Every Camper Needs a Champion (And a System That Backs Them Up)
Dr. Rita Pierson's famous TED talk has inspired millions of educators. But what if we've been hearing her message wrong? When we make championship about the person instead of the conditions that support them, we get burnout, turnover, and kids who get championed only by luck. Here's how to build the systems that make it sustainable.
Designing Boyhood on Purpose
A documentary about teenage boys at my camp learning vulnerability at summer camp just premiered — and it's had me thinking about the question that guided my years running Camp Timberlake: what kind of experience of boyhood are we actually creating? The answer isn't hope. It's design.
Review of Boys of Summer: This is Timberlake
I spent five years as director at Camp Timberlake, finishing up after the summer of 2024. Boys of Summer was filmed the summer before that, in 2023, when NPR came to TL for the second half of the session. So when I sat down to watch it for the first time, I was watching a summer I lived, from the other side of my last one. A coda for the work. For the years. For everything we built together. I cried four times.
The Rhythm of Camp: Designing Training That Mirrors Your Camp's Natural Cycles
Are your staff transitions looking more like funeral processions than fun camp moments? Discover how to transform your training by matching the natural rhythm of camp life and prepare staff who feel confident from day one.
The Complete Training Triangle: Skills, Culture, and Systems
Transform your staff training from forgettable lectures to life-changing experiences with the three-part framework that balances individual skills, intentional culture, and robust systems. Most camps focus heavily on teaching skills but miss the other two critical legs of the stool. Discover how to create integrated training that helps staff understand not just what to do, but how their role connects to your camp's culture and larger organizational systems—resulting in more confident staff and better outcomes for campers.
You’re Talking About Campers Too Much in Your Staff Training
What if those recurring staff conflicts and communication breakdowns at camp aren't random frustrations? Most camp directors focus intensely on camper experiences while missing the systems and staff relationships that determine success. This 'system blindness' costs you through burnout, repeated problems, and diminished program quality. Discover how small shifts in your training approach can transform your camp staff from disconnected individuals into a cohesive, effective system.
Beyond the Drama Cycle: Seeing Systems Instead of Stories
What if those tense staff meetings aren't about difficult personalities at all? What if recurring conflicts are actually signaling deeper organizational patterns? Learn how to shift from the drama of the "Side Show" to the clarity of the "Center Ring" with practical strategies that transform educational leadership from blame to systems thinking.
From "Stuff Happens" to Systems Thinking
What if the daily chaos of your program isn't random at all? What if those recurring frustrations are actually telling you something about your program's systems? Learn how to shift from a 'stuff happens' mindset to transformative systems thinking in educational programs.
The Pinball Effect: When a Day in your Program Feels Like a Game You Can’t Win
Feeling bounced from crisis to crisis in your youth program? You're not alone. Discover how to transform from helpless pinball to purposeful leader by understanding the hidden systems at work. Practical strategies to regain control and create lasting change in educational environments.
The Hidden Force Sabotaging Your Program- System Blindness in Afterschool and Summer Camp Settings
Ever wonder why your educational program faces the same challenges despite your best efforts? It might be "system blindness" - when staff at all levels can't see beyond their own perspective. Discover how this hidden force affects your school, camp, or afterschool program, and learn practical strategies to transform frustration into collaboration. Stop blaming "them" and start seeing the whole picture.
Beyond Behavior Management: The Systematic Approach That Transforms Programs and Retains Staff
Systems thinking transforms behavior management in OST programs. Learn how to implement effective systems that support both staff success and youth development while reducing behavioral issues and staff burnout.