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Seminars for 2024
We are excited to share the seminar tracks we have planned for 2024 and some of the seminars lined up! Please continue to scroll down for the Roundtable list.
These lists are still being compiled. Check back for frequent updates.
Seminars
Ranger/Managers |
Information |
LOCATION |
PRESENTER |
Thriving in the Wild: Discovering Joy amid the Craziness of Camp |
Camp burnout is real, but it doesn’t have to be your story. Join us to learn practical ways to thrive, deepen your resilience, and keep your ministry passion alive. | David Yeagley, Executive Director of Sunset Lake Camp |
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| Utilizing Volunteer Ministries in Camp Ministry | Discover how the NAD Office of Volunteer Ministries can amplify your camp’s mission through year-round volunteer support. From creating service requests to recruiting, mentoring, and sustaining volunteer engagement, we provide the tools and network you need to incorporate long-term, qualified volunteers into your camp ministry. | Leah Jordach, NAD Volunteer Ministry Associate Director |
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Contractors - Performance Bonds / Release of Liens / Fair Price vs Favor (Open Discussion) |
Come share insights on how to navigate the delicate relationship between camp and vendor. This open discussion will focus on what could be dun in order to further your ministry and deepen your relationship with local vendors. |
Ben Copley, Camp Manager at Indian Creek Camp |
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| How to Build & Keep Your Donor Base | A discussion on building supporters and growing donors – through a development of relationships. |
Dan Whitlow, Youth Director/Camp Director for the New York Conference |
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NEW TO CAMP |
LOCATION |
PRESENTER |
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| Thriving in the Wild: Discovering Joy amid the Craziness of Camp | Camp burnout is real, but it doesn’t have to be your story. Join us to learn practical ways to thrive, deepen your resilience, and keep your ministry passion alive. | David Yeagley, |
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| Top Resources for New Camp Directors | Providing essential tools, strategies, and insights to help new camp leaders excel in their roles. From software to marketing management, you will leave with a list of resources I use each year. | Theresa Stride, Programming Dir. of Camp Kulaqua |
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| The Essentials for a Successful Camp | What are the crucial ingredients for a successful summer camp program? How are you defining and measuring success? | Brandon Westgate, Youth Director of Rocky Mountain Conference |
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| Thoughts on Discipling Summer Camp Staff | How to journey with summer camp staff in Kingdom living in the real world. | Jeff Wines, Youth & Young Adult Director & Camp MiVoden Director for the Upper Columbia Conference |
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FOOD SERVICE / HOSPITALITY |
LOCATION |
PRESENTER |
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| Upping Your Vegan Game | Come for a live demonstration with Sysco on how to prepare delicious vegan meals for your clients. Participants will also be shown new programs that they can use in order to keep inventory digitized & in order. | Sysco Rep | |
| Upping Your Vegan Game | Come for a live demonstration with Sysco on how to prepare delicious vegan meals for your clients. Participants will also be shown new programs that they can use in order to keep inventory digitized & in order. | Sysco Rep | |
| Servant Leader Ministry | This live demonstration takes you into the kitchen of PSR as you help the host camp in preparing for the upcoming meal service. You will learn the behind the scenes production of this well oiled camp kitchen. | Jorge Jimenez, El Jefe (Food Service Director) at Camp MiVoden |
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| Servant Leader Ministry Debrief | Sit and debrief what you learned from your time helping in the Pine Springs Ranch kitchen. | Jorge Jimenez, |
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Summer Camp Director |
LOCATION |
PRESENTER |
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| Safe & Sound: Responding to & Reporting Camper Abuse with Confidence & Care | This seminar will equip camp directors with the knowledge and tools to recognize, respond to, and address instances of camper abuse or neglect reported at camp. It will also cover the proper procedures for reporting suspected abuse and/or neglect, emphasizing the importance of timely and accurate documentation to protect both campers and staff | Stacy Depluzer, Associate Youth Director & Summer Camp & Child Ministries Director at Illinois Conference | |
| Crafting a Strong Staff Week: Building Strong Teams & Inspiring Camp Spirit from Day One | This seminar will focus on creating an effective staff training week that prepares your team to excel in their roles while fostering a deep understanding of your camp's mission and vision and providing a strong sense of camaraderie. Participants will learn strategies for building team cohesion, aligning staff with camp values, and ensuring staff are fully equipped to provide a positive and meaningful experience for campers. | Eric Chavez, Youth Director for Texico Conference |
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| Parent Partnerships: Balancing Communication & Boundaries for a Stronger Camp Community | This seminar will teach camp directors how to effectively engage and communicate with parents, ensuring they are well-informed while maintaining healthy boundaries that protect staff and camp operations. Participants will learn strategies for setting clear expectations, handling concerns professionally and creating a positive partnership with parents that supports both camper well-being and camp integrity. | Stacey DePluzier, Associate Youth Director & Summer Camp & Child Ministries Director at Illinois Conference |
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| Beat the Burnout: Strategies for Staying Energized & Engaged All Summer Long | This seminar will explore strategies for camp directors to recognize and manage burnout, both in themselves and in their staff, ensuring long-term well-being throughout the summer. Participants will learn effective techniques for supporting staff through the mid-summer slump, fostering resilience, and maintaining motivation and engagement during the busiest season. | Stacey DePluzier, Associate Youth Director & Summer Camp & Child Ministries Director at Illinois Conference |
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GENERAL CAMP |
LOCATION |
PRESENTER |
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| UltraCamp 101: Master the Basics, Maximize the Experience | New to UltraCamp? In this seminar, we’ll break down the essentials to help you get started and fully optimize this powerful tool for your camp management needs. Whether you’re a first-time camp registrar/director or just new to the software, you’ll leave with actionable tips and a solid foundation to streamline your processes. Join us and take the first step towards smoother, smarter camp operations! | Derek Wright, UltraCamp Wiz | |
UltraCamp Updates: Simplifying Your Daily Operations |
Learn about UltraCamp's newest features designed to reduce administrative time and enhance your camp's efficiency. We'll demonstrate practical improvements including quick session copying, customizable reporting, advanced cabin assignments, and integrated photo sharing through SmugMug - all developed based on camp administrator feedback. Join us to see how these tools can streamline your processes and create new opportunities for your camp. |
Derek Wright, UltraCamp Wiz
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| Developing Leaders through Camp Ministry | In this seminar, we will discuss leadership lessons and ways to develop your camp staff as leaders. | Greg & Kim Taylor, |
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| Grant Writing for Character and Camp Initiative | Character at Camp Grants: While the ACA will have some training on how to write a grant, come for a bit of a head start on grant writing in this seminar. | Terry Bolton, Business Manager for Leoni Meadows |
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EQUESTRIAN |
LOCATION |
PRESENTER |
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| Details Make a Difference: A More Profitable Equestrian Program | Building and engaging, organized, and sustainable equestrian program with changes that can make it more profitable. Including record keeping, efficiency, methods and safety protocols. | Danita Rasmussen, Horsemanship Director for Sunset Lake Camp |
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| Parasite Control Lab | Manage your herds parasites. A hands on opportunity to learn about life cycles, deworming products, and how to identify the specific parasite you need to treat. | Kristina Allen, Equestrian Manager for Lone Star Camp |
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| Herd Building: Where to start, what to look for, and where to aim | Where to start, what to look for, and where to aim when buying, leasing and conditioning horses that suit the specific needs for your camp equestrian center. | ||
| Happy & Healthy Horsing for Humans: An exploration of the physical and mental health benefits for clients and staff in the horse industry | An exploration of the physical and mental health benefits for both clients and staff in the horse industry. | Esther Lorenson, Founder & Dir. EMW, &Horses Highlighting His Word. |
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CAMP MINISTRY 101 |
LOCATION |
PRESENTER |
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| Whole-Brain Strategies for Summer Camp Success | This workshop incorporates interactive activities that allow camp directors to experience and practice key strategies from “The Whole Brain Child.” The activities are tailored to be relevant to a summer camp setting, helping participants understand how these approaches can be applied in their specific context. By engaging in role-playing, storytelling, and physical movement, participants can better internalize the concepts and see their practical applications. | Dr. Marlene Ferreras, PhD, AMFT Assistant Professor of Practical Theology at La Sierra University |
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| Your Friend, the Financial Statement | Reading your financial statement can be intimidating. You will learn how to read it, what to look for, and how this knowledge can make all the difference! | Randy Robinson, retired treasurer for the NAD |
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| ACA Accreditation | What is ACA? Does it really Matter? Come learn the basics about ACA accreditation – how to do it, what is it, what is the process to get accredited are a few of the topics that we will cover in this seminar. | Allison Rettger, Office Manager for Laurel Lake Summer Camp |
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| Reading Blueprints & Understanding Construction Documents | During this seminar attendees will have an opportunity to review a set of blueprints. Additionally, change orders, construction budgets, and other construction documents will be explained. There will be time for Q&A to make the workshop relevant to those who attend. | Tracy Wood, North American Division Youth Director |
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CAMP PROGRAMMING |
LOCATION |
PRESENTER |
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| Camp Registration - how to streamline your process | We will go over Camp MiVoden Registration Process and collecting all the information required and getting the campers checked in quickly and to their cabins. | Denise Kinney, Registrar & Summer Camp Office Manager at Camp MiVoden |
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| Camp Store - get your product moving | Different products to add and create yourself to add more variety and increase your profits. We will get to use a shirt press and a camp will get to take it home in a drawing at the end of the convention. | Denise Kinney, Registrar & Summer Camp Office Manager at Camp MiVoden |
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| Leveraging Outdoor Schools | Let's talk about how to implement Outdoor School at your camp, as we dive into how outdoor schools can be a game-changer for education and camp. Extend the curriculum beyond the classroom. We’ll share tips, curriculum guides, schedule examples, and staffing needs. Walk away with the answer key ;) | Theresa Stride | |
| Group Games with no budget | How to get along with colleagues when the going gets tough. Let’s talk about solutions to challenging work relationships. | ||
Executive Directors |
LOCATION |
PRESENTER |
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| Formation and Development in the Outdoor Context | Greg Robinson | ||
| Camp as a Training Place for Leaders | Greg Robinson | ||
| Title to come | Doug McClain, Director for Sky Ranch Camps |
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| Title to come | Doug McClain, Director for Sky Ranch Camps |
Birds a Feather Breakouts
Executive Dir & Summer Camp Director -
Food Service -
Equestrian -
Managers & Rangers & Maintenance -
Spouse, Office, Hospitality, & Others -
Round Table Discussions
THURSDAY AFTERNOON 5:00 - 6:00PM |
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TOPIC |
LOCATION |
MODERATOR |
| How differing schedules, staff manuals for different camps help create your desired outcome (bring your documents to share!) | Theresa Stride | |
| How to Recruit | Brandon Westgate | |
| Creating and Equestrian center and program Master Plan | Esther Lorenson | |
| Taking advantage of camp store trends | Ray Queen | |
| Developing your Volunteer base - NAD Office of Volunteer Ministry | Leah Jordache | |
| Add Spice to your Life – side dishes that make your main meal pop! | Jorge Jimenez | |
Friday AFTERNOON 3:45 - 4:45 PM |
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TOPIC |
LOCATION |
MODERATOR |
Developing a Master Plan |
Bob Allen | |
| Team Building Ideas | Craig Heinrich | |
| Responding to a Crisis at Camp | Carmen Ibanez | |
| Day Camps | Eric Chavez | |
| Finding, Training & Engaging Your Equestrian Staff | Esther Lorenson | |
Sabbath Morning |
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TOPIC |
LOCATION |
MODERATOR |
| How to develop and promote your camps history | Terry Bolton | |
| Camp and Life Balance | Elizabeth Yeagley | |
| Prayer Session Time | Self Led | |
| Mission / Vision Statements | Esther Lorenson | |
| Serve Like Jesus | Todd Ward |
