Leadership Path (A Little AI from AI)

 

Growing A Career In Youth Development Through Summer Camps and Outdoor Environmental Education

How did it all begin? Day camp Leader

FROM FACEBOOK:

I am currently an Outdoor Educator at camp (for many years), but would want to see what opportunities lie when taking the next step, perhaps as a seasonal Program Coordinator for Groups or Senior Instructor or something along those lines. My interests would be creating fantastic camp schedules for OE/Retreat groups and also staff and perhaps documenting photos and videos for social media. I would want to stick with the school year seasonal - Sept-May since I already have a summer camp gig.

Looking forward to seeing what is out there!

I see these messages pop up and I want to help and support everyone in Camp or youth development work. 

I asked Al to help me organize my thoughts from my BLOG and some folks that I continue to read from their leadership journeys.

Perhaps you are already on the journey and at best, this may help with some affirmation. This is what I would suggest!

a Five-Year Guide to Becoming a

Camp Director/Executive Director

Year 1: Foundation – Learning & Immersion

• Focus: Mastery of frontline leadership, learning the “DNA” of camp. I can honestly say, that I have done every job at camp somewhere along the line. Junior Leader, dishwasher, archery, low ropes, underwater basket weaving, high ropes, assistant program director, program director, Camp Director and dishwasher. (Yes, I know I mentioned it once, but I do like to wash dishes every now and then.)

• Priorities:

  • Take on program or unit leader roles—live the frontline experience.

  • Document what works: reflections, feedback loops, and camper outcomes. Dan Weir talks about training and he has a mastery when it comes to this.

  • Learn risk management, ACA standards, and parent communication basics.

  • Build mentoring relationships (find a “board of advisors” like Michael Garcia often recommends). Michael also has some great training guides that are the fundamentals of camp work.

• Skills: Observation, adaptability, emotional intelligence, crisis response.

• Output: Create a “Lessons Learned Journal” that you can later share with staff or in blogs.

Year 2: Growth – Supervision & Systems

• Focus: Transition from doing to leading. At each step along my journey, I gained more responsibility and made more mistakes. Lots of them. I had the fortune to have some great leadership/mentors who allowed for mistakes. 

• Priorities:

  • Supervise seasonal staff—practice coaching and conflict resolution. I also read a lot of books on leadership (The One Minutes Manager, Leader and Self Deception - there are hundreds and in this fascinating modern world, we have BLOGs, Podcasts, and more books to choose from. (Did I mention YouTube channels?)

  • Get involved in budget shadows or fundraising events—learn financial basics.

  • Start presenting at regional ACA events (following Dan Weir’s advice: share early, share often). Are you following what Dan shares?

  • Introduce a new project or pilot (inspired by Jack Schott’s “third place” concept)—maybe a family night, an alumni weekend, or a fresh program model.

• Skills: Delegation, communication systems, scheduling, evaluation.

• Output: A portfolio of projects (programs you built, staff you mentored, presentations you gave).

Summer Camp Director

Year 3: Influence – Strategy & Partnerships

• Focus: See beyond your cabin, your unit, your camp. I had some great opportunities to "lead, follow, or get out of the way," credit to James Orendorf, Esq. And, I took a lot of risk early on that helped me go beyond myself and what I was doing and feeling. That part is never easy.

• Priorities:

  • Join cross-departmental leadership teams; contribute to 3-year/5-year planning. (That common thought these days is that 6 to 14 months is long term.)

  • Develop fundraising chops: grant writing, donor stewardship, and sponsor relations.

  • Build equity and belonging frameworks into hiring and staff training (Michael Garcia's influence).

  • Expand professional network: ACA committees, Campfire or Camping Coast-to-Coast type gatherings.

• Skills: Systems thinking, equity-minded leadership, public speaking, parent partnerships.

• Output: Lead a camp-wide initiative that shows measurable impact (e.g., improved staff retention, expanded DEI pipeline, or alumni giving).

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Year 4: Leadership – Operational Readiness

• Focus: Prepare to run the entire operation. The best way to take a risk in doing this is to take a risk in doing this. I know that is a simplistic view. I asked for opportunity and was again fortunate to be given those chances to grow and fail.

• Priorities:

  • Lead year-round staff hiring, evaluations, and contracts.

  • Take responsibility for a budget line (food, aquatics, program supplies)—and manage it end-to-end.

  • Present at a local, regional, or national ACA conference or publish an article/blog that reflects your voice.

  • Deepen board relationships—attend board meetings, learn governance structures.

• Skills: Financial acumen, board relations, legal/risk oversight, vision casting.

• Output: “Mini-executive experience”—a season or project where you shadow the Director/ED role. I had a great experience as a Program Director, early on, where my Executive handed me a budget binder for "my department" at camp (it was the 80s so the binder was two inches think). It was a Friday, and he said, "Be prepared to discuss this on Monday." Now mind you, I had never had a budget before. You may think it was a bit harsh of that director, and yes, leadership culture was a bit different in that time. I did study it  bit over that weekend and had two or three things that I could reasonably ask questions about.

Camp Executive Director

Year 5: Transition – Executive Readiness

• Focus: Move from camp leader to organizational leader. This is a tough one. I misunderstood this along my path. I heard that I had to leave camp to grow. Not true at all. Taking a greater role is about growing your influence. John Maxwell says it best, "Leadership is influence, nothing more and nothing less."

• Priorities:

  • Oversee full camp season logistics (budget + staff + operations).

  • Take leadership in fundraising campaigns, alumni relations, or capital projects.

  • Build strategic partnerships with schools, nonprofits, or municipal groups (Schott’s lens on camp as community hubs).

  • Mentor Year 1–3 professionals—be the “link in the chain” (from my BLOG).

• Skills: Vision, strategic planning, external relations, advocacy.

• Output: A polished “Executive Portfolio”: impact metrics, references, professional writings, and a vision statement for your leadership philosophy.

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Key Anchors Throughout the 5 Years

• Reflection & Storytelling: Like your blog—write, speak, and share. Leaders who tell stories gain credibility.

• Mentorship: Both receive and give; Dan Weir emphasizes “pay it forward,” and Michael Garcia models mentoring as inclusion.

• Innovation: Jack Schott reminds us—camps are cultural laboratories. Try, test, pivot.

• Character: Your throughline—make decisions based on developmental assets, integrity, and the “on the way from archery to horseback riding” philosophy.

Let me know if you find this helpful? What would you add?

Or if you are interested in a check box style pdf that you can use? (Includes Checkboxes for goals and tips; Lined spaces for notes/reflections; Checkpoints for mentors and mentees to track progress.) Email me at alfatcamp@gmail.com

Camper Character Session: Turning Feelings Into Something Constructive

 

Character Fuel for Campfire: Turning Feelings Into Something Constructive

I’ll never forget a camp "Olympic" theme session. The cabin groups took on different country roles to learn about that country and compete in different camp competitions. Archery, swimming, obstavcle courses, and of course the infamous "tag team chicken wrestling" that was the highlight of the penultimate campfire night. (An entire other story)

Two teams had battled for the lead all week, and it all came down to the last relay. Our cabin’s runner stumbled right before the finish line. The other side won, and just like that, the championship slipped away.

The air was thick with emotions. Some campers were angry, blaming the runner. Others tried to laugh it off, even cheering that the other team had messed up earlier in the day. And a few just looked scared—worried that the loss would divide the cabin.

That’s when our cabin leaders stepped in. They didn’t scold, they redirected. “Channel it,” they said. “If you’re mad, use it to cheer louder at campfire tonight. If you’re tempted to celebrate someone else’s mistake, flip it and celebrate their effort. And if you’re afraid, lean on each other, that’s what makes us a team.”

By the time the closing campfire rolled around, something shifted. The anger had turned into the loudest songs of the summer. The cheap laughs gave way to genuine applause for everyone’s effort. And the fear had melted into arm-in-arm unity around the fire.

That night, the cabin learned something bigger than winning a game: feelings are powerful, but how we channel them decides whether they divide us or bring us together.

This is the essence of servant leadership. Just like camp leaders model calm, respect, and encouragement, we can lead in our families, schools, and communities by putting others first, helping them grow, and guiding strong emotions into positive action. When we do, we don’t just hold people together; we inspire trust, build resilience, and create a culture where everyone can thrive.

For a copy of my Number 1 selling book, “Serving From The Heart,” visit: https://clpli.com/al_ferreira

Camper Character Session: Strength in Restraint

Confronting differing views in aquatics training.

Camper Character Session:

Strength in Restraint (A camp lesson we all need to emphasize )

“Sometimes people think being strong means hitting back or shouting louder. But real strength shows up when you hold back — when you choose kindness, patience, or respect instead of anger.

At camp, that happens every day: when someone cuts in line, takes your stuff, or says something that hurts. You always have a choice. You can blow up, or you can show character.

People remember how you handle those moments. And when you choose respect, you make camp stronger for everybody.”

Camper and Leader Reflection Questions

 1. What’s one small thing at camp that makes you upset sometimes?

 2. When that happens, what’s one way you could show character instead of anger?

 3. Who do you look up to at camp who handles tough situations calmly?

 4. How would camp feel if everyone treated each other with respect, even when they were upset?