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Find full show notes and links at: https://gocamp.pro/camphacker/welcoming-new-campers

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This episode provides a masterclass on transforming the high-stakes environment of opening day into a welcoming and inclusive experience for every child. Learn how to break down the psychological and logistical barriers that often make first-time campers feel like outsiders. By focusing on intentional preparation, empathy-driven staff training, and subtle shifts in camp traditions, leaders can ensure that the "welcome home" starts long before the family car pulls into the gate.

Key Takeaways:

• Implement a Camper Liaison Program. Designating a specific staff member to connect with new families via Zoom or phone calls before camp helps lower anxiety for both parents and children. These sessions allow kids to ask small but vital questions like what food is served or where the bathrooms are located, which helps them feel seen and prepared.
• Apply the Pass Down Principle during Training. The way leadership treats staff during orientation becomes the blueprint for how staff treat campers. If you want counsellors to give a warm and energetic greeting, you must model that exact behaviour the moment they arrive for staff training.
• Audit Your Traditions for Inclusivity. Use a Sherlock Holmes perspective to notice things that have become invisible to you over time. This includes checking if your opening day games are "out games" that might embarrass a new camper or ensuring your "Welcome Home" greeting feels authentic rather than intimidating for someone who has never been there before.

• Travis Allison, Summer Camp Consultant - Go Camp Pro
• Chris Hudson, Camp Consultant. Contact Email
• Kim Aycock, Camp Consultant and Staff Trainer
• Michael Brandwein, Camp Consultant, Writer

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UltraCamp

Running camp comes with enough moving parts. UltraCamp keeps registration, payments, and communication in one place—so you can spend less time juggling systems and more time building an incredible camp experience. Learn more at ultracampmanagement.com/camphacker.

Camptivities

If you’re still making camp schedules in spreadsheets, you know how draining it is and how often mistakes slip in. Enter Camptivities. It’s made by camp people, for camp people - to save time, cut errors, and make camp run smoother. Be the change your camp needs - explore smarter scheduling today at camptivities.com

Free Resilient Camp Blueprint Diagnostic: https://camp.mba/travis

Take it once a month to see how all of your work is progressing.

Our free Resilient Camp Blueprint diagnostic is available at: https://camp.mba/travis

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Find full show notes and links at: https://gocamp.pro/camphacker/iil-gabe-c

The End of the "Magic" Myth: Gabe Chernov on Engineering Social-Emotional Growth

In this episode of Intentionally Intentional Leaders, Travis Allison talks with Gabe Chernov, the owner and director of Birch Trail Camp for Girls. They explore the small interactions that stick with us forever and the systems Gabe uses to build a resilient camp culture.

Gabe talks about the deep impact of a camp director’s letter during a time he felt childhood homesickness and how he uses that same spirit of mentorship today. They dive into the post-COVID challenges of youth development, which led Birch Trail to create a custom values-based board game to help campers talk about their feelings. Whether he is explaining the process of scaffolding a wilderness trip or the non-negotiable need for eight hours of sleep, Gabe shows how to lead with a mix of data and empathy.

Key Takeaways for Camp Professionals

• The Power of the Nothing Moment. Gabe and Travis discuss how a tiny interaction, like learning the right way to drink from a glass soda bottle, can stay with a person for decades. Gabe uses these stories to remind his staff that they are always making a permanent impact even when they do not realize it.
• Gamifying Values and Empathy. To help kids with the social effects of the pandemic, Birch Trail developed a physical board game and value cards. This tool gives campers the specific language they need to express gratitude and work through feelings within their cabin group.
• Scaffolding for Growth. Gabe describes camp as a process by design. By carefully planning every activity and wilderness trip, directors create a safe environment where campers are encouraged to fail, learn from that failure, and build true resilience.
• The Midnight Rule for Staff Wellness. Long before sleep science was a major trend in the industry, Gabe implemented a mandatory midnight shutdown for staff lounges. He talks about the importance of being unpopular in the short term to protect the long-term health and safety of the counselors.
• Distinguishing Needs from Demands. With parent advocacy on the rise, Gabe shares his framework for saying no. He breaks down the difference between an individual demand and a communal need, explaining that a camp must say no when a request hurts the collective experience of the cabin.

Connect with Gabe. If you have questions about Birch Trail’s programming or their values board game, you can reach out to Gabe Chernov at Gabe@birchtrail.com.

Free Resilient Camp Blueprint Diagnostic: https://camp.mba/travis

Take it once a month to see how all of your work is progressing.

Our free Resilient Camp Blueprint diagnostic is available at: https://camp.mba/travis

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us!

Find full show notes and links at: https://gocamp.pro/camphacker/the-enrollment-cliff

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Preparing for the Demographic Shift of 2028

Join Travis Allison, Jake Sorenson, Eric Wittenberg, and Stefanie Gillman as they discuss the massive demographic shifts threatening the summer camp industry. The conversation centers on the "enrollment cliff", a sharp decline in birth rates that is already impacting higher education and is set to hit the camp industry's median age group by 2028. They explore why camps must move beyond their historically white, middle-class roots and start engaging diverse communities, alumni networks, and even older populations to ensure survival.
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• Travis - Joyful Belonging Newsletter by Casper ter Kuile
• Jake - Kenn Gronbach Demographer
• Eric - Innovation Accounting
• Stefanie - The Unstuck Box

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• Travis Allison, Summer Camp Consultant - Go Camp Pro
• Jake Sorenson, Sacred Playgrounds Director
• Eric Wittenberg, Camp Machine and Camp Stack CEO
• Stefanie Gillman, Hofstra Summer Camps Director

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Rate and Review the CampHacker Show

(Thank you!)

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UltraCamp

Running camp comes with enough moving parts. UltraCamp keeps registration, payments, and communication in one place—so you can spend less time juggling systems and more time building an incredible camp experience. Learn more at ultracampmanagement.com/camphacker.

Whereabouts

Your mission is campers. Ours is making their experience coordinated and connected. Whereabouts is the only camper management system that keeps Parents, Admin, and Staff in sync in real time — so every camper’s day runs with confidence, clarity, and care. Check them out at whereaboutsapp.io/

Free Resilient Camp Blueprint Diagnostic: https://camp.mba/travis

Take it once a month to see how all of your work is progressing.

Our free Resilient Camp Blueprint diagnostic is available at: https://camp.mba/travis