boone,
Iowa.
For more training and professional development
event information, visit
the ACA training calendar online.
Top of page |
 |
|
