LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE

2009 LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE COURSES

Scott’s Top 10: Staff Training Techniques, Ideas and Skills
Scott Arizala

Super Skills for Leading, Directing, & Supervising Superb Camps
Michael Brandwein

Risky Business:  Teaching Today’s Millennial Staff to Understand and Manage Risks Common in the Camp Setting
Maggie Braun & Cathy Scheder

Essential Staff Training Activities
Jim Cain

First Aid Instructor Training for Camp Nurses (ECSI Curriculum)
Linda Ebner Erceg

The Basics of Camp Nursing Seminar
Vernon-John 'VJ' Gibbons

The Tee-Pee Shuffle again?
Laura Hanna

Project Learning Tree
Mary Beth King

The All New Heightened Awareness Training™ for 2009 Camp Staff
Jeff Leiken

Growing A Staff Culture That Creates Change
Collette Marquardt

Breaking the Silence: How to Effectively Combat Anti-LGBT Bullying At Your Camp
Alyssa Norby

The Arts Play at Camp: Puppets and Stories!
Marilyn Price

Camp Directors/Administrators!  Never Waste Your Money on Poor Marketing Again
Jodi Rudick

Take Your Camp from Good to Unbelievable:  Lessons from the Corporate World for Camp
Gretchen Vaughn

Greening Your Camp Operation
Drs. Robert & Sonia Vogl

Communicating with Campers and Staff: Putting Your Mission Where Your Mouth Is
Anna and David Weigand

Program Quality Assurance and Outcomes Assessment Enhance Camp Development and Performance
Rita Yerkes

ACA New Director Orientation*

ACA Standards Course*

ACA Standards Update Course*

Basic Camp Directors Course*

* If you have questions regarding any of the ACA courses, please contact Gordie Kaplan, ACA-Illinois, 67 E. Madison St. #1406, Chicago, IL 60603, 312-332-0833, FAX 312-332-4011

SCOTT'S TOP 10: STAFF TRAINING TECHNIQUES, IDEAS & SKILLS
This quick paced and exciting session delivers Scott’s Top 10 best staff training ideas.  From activities to content ideas and delivery to big picture concepts, this is the grab bag of proven techniques.  Topics will include; communication skills, leadership, counseling skills, problem solving, staff supervision, and much more.  Walk away with resources, motivation, and inspiration to deliver the best training you can!
Instructor: Scott Arizala
Bio: Scott is one of the nation’s leading experts and trainers in youth development and the summer camp experience.  As a professional speaker and educator, he has given keynotes, workshops, seminars and educational sessions at numerous professional conferences, training events, and with organizations.  He is currently the CEO of The Camp Counselor, a consulting and training company working with hundreds of camps and thousands of staff & administrators across the country.

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SUPER SKILLS FOR LEADING, DIRECTING & SUPERVISING SUPERB CAMPS
This is the acclaimed skill-packed supervision training session from the author of the number one national best-selling book on camp staff supervision and training, Super Staff SuperVision. In this one fast-paced workshop you can learn and practice exactly what you need to say and do to be one of the very best leaders at camp. Including: 6 Paths—the six things supervisors must do every day and how to get them done brilliantly; CDOS–precisely how to coach even reluctant staff to the highest level of performance so that every staff person is more skilled at the end of the summer than at the start; reducing talk behind backs while increasing open communication; building trust and credibility and being a boss of your peers and friends; getting staff to take this fun job professionally and with greater responsibility and accountability; increasing creativity and facilitating change; what to say and do when staff are not meeting expectations; supporting and motivating staff—including the mid- and high- performers who often get less attention; getting out into the field more to coach and model skills while enjoying the campers; and more!
Instructor: Michael Brandwein
Bio: Michael Brandwein (michaelbrandwein.com) is one of the top trainers of persons in the fields of education, camp, and recreation. He has made presentations in all 50 states and on six of the seven continents. Michael is the number one national bestselling author in the camp field, with four consecutive bestsellers, Training Terrific Staff (Volumes 1 & 2), Super Staff SuperVision, and Learning Leadership. Michael wrote and presented three 1999 Emmyâ award-winning television programs on communicating with children called Parenting Puzzle. He is a frequent keynote speaker for national organizations that serve youth, families, teachers, and others, including the American Camp Association (ACA) and the National Recreation and Park Association, among many others. He has served on the national board of directors and executive committee of the ACA. He has presented standing-room-only sessions at ACA national conferences every year since 1983, was the chair of the 2005 national conference, and has received two national honors from ACA for his training of directors and staff throughout the world. Michael’s camp experience includes everything from front-line counselor and supervisor to camp administrator. His Juris Doctor degree is from the University of Chicago. Michael lives in the Chicago area with his wife Donna, a professional sign language interpreter, and their two sons David and Benjamin.

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RISKY BUSINESS: TEACHING TODAY'S MILLENNIAL STAFF TO UNDERSTAND AND MANAGE RISKS COMMON IN THE CAMP SETTING
The camp experience with all its benefits to youth and adults comes with risks.  By design there are risks for the staff, camp, campers and parents.  Parents and campers have expectations that the camp experience will be physically and emotionally safe.  Camps often have staff from the millennial generation who have grown up in an environment where risk management decisions have been made for them or the potential for risk is not personal.  This workshop will take participants through a step by step process of risk identification and assessment in the camp setting.  A series of tools will be used to address the gap in the identified risks and the skills present in our staff needed to minimize and manage the risks.  Participants will work through specific camp scenarios that will lead to the development of procedures and practices for training staff in this “risky business.”   This session includes time for meaningful dialogue with colleagues on best practices and positive steps to improve risk management in your camp and how to incorporate these practices into staff training.
Instructors: Maggie Braun & Cathy Scheder
Bio: Maggie Braun directs Camp WeHaKee for girls with her husband, Bob. WeHaKee is an independent not for profit camp in Northern Wisconsin owned by the Sinsinawa Dominican Sisters and has been in operation since 1923.  Prior to directing WeHaKee, Maggie (and Bob) directed Catholic Youth Camp (CYC, in Minnesota.  Maggie spent 17 years professionally with the Girl Scouts as an Executive Director, Chief Operating Officer, and Camp Director.  Maggie has been active in ACA as a BCDC trainer since 2000, Wisconsin Section President, Accreditation Visitor and past member of the ACA National Board of Directors./ Cathy Scheder holds her Bachelors Degree in Camp Management and Youth Agency Programming and her Masters Degree in Education, both from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point.  She has spent the past 20 years in camping as a counselor, waterfront director, program director and camp director. Additionally she served 6 years with the ACA national office in education and professional development.  She combines her passions for both camp and education as a speaker at local, regional and national conferences and has authored articles and books related to aquatics, outdoor living skills, and millennial generation campers and staff.  She is an ACA visitor and a BCDC trainer since 2000, and also serves as a Standards Instructor and Trainer of Instructors and is on the board of directors for the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics serving on the Executive Committee as Secretary for the organization, as well as chair of the nominations and board development committee.

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ESSENTIAL STAFF TRAINING ACTIVITIES
Author and teambuilding guru Dr. Jim Cain shares his favorite, best and newest activities to help make your next staff training program active, memorable, engaging, effective and fun.  Learn how to use active learning to teach your staff valuable skills they’ll need this summer
Instructor: Jim Cain
Bio: Dr. Jim Cain authored the award winning book Teamwork & Teamplay, which received the Karl Rohnke Creativity Award presented by the Association for Experiential Education.  His four other teambuilding texts are: The Book on Raccoon Circles, A Teachable Moment, Teambuilding Puzzles, and The Value of Connection - In the Workplace.
He is a Senior Consultant to the Cornell University Corporate Teambuilding Program, a former Executive Director for the Association for Challenge Course Technology (ACCT) and the creative force behind his training company, Teamwork & Teamplay.  He holds four college degrees including a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Rochester.
Dr. Cain frequently serves as a visiting professor on subjects ranging from teambuilding and experiential education using adventure-based activities to corporate culture and leadership.  He is the innovator of more than three dozen teambuilding activities and props, and has presented more than 500 programs in 44 states and 12 countries in the past decade.
In addition to his adventure-based activities, Jim is also an accomplished square dance caller, guitarist, boomerang maker, engineer, researcher and author.
If you want to incorporate teamwork into your organization, and you want to do it right, contact Dr. Cain for assistance.  You’ll be glad you did!

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FIRST AID INSTRUCTOR TRAINING FOR CAMP NURSES (ECSI Curriculum)
Using an ACA approved provider, this instructor training course is designed to teach registered nurses (RNs) how to teach first aid, CPR, and wilderness first aid to camp staff.  Prerequisite: RN + ACN member.  Outcome:  successful candidates will be credentialed by the Emergency Care & Safety Institute (ECSI) to teach basic and wilderness first aid, and CPR.
Instructor: Linda Ebner Erceg, RN, MS, PHN
Bio: Originally credentialed as an ARC first aid instructor, Linda Ebner Erceg, RN, MS, PHN, taught the first wilderness first aid course for the National Safety Council in the late 90’s.  She is currently an instructor-trainer for ECSI, a nationally recognized provider of various first aid curriculums, and brings many years of training camp staff to this instructor-training process.

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THE BASICS OF CAMP NURSING SEMINAR
Designed for nurses new (or newer) to the camp world, this seminar provides an overview of camp nursing practice.  It includes topics such as Opening Day screening, clinical topics, medication management at camp, working with camp administration and camp parents, and Health Center organization.
Instructor: Vernon-John “VJ” Gibbins, RN
Bio: Currently president of the Association of Camp Nurses, VJ Gibbins, RN, has been a camp nurse at a Maine camp for the past 11 summers.  During the academic year, VJ is a pediatric critical care nurse specializing in trauma and cardiac surgery.   VJ and the seminar’s presenting team bring their experience seasoned by their years of coaching nurses into the camp nursing role to Seminar participants.

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THE TEE-PEE SHUFFLE AGAIN?
Ever seen new activities (or read about them) but were scared to lead them yourself?  Many of us dread leading the same initiatives over and over, however, are tentative to try new ideas on tough teenagers or with a corporate client.  In order for programs to be sustainable, we must keep ourselves, and a group, interested with new and fresh activities.  Here is the opportunity for you to lead a new activity in a fun and welcoming environment.  Come with one in mind that you would like to see in action!!
Instructor: Laura Hanna
Bio: Laura Hanna is owner of the cohesion strategies business, HY Venture, Inc.  She has a B.S. in Outdoor Recreation, with an emphasis in Leadership, from Indiana University.  Laura has been leading teambuilding tactics since 1994, has programming and management experience with multiple camp facilities and is an ACA Indiana Board Member.

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PROJECT LEARNING TREE
Project Learning Tree uses the forest as a window to the world.  By experiencing and learning  activities in the Project Learning Tree Curriculum, participants will develop awareness, appreciation, skills and commitment to the environment.  In addition, participants will learn activities that will have a direct application to camp this summer.
Instructor: Mary Beth King
Bio: Mary Beth King has been directing camps for eight years.  She is a certified facilitator for Project Learning Tree, Project Wet and Project Wild and has presented these programs at Mid States and other organizations for several years.

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THE ALL NEW HEIGHTENED AWARENESS TRAINING™ FOR 2009 CAMP STAFF
Be prepared to attend this program and leave behind what ou have known of camp training in the past.   You'll be on a mission as intriguing as "CSI" and as puzzling to solve as a case on "House" - yet with the lasting impact of preparing camp staff like never before!
Internationally recognized training expert, Jeffrey Leiken designed this utterly unique training program specifically to meet the huge challenge of capturing the attention and interest of this generation of camp counselors. Their 'YouTube' attention spans and MTV relationship skillks often leave them ill-prepared to attend to the very real needs and concerns of youth, at least not at the level that is required for your camp to generate extraordinary results. Training them requires much more than nicely packaged, over-simplified activities that sound good on paper. This group must be engaged in a much more sophisticated way, and it must be done in a way that is as creative as it is useful. What you learn here will lead your staff to become more attentive, more dedicated and more proactive; and will give you learning material to reference the rest of your summer. The end result will provoke a genuine and lasting interest not just in caring for others, but in what it is you are doing when you do your best work. Though designed for millenials, even veteran staff will be energized with a renewed sense of freshness and hope for the future of camping!
Instructor: Jeff Leiken, MA
Bio: Jeff is a professional trainer, mentor, award winning author, popular keynote speaker and camp consultant who travels internationally offering innovative training for youth and those who work with them.  Jeff teaches from 20+ years of true-life, on-going experience working with thousands of youth across North America and Europe. His track record  includes having effectively helped some of the most challenging and challenged youth to redirect their lives towards greatness. He’s worked with over 120 camps, training staff, counseling campers and coaching leaders.  He has served as Adjunct Faculty at the University of San Francisco Graduate School of Education and has guest lectured at Stanford University, and holds numerous certifications in the fields of counseling, hypnosis, linguistics and somatics. He is known for his provocative style, cutting edge insights, proactive approach, warm sense of humor and personal passion for his work.

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GROWING A STAFF CULTURE THAT CREATES CHANGE
Looking to create a successful staff culture and camp community? Participants will explore the world of critical thinking through hands on activities as they learn how to build AND mentor camp staff by teaching them to embrace their camp community and understand their importance using social change, advocacy and intentionality in the camp setting. This training will take your camp to a NEW level of youth development!
Instructor: Collette Marquardt
Bio: Colette Marquardt is the Camp Director for Camp Greenwood in Buffalo, Minnesota.  She has worked and directed at many camps throughout the Midwest.  Colette is a frequent presenter for the ACA Midstates Camping Conference.  She focuses on building camps that create change through empowerment, advocacy, and community building.

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BREAKING THE SILENCE: HOW TO EFFECTIVELY COMBAT ANTI-LGBT BULLYING AT YOUR CAMP
Gossip, eye-rolling, note-passing, slurring, harassment. These issues affect perceived and actual LGBT-identified young people from every walk of life, as well as those youths with same-sex family units.  Everything from seemingly innocuous language such as “That’s So Gay” to hate speech affect our campers on a daily basis at camp—whether we, as staff members, see it or not. This workshop will provide camp staff/administrative personnel with hands-on games, activities, intervention techniques, and preventative strategies that will effectively target anti-gay bullying at camp. Packed with the latest research on relational aggression and anti-LGBT youth violence, this session will equip you with the necessary tools to ensure that your camp is truly a safe space for all campers and staff.
Instructor: Alissa Norby
Bio: Alissa Norby works as the Relational Aggression Consultant for the Chicago Public School system, where she serves several schools each year. She also serves as an Anti-Bullying Consultant for the Girl Scouts of Illinois and Northwest Indiana, where she has facilitated violence prevention programming for the “Branching Out” summer camp, and will soon serve as the director for the Social Leaders Camp.  She is the creator and published author of “Girls in the Lead”, a book that provides educators with techniques for the intervention and prevention of bullying among young women. Alissa studied adolescent psychology and drama therapy at Mount Holyoke College, and she continues to research youth violence in Illinois with the University of Illinois. She has worked with and brought her innovative approach to bullying to several organizations, including the Girls Leadership Institute (led and trained by Rachel Simmons), the Girl Scouts of Chicago, YWCA camps, Chicago Communities in Schools, and ChildServ. Her work on behalf of at-risk adolescents has been spotlighted in a number of publications and media, including Teen Vogue, Mother Jones Magazine, The Advocate, Curve Magazine, Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times, Fox News, WBEZ Chicago, and the “Speak Up” radio broadcast in NYC. In addition to her work in psychology, Alissa has been trained in theater performance and instruction at the Second City and ImprovOlympic. She currently sits on the council for the Chicago Girls’ Initiative and the Young Women’s Leadership Committee.

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THE ARTS AT PLAY AT CAMP: PUPPETS & STORIES!
A creative arts program designed for your camp using puppets made of everything from old sports equipment to recyclable objects found around your camp site (boxes, water bottles, to name a few).  Once made the puppets will be the storytellers for camp and small group entertainment. Material will be provided by the presenter and all participants will create samples of  the projects so that they will be master teachers themselves.  In this course you will learn not only how to create puppets but how to effectively use them as storytelling devices.  Marilyn will be available for questions and answers as the camp year goes on either by email or phone.
Instructor: Marilyn Price
Bio: Marilyn Price is a nationally acclaimed puppeteer/storyteller and published author who is known for her imagination stretching techniques and unique presentation skills.  With over 35 years of experience she has been the designer of the Evanston Arts Camp, a Wisconsin Arts Campus and multiple programs to fit specific needs.  Her experience in establishing traditional and non-traditional teaching methods have made her a frequent presenter across the country in all areas of professional development.  www.marilynprice.com

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CAMP DIRECTORS/ADMINISTRATORS! NEVER WASTE YOUR MONEY ON POOR MARKETING AGAIN
If you’ve ever wished you could afford a professional consultant to add some pizazz and excitement to your promotional efforts then this is the program for you!  Camp marketing specialist, Jodi Rudick, will spend the morning taking a hard look at YOUR print marketing tools.  Along with other camps, Jodi will critique and suggest improvements to your current and upcoming brochures, flyers, campaign themes, promotional tools, press releases, and other traditional marketing tools.
In the afternoon there will be creative and constructive assessment of your web-site, DVDs, email campaigns, BLOGS, and other on-line and electronic marketing tools.  We’ll go live to the world wide web to explore actual websites to illustrate what works and what doesn’t when trying to attract and keep prospects interested and involved in your digital media.
Bring copies of your actual materials for discussion.  In these tough economic times it is more important than ever to make sure your promotions are effective and get you the results you need
Instructor: Jodi Rudick
Bio: Jodi Rudick has been one of the nations leading marketing speakers for the past 12 years She has dedicated her career to elevating the public’s perception of camps.  In addition to creating the extremely successful “Benefits Are Endless” campaign, Jodi has written five books on marketing and publicity, has spoken in 43 states and was twice named Speaker of the Year by the Promotional Products Association International.

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TAKE YOUR CAMP FROM GOOD TO UNBELIEVABLE: LESSONS FROM THE CORPORATE WORLD FOR CAMP
Why settle for merely great when your camp program could be truly unbelievable?  In this workshop, the keys to success of top-performing corporations and phenomenal CEOs have been adapted specifically for the camp industry.
In this thought-provoking workshop you’ll learn:
•  What makes for truly outstanding leadership (the answer may surprise you) – and how you can get there from where you are now;
•  Three critical principles of hiring and supervision that will create a self-motivated staff that works together with joy and returns from year to year;
•  Four crucial strategies for creating a culture where the truth can be heard – during the summer;
•  The importance of defining your core values – and using that as your central business strategy;
•  How to innovate to meet your campers’ needs without chasing flashy fads.
With all of these together, you’ll be able to set the “flywheel” in motion to create a self-perpetuating cycle of remarkable results.  A “coach approach” will be taken to help you develop an action plan that meets your specific leadership and camp needs.  Price includes a follow-up coaching session with the presenter after the conference.
Instructor: Gretchen Vaughn
Bio: Gretchen “Banana” Vaughn is a Leadership Coach and Cultural Competency Trainer with fifteen years experience working with day, resident, non-profit, private, Girl Scout and medical-specialty camps.  She also volunteers for ACA as a Standards Accreditation Visitor and as a member of the Editorial Advisory Committee of Camping Magazine.

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GREENING YOUR CAMP OPERATION
Presentation, using power point, personal and other successful experiences, of ways in which camps can “green” their site. Outdoor suggestions include encouraging onsite biodiversity with prairie and woodland management, natural gardens, gardens as program, and using electric or biodiesel fueled vehicles. For indoor greening, types of and sources for green cleaning supplies, conducting simple energy audits and carbon footprint analyses, establishing a paperless or less-paper office, recycling materials in office and lunch room, low impact supplies for food management, building and office, reducing food waste, saving water and electricity are also included. Solar heat and electricity and wind power are also possibilities.
Instructors: Drs. Robert and Sonia Vogl
Bio: Drs. Robert and Sonia Vogl spent most of their careers in camps. They are active in preserving natural areas with 40 acres of their 180 acre home farm in ecological restorations. Photovoltaic and wind systems provide most of their power. In retirement they run the Illinois Renewable Energy Association.

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COMMUNICATING WITH CAMPERS AND STAFF: PUTTING YOUR MISSION WHERE YOUR MOUTH IS
Most camp missions share some common threads: personal growth, non-competitive atmosphere, opportunity to learn, chance to challenge oneself, building self confidence, sense of community, fun and rewarding experience and an atmosphere of respect.  How well does your camp put these common threads into practice?  Do the words and actions of your staff help (or hinder) the realization of your mission?  This session will begin with a serious discussion about the “dos” and “don’ts” of working with children as they relate to these themes.  Several widely accepted beliefs will be challenged (and perhaps totally debunked) causing you to take a close look at how your camp does business.  The session will culminate with some new and exciting staff training activities that you can use to successfully communicate with your staff, ultimately paving the way to your camp being one that “puts its mission where it’s mouth is”.
Instructors: Anna and David Weigand
Bio: Anna Weigand is a Faculty-Program Coordinator for Bloomington, IN. Parks and Recreation.  She is also actively involved in ACA as a Standards Visitor, Board member and Education Chair for the Indiana Section.  She has been part of the overnight and day camping world for 18 years and currently manages several summer day camps.
David Weigand was the Youth Services Faculty-Program Coordinator for Bloomington, IN Parks and Recreation for 5 years during which time he managed a community center and coordinated the summer day camp program which included 10 day camps.  David trains summer day camp and overnight camp staff in the effective ways of working with children.  He is also the Administrator of Cutter Soccer Club, a non-profit organization involved in providing opportunities for children to play soccer at recreational and/or competitive levels.

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PROGRAM QUALITY ASSURANCE AND OUTCOMES ASSESSMENT ENHANCE CAMP DEVELOPMENT AND PERFORMANCE
High performing camps include campers, parents, staff and program administration constantly learning together to create results they truly desire.  Quality assurance methods enable the entire camp family learning how to learn together that promote program quality and outcomes assessment.  Outcomes assessment camp scenarios will be discussed and participants will be able to work with their own camp situation and others.
Instructor: Rita Yerkes, Ed. D
Bio: Dr. Rita Yerkes is the owner/director of Yerkes Consulting.  She is the former Dean of the School of Experiential Leadership at George Williams College where she taught Outdoor Pursuits Administration.  Currently, Rita serves on the ACA, Illinois Board.  She is co-founder of the Coalition of Education in the Outdoors, past President of the Council on Outdoor Education, past board member, president and accreditation council chair for the Association for Experiential Education.  She has served as an editorial board member of ACA’s Camping Magazine, ERIC Clearinghouse on Rural Education and Small Schools and the Journal of Experiential Education.  She has authored book chapters, numerous journal articles and conference presentations.

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ACA COURSES

ACA NEW DIRECTOR ORIENTATION*
An ACA course for new or seasonal camp directors or administrative staff.  This is an overview of all the aspects of the director's job with the primary focus on the summer operation.  It is an interactive session beginning with a board game covering the core areas of camping and then going into sessions on risk management, camper behavior and staff training and supervision.
Instructor: Connie Coutellier

ACA STANDARDS COURSE*
This course is for camp directors and staff NEW to the ACA Accreditation process.  ACA policy requires that a representative of a camp to be visited for accreditation must attend the Standards Course.  This person must be on site during the ACA visit and should help in getting information ready for the visit.  This course covers what the standards are and how to prepare for a visit.  Not sure if you need this course?  Click HERE to check with your ACA Section Standards Chair.

ACA STANDARDS UPDATE COURSE*
This course is for camp directors or other representatives who have had the Standards Course in the past, 1998-Spring 2006.  A participant must also be with a camp that is currently Accredited and this person must have done the preparation for the camp's last Visit and been the person who went through the Visit with the Visitors

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