As we gear up for our 30th anniversary summer, it is time to truly tackle many of our yearly preparations. Each winter, we explore program additions, hire staff, improve our facilities, keep our grounds beautiful and so much more; however, one thing that families may not know as part of that list is maintaining our accreditation with the American Camp Association (ACA).
The ACA is the national community for camp professionals, devoted to ensuring the quality of summer camp programs. Although the ACA consists of different types of camps from all over the US, we all share one common goal – to enrich the lives of children and their families through camp.
As such, the ACA developed a series of standards for camps to hold themselves and each other accountable to. They cover all aspects of camp, ranging from program upkeep to health and safety. By opening your program and admin to this review, it is a commitment to these standards and further, obtaining this accreditation means that a camp meets the expectations set forth by the camp community at large.
We are proud to say that we are an ACA accredited camp, and that our Camp Director, Mark, serves on the Keystone Board. Maintaining this membership and being active in the ACA, lets our families know that their children’s safety, well-being, and enjoyment will always be our top priorities.
It also gives us access to a network of information to better our programs. From building relationships with other camp directors to contact with vendors, the ACA provides resources to improve from year to year.
We attend the Tri-State conference each March and many of our recent program additions were discovered there. Our Wibit obstacle course at the Waterfront, bubble soccer, warchery, and other pieces of exciting equipment are a few notable examples.
In recent times, the ACA has also prepared a field guide for camps to utilize amidst these uncertain times. While professional health organizations and government advisories will lead any decisions across the industry, having additional resources for best practices at camp helps to ensure a safe ISTC experience for all.
With standards, information, and resources that ultimately prioritize our campers, we’ll continue to work with the ACA as we approach our 30th anniversary summer.
