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-10/11/2023

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Sponsor Gallery

10/11/2023 8:00 AM
Wednesday, October 11

-10/11/2023

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Wednesday, October 11, 2023

10/11/2023 8:05 AM
Registration & Check-in

-10/11/2023

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Registration & Check In

10/11/2023 1:00 PM
Welcome & Land Acknowledgement

-10/11/2023

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Welcome & Land Acknowledgement

10/11/2023 2:30 PM
Welcome to the Heart of the South Fall Gathering Event. We're so glad you're here!

Land Acknowledgement

Opening Playnote- Trevor Dunlap

-10/11/2023

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Opening Playnote- Trevor Dunlap

10/11/2023 2:45 PM
Let's put an exclamation point on the 2023 Heart of the South Fall Gathering. During this keynote, we will revisit a time where screens didn't obscure our vision; where human interaction wasn't mediated through posts and qualified by "likes"; where we sat eye-to-eye, connected over the simplest of tools; where friends were made by simply asking, "Want to play?" Join us as we tap into our intra-kindergartener-consciousness and explore the renewed promise of the first teambuilding activity we ever knew - the power of Play! During this Playnote we will unpack how we can flip our perspective and build upon our conference connections to create lasting networks through purposeful play! Participants will walk away feeling renewed, excited to engage and equipped with interactive activities they can use right away!

Location Glenn Room 

Trevor Dunlap, Executive Director of Nuhop and Co-Founder of Switchback Designs is passionate about experiential learning and loves fostering creative environments where people can succeed through self-discovery and teamwork. His high energy and zeal creates a contagious atmosphere of transforming fun where people can develop a new appreciation of themselves and their peers.

Trevor is the co-author of Team Building from the Toyaisle and Crowdwords: Doing a Lot with a Little, as well as the designer of CrowdCubes, Pathfinder, and Performance Cubed, experiential tools used across the globe.

Trevor and his wife Sarah enjoy taking their three children on adventures, and can often be found trail running/hiking, skiing, and working the soil in their family garden

Educational Breakout Session I

-10/11/2023

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Educational Breakout Sessions I

10/11/2023 4:00 PM
Essential Elements of Youth Programming

-10/11/2023

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Essential Elements of Youth Programming

10/11/2023 4:00 PM
Regardless of whether you are leading a youth sports or recreation program, life skill enhancement program or summer residential or day camp program, your goal should be to provide opportunities to enhance the development of all participants with an desired outcome of youth becoming successful and contributing adults. The 8 contextual elements discussed in this session are applicable to all settings and age groups.

Location: Brown Room


Dr. Chad Nelson
Dr. Nelson is an Instructional Associate Professor at Texas A&M University in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. From 2015-2019, he served as an Instructional Assistant Professor in the Physical Education Activity Program, where he taught classes like Ultimate Frisbee, Action Ball, Rock Climbing, Trail Running, and Pickleball. From 2019-2022, he worked in the Department of Recreation, Parks and Tourism Sciences. In the fall of 2022, Dr. Nelson joined the Department of Agriculture, Leadership, Education, and Communications where he focuses on their youth development undergraduate and graduate programs. During his summer months, He served as the camp director of a nonprofit youth program called Deerfoot Youth Camp from 2015-2022. This program focuses on providing disadvantaged youth an opportunity to attend a sports-related camp in the summer for free to improve self-esteem, learn discipline and respect and encourage them to strive for excellence as students. He currently serves as the Camp Director for Camp Millican. This program focuses on inspiring youth to learn, play, and grow in the spirit of healthy adventure and fun in nature. Last and most proud positions that Dr. Nelson holds are father to two beautiful children and husband to an amazing bride, Candace.

Structured Flexibility: Building Lasting Partnerships in an Ever-Changing World

-10/11/2023

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Structured Flexibility: Building Lasting Partnerships in an Ever-Changing World

10/11/2023 4:00 PM
Together we are stronger. In this session you will learn how to leverage partnerships to enhance your camp and community. Discover types of partnerships your camp can pursue, reasons you should, and strategies to help you establish & maintain them. Universities, public/private schools, healthcare professionals, corporate volunteer groups...the sky is the limit!

Location: PAC Room

Luke Nipper
Before joining Camp Aldersgate’s team as Director of Programs, Luke was the EXCEL Program Coordinator for the University of Arkansas Research and Extension 4-H Programs for 16 years. He has extensive experience in training teams from around the nation, focusing on leadership, trust, culture, and communication. Prior to his time at the 4-H Center, Luke served as the High Adventure Manager and Assistant Director at ACA-accredited Camp Bear Track in Drasco, Arkansas.

Katie Jenkins-Hall
Katie is a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist and currently serves as the Program Manager for Camp Aldersgate in Little Rock, Arkansas. Katie serves on the Heart of the South Professional Development Committee, serving to assist in the planning and implementation of the annual Heart of the South Fall Gathering event. 

 

Educational Breakout Session II

-10/11/2023

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Educational Breakout Session II

10/11/2023 5:15 PM
Emergency Action Planning: An All-Hazards Approach

-10/11/2023

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Emergency Action Planning: An All-Hazards Approach

10/11/2023 5:15 PM
In today's world Emergency Action Planning is critical to ensure the safety and security of staff and campers. During this session we will discuss conducting hazard and vulnerability assessments, incorporating the results into planning, and techniques to implement actions to mitigate effects from hazards.

Location: Brown Room

Matt Jalufka
Mr. Jalufka currently serves as a Medical Emergency Manager for the Defense Health Agency, Coastal Mississippi Market at Keesler Medical Center, Keesler Air force Base, Biloxi, Mississippi. As such he is responsible for the development, implementation, execution, and sustainment of the medical emergency management program. Matthew is a retired United States Air Force Emergency Manager and has been planning, preparing, and responding to all-hazards to save lives, protect property and sustain operations for over 30 years. He has a Bachelor of Arts, in Emergency Management from the American Military University, and Associate of Applied Arts, in Criminal Justice and Disaster Preparedness from the Community College of the Air Force. 

Partners in Accreditation

-10/11/2023

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Partners in Accreditation

10/11/2023 5:15 PM
Being visited in 2024? New to accreditation? Do you really know what mode of operation you are? Overwhelmed? You have questions, we have answers. Standard visitors are here to help you organize for your first or next on-site visit. We’ll show you various methods of how people organize their materials, where to find helpful resources on the ACA web site, why highlighters and highlighting are your friends, and be a resource for you. Be ready to learn and share as we demystify organizing for accreditation. Handouts provided. Camps being visited need to have at least one staff member take the online Accreditation Process Workshop.

Location: PAC Room

Anne Weinberg
Anne Weinberg is the current Heart of the South Standards Chair, answering accreditation standards questions year-round. She has been a standards visitor for over 25 years and is a recipient of the ACA National Service Award. Her goal is to help camps have successful accreditation visits.

Your Camp Needs a Therapist! Or Does It?

-10/11/2023

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Your Camp Needs a Therapist! Or Does It?

10/11/2023 5:15 PM
Many camps are seeking to provide mental health services for their staff (and sometimes campers) – it is an increasing need in our field. Come learn from camps who partnered with a therapy practice in summer 2023 – what worked, what didn’t work, considerations for building a partnership, and where we’re going from here.

Location: Glenn Room 

Lauren Reichstein
Lauren Reichstein is the Manager of Camp and Adventure Programs with Girl Scouts of Middle Tennessee and a Doctoral Student in Leisure and Sport Management at Middle Tennessee State University. She has been an active member in the camping industry for over 10 years.

Dinner

-10/11/2023

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Dinner

10/11/2023 6:30 PM
Campfire Social

-10/11/2023

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Campfire Social

10/11/2023 8:00 PM
Enjoy a gourmet s'mores bar, camp song exchange and a time of connection.
Thursday, October 12

-10/12/2023

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Thursday, October 12, 2023

10/12/2023 7:00 AM
Breakfast

-10/12/2023

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Breakfast

10/12/2023 8:00 AM
Educational Breakout Session III

-10/12/2023

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Educational Breakout Session III

10/12/2023 9:00 AM
Equity in Camping

-10/12/2023

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Equity in Camping

10/12/2023 9:00 AM
We all feel like camp is a magical space and sometimes want campers and young staff to experience camp the way WE see it... but is that fair to our campers and their experience? Campers and staff are a part of the digital amusement age so we have to acknowledge that and work with it rather than against it. Our campers are also self-advocates who don't mind being direct about their specific needs. This workshop will be a resource sharing space about how we can innovate the camp experience and work with campers, young alumni, and staff to make them apart of the planning and execution of the camp program. We'll also explore ways to involve campers who may be neuro-diverse in the camp experience rather than asking them to ""open up"" or ""just get used to it"". Camp is a magical place from some, but is it a magical place for all?

Location: Brown Room

Kimberly Green
Kimberly Green-Tuitt comes with over 18 years experience in developing camp programs around community needs. She has facilitated trainings across the country in order to create more safe and equitable spaces in camping. She is the first black, female Executive Director at YMCA Camp Piomingo, an 85 year old camp outside of Louisville, KY. Camp is passionate about supporting and coaching camp leaders, while creating brave equitable camping spaces for marginalized groups

Operating Strong and Profitable Day Camps

-10/12/2023

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Operating Strong and Profitable Day Camps

10/12/2023 9:00 AM
Learn about the necessary tools and resources needed to operate a successful summer day camp program. Discuss and ask questions from the experts in the summer camp industry about your internal operational challenges, staffing resources, programming, and other logistical hurdles that impact the success of your existing or new summer day camp program. Kidcam manages all aspects of summer day camp programming & operations with the exception of owned spaces. We partner with 30+ host facilities across the U.S. for our day camps in recognizable locations like state & city parks, recreation districts, universities, schools, churches and premier destinations. These partnerships drive a revenue stream, community service, mission-supporting program into private and public partner facilities to bring the most powerful summer day camp experiences to life for children & their families.

Location: Glenn Room

Melissa Conner
Melissa Conner is President and CEO of Kidcam Camps, a leader in day camp operations across the southeast. Kidcam manages all aspects of summer day camp programming & operations with the exception of owned spaces hosting over 30 day camps in 2023 driving a revenue stream, community service, and mission-supporting program into private and public partner facilities to bring the most powerful summer day camp experiences to life for children & their families. Kidcam employs over 400 team members and provides programming for nearly 4,000 campers across the southeast each summer.

Unsticking the Sticky Standards

-10/12/2023

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Unsticking the Sticky Standards

10/12/2023 9:00 AM
AD.26, AD.27, ST.12, & ST.15 - these are some of the most missed standards during on-site visits. How about standards with vendors? AD.45-47. What is a non-medical religious camp? Am I a residence camp or a camp that rents to others? What’s my mode….really? Let’s talk about what needs to be communicated & understood by both the camp & the visit team prior to on-site visit besides directions, a tour & lunch. Accreditation is an ongoing process. It’s continual compliance with standards and five years between on-site may seem much longer than it really is. Target audience is veteran camp directors preparing for a visitor, accreditation visitors, and people considering becoming an accreditation visitor.

Location: PAC Room

Anne Weinberg
Anne Weinberg is the current Heart of the South Standards Chair, answering accreditation standards questions year-round. She has been a standards visitor for over 25 years and is a recipient of the ACA National Service Award. Her goal is to help camps have successful accreditation visits.

Educational Breakout Session IV

-10/12/2023

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Educational Breakout Sessions IV

10/12/2023 10:15 AM
Overview: Ferncliff Preschool Nature Program

-10/12/2023

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Overview: Ferncliff Preschool Nature Program

10/12/2023 10:15 AM
Participants will learn the various types of nature based early childhood models and what a day in the life looks like, ideas for how to start and run a program that follows this model, and have time for open ended questions that fit their sites.

Location: PAC Room

Rachel Parker
Rachel is an Early Childhood Special Educator and Level II Forest Kindergarten Teacher with 20 years of experience in the field. She Co-Founded the Ferncliff Nature Preschool in 2016 and continues to direct that program. She serves on the American Forest Kindergarten Association Board of Directors and enjoys advocating for nature based education nationally as well as in the state of Arkansas.

Providing a Meaningful Experience: Assessing Campers Needs and Providing Reasonable Accommodations

-10/12/2023

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Providing a Meaningful Experience: Assessing Campers Needs and Providing Reasonable Accomodations

10/12/2023 10:15 AM
Identifying a reasonable accommodation at camp is tricky. We want to make sure all of our campers can participate to the best of their ability. We also want all children to have the chance to experience a wonderful camp experience. So, what do we do? In this session we will discuss reasonable accommodations, assessment procedures and as well as what we do if we can’t meet the needs of our campers.

Location: Brown Room

Molly Philips
Molly is the Program Coordinator for Adaptive and Adult Leisure Programs for BREC. She has roughly 20 years of experience developing programs and events for individuals with cognitive and developmental disabilities. Molly believes everyone has a the right to have a meaningful and fun experience in recreation.

Teambuilding from the Toy Aisle

-10/12/2023

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Teambuilding from the Toy Aisle

10/12/2023 10:15 AM
It's time to open grandma's game closet and re-see some of the many toy and game classics (andnew to you crowd favorites) in a new light. Using elements of game design and experientialtheories, we will deconstruct a wide range of existing mass-market games and re-envision themfor use and purposeful, engaging tools for team building and staff development applications. This workshop will include a variety of activities that will include Icebreakers, Energizers, Problem-solving activities, Diversity and Inclusion Games, and Debriefing Tools. Come prepared to laugh and learn, and go home with multiple new activities that are sure to reinvigorate your programs. Many of the activities in this breakout will be from the book: Teambuilding from the Toy Aisle by: Matthew Broda, Michelle Cummings and Trevor Dunlap.

Location: Glenn Room

Trevor Dunlap
Trevor is the Executive Director of Nuhop and Co-Founder of Switchback Designs is passionate about experiential learning and loves fostering creative environments where people can succeed through self-discovery and teamwork. His high energy and zeal creates a contagious atmosphere of transforming fun where people can develop a new appreciation of themselves and their peers.

Trevor is the co-author of Team Building from the Toyaisle and Crowdwords: Doing a Lot with a Little, as well as the designer of CrowdCubes, Pathfinder, and Performance Cubed, experiential tools used across the globe.

Trevor and his wife Sarah enjoy taking their three children on adventures, and can often be found trail running/hiking, skiing, and working the soil in their family garden.

Roundtable Discussions

-10/12/2023

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Roundtable Discussions

10/12/2023 11:30 AM

Location: Glenn Room

Lunch

-10/12/2023

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Lunch

10/12/2023 12:30 PM
Closing Keynote- Dr. Chad Nelson

General Session -10/12/2023

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Closing Keynote- Dr. Chad Nelson

10/12/2023 1:30 PM
Please join Dr. Chad Nelson in the closing session as he discusses 'Staffers Unite: Enriching Your Camp Culture' and gain valuable insights to elevate your camp experience. In this session, you'll learn to align your program with its mission and values, ensuring staff decisions are guided by these principles, especially with new knowledge from the Heart of the South. Discover how a positive camp staff culture not only enhances the camper's journey but also strengthens you staff's bonds. Additionally, you'll explore various developmental relationship concepts and practical applications, equipping you with the tools to foster growth and connections within your camp community.

Location: Glenn Room

Dr. Chad Nelson
Dr. Chad Nelson, is an Instructional Associate Professor at Texas A&M University in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. From 2015-2019, he served as an Instructional Assistant Professor in the Physical Education Activity Program, where he taught classes like Ultimate Frisbee, Action Ball, Rock Climbing, Trail Running, and Pickleball. From 2019-2022, he worked in the Department of Recreation, Parks and Tourism Sciences. In the fall of 2022, Dr. Nelson joined the Department of Agriculture, Leadership, Education, and Communications where he focuses on their youth development undergraduate and graduate programs. During his summer months, He served as the camp director of a nonprofit youth program called Deerfoot Youth Camp from 2015-2022. This program focuses on providing disadvantaged youth an opportunity to attend a sports-related camp in the summer for free to improve self-esteem, learn discipline and respect and encourage them to strive for excellence as students. He currently serves as the Camp Director for Camp Millican. This program focuses on inspiring youth to learn, play, and grow in the spirit of healthy adventure and fun in nature. Last and most proud positions that Dr. Nelson holds are father to two beautiful children and husband to an amazing bride, Candace.

 

 

Wrap-up & Send off

-10/12/2023

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Wrap-up & Send off

10/12/2023 2:30 PM