If you have visited the website lately, then you may have noticed the American Camp Association Accredited Logo on our main page. This accreditation is new to camp and validates what many of you already know, which is that “Camp Stanislaus is a safe and nurturing environment where your child can learn and grow all while having a fun time gaining independence and making new friends.”
So, why get accredited? First, let me explain what the ACA is.
Excerpt from the ACA site:
The American Camp Association is a community of camp professionals who, for over 100 years, have joined together to share their knowledge and experience and to ensure the quality of camp programs. Because of their diverse 9,000 plus membership and exceptional programs, children and adults have the opportunity to learn powerful lessons in community, character-building, skill development, and healthy living — lessons that can be learned nowhere else.
As a leading authority in youth development, ACA works to preserve, promote, and improve the camp experience. The association is committed to helping its members and all camps provide:
- Camp communities committed to a safe, nurturing environment
- Caring, competent adult role models
- Healthy, developmentally appropriate experiences
- Service to the community and the natural world
- Opportunities for leadership and personal growth
- Discovery, experiential education, and learning opportunities
- Excellence and continuous self-improvement
The ACA is there to help camps reach their fullest potential and to ensure that the camps they accredit meet and exceed all standards. It was a lengthy process, which took over a year and required an ACA accreditor to visit camp while we were in session this past summer. The accreditor ensured that Camp Stanislaus met all of the ACA’s 300 standards for health, safety, and program quality.
Even though it may have been a lengthy and time consuming process, I am very glad to have taken part in this process. As I grow in my role as Camp Director, I look to add different programs and processes to camp in hopes of making Camp Stanislaus the best possible experience for our campers. I am looking forward to another great summer of memories and friendships in 2017.
