Part 1: Accreditation 

I am often asked by parents what to look for in a camp, and why our camp is different than others.  In response, I've created "Summer Camp 101," a series of short lessons on things every parent should know. 

It is my opinion that any camp you might consider must be accredited by the American Camp Association (ACA).  The ACA is a leading authority in youth development, and THE authority on summer camps.  They should be.  They've been helping to promote and preserve the camp experience for literally 100 years (established 1910).  The ACA's accreditation process is extremely thorough and camps must pass a rigorous check of all aspects of camp policies and procedures, including things like the temperature of the food being served, the air in the tires of camp vehicles, the background checks and certifications of employees, posted safety signs, counselor to camper ratios, and so on.  

The ACA calls their inspectors "visitors," but they are more like Grand Inquisitors.  We joke about it, but I really mean that in a good way.  These inspections are important to verify the safety and management of any camp. There may be good camps which are not ACA accredited, but I don't know much about those, so I can't speak to them directly.  Our camp, (Camp Waziyatah) is an ACA accredited camp and this year (2011) is an accreditation year for us. That means their visitor (The inquisitor!) will work with us to make sure we're ready for his visit, then come out to camp to see that all our proverbial ducks are in a row.  Camps are visited and tested to pass accreditation every three years.  Every lifeguard certification, vehicle record, food storage location, laundry machine, bed placements, etc. must all be verified and cleared as up to date and correct.  

Just to give you an idea of what is required, our camp has 17 three-ring binders filled with information prepared for this visit.  That's a lot of information!  Our camp must keep and maintain practices which promote the health and safety of campers at all times, meaning not just on the years we're being visited.  The ACA guidelines inform all our policies, and they absolutely should.  The reason for this is to establish a baseline for everything camps must do.  We must, of course, pass the state health codes as well, but the ACA guidelines are an outstanding system for camp owners and directors.  In short, I highly recommend that any camp you consider should be ACA accredited.

 

(C) Camp Waziyatah L.L.C

This article may not be reprinted without the written consent of the author.