The ACA is offering expanded benefits for student membership, which still only costs $35 per year. Please encourage all of your staff members to join the ACA, and encourage all of your directors to foot the bill!

Below is a letter from ACA CEO Peg Smith with more information

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It’s busy season…

With summer on it’s way, we want ACAYP to begin to be the resource that you all hope it will be. In working with the Pioneers in Camping, we have begun a relationship that will allow us to partner any YPs with a true expert in the field. If you would like advice on any question or specific topic from somebody who has been in the business for over 30 years or longer, you can either post your question here on ACAYP.org or on our Facebook group message board.

Peg Smith has begun to engage the ACAYPs in the discussion of where YPs fit into the structure of ACA as it restructures with its 20/20 plan. If you would like to get involved in those conversations, please email Andy.

Please continue to sign-up for the mentoring program as well at www.ACAYP.org/Mentor. The launch is on it’s way.

Thanks for your continued interest in ACAYP,

The ACAYP Board

Dear YPs—

Thank you so much for your participation in Nashville. Whether it was your attendance at the opening YP meeting, the Pioneers in Camping luncheon, or the mixer at Rusty’s, we want to thank you for helping to create a buzz about the impact that YPs can make on each camp around the country and on the ACA as a whole. With the national conference over, we must continue to improve ACAYP to serve YPs like you nationwide and to bring new voices to the ACA altogether.

What’s Next:

1) Sign up for the new ACAYP Mentoring Program at www.ACAYP.org/mentor. We already have over 50 mentors signed up, many from the Pioneers of Camping group. This is a fantastic opportunity to network with an established camp professional, seek advice, and keep your career moving in the right direction. www.ACAYP.org/mentor

2) Join the ACA Young Professionals Group on Facebook and stay up to date at www.ACAYP.org. On either site you can communicate with other members, post information about upcoming events, or seek out advice from other YPs on any topic you’d like. Updates to both are coming soon…

3) Let us know how you would like to get involved! We are looking for people to help on several projects, including:

• Increasing YP involvement and opportunities on college campuses

• Establishing or improving regional YP groups like EPIC and ECP in each section

• Creating a regular newsletter and online resources specifically for YPs

• Creating programs at the national and regional conferences for and by YPs

• Any other project you would like to undertake…let us know!

As the board of ACAYP, we are committed to serving you in any way we can. In order to do so, we need your feedback. Please post on the Facebook group, www.ACAYP.org, or email us with suggestions for what you would like to see ACAYP do at this year’s regional conferences, next year’s National Conference in Orlando, and anytime in between. This organization has tremendous potential. It will take each of your efforts to achieve it.

Thank you,

-The ACAYP Board

Below are highlights of some events and various social networking opportunities sponsored by Young Professionals (YP’s) and/or geared toward all emerging professionals with less than five years in a key leadership position within the camp industry. In addition, we have listed some recommended breakout sessions that you should be sure to check out!

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 12

1:00 - 2:00 p.m Young Professionals Gathering, Ryman Studio A Come and learn about all the exciting changes and developments that are happening with the ACA Young Professionals! We will be reviewing our goals for the upcoming year, talking about great new opportunities to get involved, and answering any questions that you have.

2:00 - 2:45 p.m. First-Time Conference Attendees, Ryman Studio A If this is your first time at a national conference, be sure to stop by to meet Peg Smith, the CEO of ACA, as well as ACA’s National President, Ann Sheets. Find out about special events and networking opportunities throughout the conference as well as learn how to get the most out of the conference.

6:45 p.m. Join the YP’s at Rusty’s! We will get together for some fun networking, food, and drinks at Rusty’s located in the Magnolia section of the Gaylord Opryland Hotel.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 13

8:30 - 10:15 p.m. ACA Concert Event with The Warren Brothers After a fabulous exhibit hall reception with food and drinks, the night will still be young. Join us in the Tennessee Ballroom to hear a fabulous concert with the Warren Brothers and David St. Romain. The Warren Brothers are best known for their reality TV show on CMT Barely Famous . They were also the judges in last summer’s television show Nashville Star . They have written songs and opened for many famous country singers including Faith Hill and Tim McGraw. The event is free, and a cash bar is available. Check out details at www.ACAcamps.org/conference

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 14

6:30 p.m. Night on the Town Join camp professionals for a “Night on the Town” in downtown Nashville. One fee of $26 includes transportation, dinner, and gratuity to one of three restaurants featuring local cuisine. The organization is done for us - just pick which restaurant you want to dine at and board the coach bus for a great evening! To register and find out more about this fun event, go to www.ACAcamps.org/conference .

MUST ATTEND SESSIONS FOR YP’S

* Wisdom of the Sages: Lessons Learned from Camp Directors With 20+ Years Experience, panel with Scott Ralls, Arthur Kessler, David Hilliard, and Tony Stein

* Grab Your Flip-Flops for a Walk Through the Ages/Stages of Youth Development, Kim Aycock

* Comprehensive Homesickness Management — Prevention And Treatment Strategies That Work, Chris Thurber

* Risk Management 101: Training Your Staff to be Risk Managers, Howard Longino * 50 More Marketing Essentials Every Camp Needs to Know, Jodi Ruddick

* Use the Internet to Engage Your Parents and Keep Your Camp Full, Ari Ackerman

WHY JOIN US?

Networking . . . Sharing ideas and resources with others like yourself . . . Getting your ideas heard . . . Increasing opportunities for volunteering and leadership at the national and local levels . . . It’s not too late to register! You can register online , or on site. We hope to see you in February.

 I hope everyone had a safe and successful summer! 

I wanted to let everyone know that UW-Stevens Point student organization, Wisconsin Camps, is well underway in preparing the second annual Wisconsin Camps Student Workshop to take place at the end of November. 

We are still looking for presenters, but also topics that are important to be presented on!  As Young Professionals, I hope that you are committed to helping these students be successful in the camp profession.  That said, I was wondering if anyone has specific topics that you feel are important for students.  

What do you wish you had known before you entered the profession?  Are there certain speakers or presentations you have seen that really stuck with you?   Are you interested in presenting a topic at the workshop? 

If you are interested or have ideas, please contact me as soon as possible: annie.hernandez85@gmail.com 

For more information, visit www.uwsp.edu/stuorg/wicamps and click “Student Workshop” 

Thanks for your ongoing support and I hope everyone is well! 

Annie