Jack's Camp Friends Newsletter |
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There’s this awesome moment in staff training when the entire group is gathered for the summer.
Kids aren’t there yet so it’s a little looser, but It’s obvious summer is starting. Everyone’s excited, a little nervous.
Been thinking a lot about what to teach in that moment. What actually sticks with staff when things get chaotic in Week 3.
Acronyms are usually pretty cheesy. But they usually almost always work.
So when I’m thinking about getting staff ready to work with kids:
GREAT covers pretty much everything staff need to know:
G - Greeting & Welcoming Illuminate the hidden curriculum. Let kids in on the joke. You explain what’s gonna happen, where the breaks are, what to look forward to. That’s your job at camp.
R - Relationship Building Learn their name. Listen and remember things. Let them teach you something. Simple stuff that creates real connection.
E - Establishing Systems Write it down. Communicate roles (lead vs. scrape). Make it repeatable. Systems free up brain space for the magic (oh, and don’t say “magic”!).
A - Amazing Memories You’re going to create lasting memories. Some planned, some accidental. The key? Facilitate them, don’t force them. Ask kids for ideas. Get creative. Show excitement.
T - Tough Situations Things will be hard. Kids will be in conflict. Weather will screw up plans. Teach staff that tough situations are part of camp, not failures.
GREAT isn’t perfect. But it’s a framework that sticks when you’re three weeks into summer and it feels like things might be going a little haywire.
Can check out this video long-haired me and Nelson made about it:
Oh, and speaking of staff training!
The Staff Training Sprint Cohort
Speaking of frameworks that work, we’re running the Staff Training Sprint starting next week.
Four live sessions. Four days in a row. Build your camp’s staff training plan with other camp pros.
When: March 30 – April 2, 2026
Time: 2:30 PM ET
Cost: $250 for 3 seats
Replays will be available to everyone if you need to miss a session, no worries.
What you’ll have when it’s over:
- Your staff training plan for opening days
- 2-3 session outlines ready to use
- Meeting playbooks
- 50+ no-prep activities
- A community of camp leaders who know your camp
The 4 sessions:
- Session 1: Community (activities that build culture from hour one)
- Session 2: Sessions (designing training around one clear takeaway)
- Session 3: Delivery (running meetings with confidence)
- Session 4: Systems (structures that keep things from falling apart)
Plus $600 in bonuses: Staff Training Recipe Book ($499 value) and Write From Camp Substack (2 months free, $50 value).
Sign your camp up for the Staff Training Sprint Cohort.
You got this,
Jack