A: We have 80 full hours of staff training. Our expectation is that staff are wholeheartedly, enthusiastically, and unreservedly engaged. We expect our staff to participate fully in everything. The expectation that staff are modeling is so key for us. For example, we expect our staff to be in the pool every day, because if the staff are in the pool then the students will be in the pool. But, if staff are sitting on the sidelines, the kids will be sitting on the sidelines. We expect a lot out of our staff.

We try to develop a culture in which staff are engaged the entire day. Staff will have their fifteen minute breaks and their downtime, but, when they are with the students, we will call them out if they are not engaged. We see the effects that this has on the groups. Part of creating an engaging environment is starting at the highest leadership level.

We have a very strong expectation that any of our staff will make an utter fool of themselves at the drop of a hat. As the executive director, I have to be able to go ahead and bust out a rap, which I have no talent at all. The expectation for 11 year old camper all the way up to the executive director is that you’re willing to take positive risks, throw yourself into the experience, and participate fully. We are taking time now to make sure we establish the culture for this summer. By the time the first camper shows up, all of the staff, about 150 people, are believing in this culture, and then it becomes irresistible to campers. They can’t not buy in; it is too much of a tidal wave.

A: Some of our staff training is policy and procedure, and there is some that is CPR and first aid training. But all of it is inspired by fun. For instance in our first aid training tends to be pretty dull, it is tough to get people to focus on it. So, for the last two years we have framed it as the zombie apocalypse. We have staff come in and do full on zombie makeup, with people limping around screaming they “want brains.” In order to cure their “zombie-ism”, you need to provide proper first aid. We are still rigorous about the quality of the skills, but we are doing it in a way that is fun.

During training we also emphasize the idea of experiential learning and modeling it for campers. We have a whole day of training called “Counselor Camp,” in which the entire staff participates. During Counselor Camp, each department director has a chance to run an activity with the entire staff. That way the staff get a chance to experience what the campers experience. It also gets the department directors to practice what it is actually going to be like. It really is modeling from the top down and the expectation that everyone is engaged.

A: I go back to staff training and making sure that it starts with the senior team. It needs to be modeled from the top down. In addition though, part of the staff interview and selection process is making sure that they are someone who is going to be capable of that. One of the better interviews I ever had an interviewee started talking about camp songs, and I said, “Would you give me a sample of your camp song?” And she immediately stood up on her chair in her business suit and gave me the full version of this song at the top of her lungs. I know that person is going to have that same level of enthusiasm during camp.

It is important to hire the right people that are going to have enthusiasm, energy, and engagement that we need. Once staff are at camp, they are encouraging and modeling it for the campers. Part of what makes our setting so magical is that we don’t spend any time or energy on negative behaviors. The kids will go wherever the staff energy is.