Kids Summer Camps

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Kids Summer Camps Youth Programming
Pre-Conference
LERN Conference San Francisco, CA November 15,
2008
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Orange Community Education Recreation 32000
Chagrin Blvd Pepper Pike OH 44124 Phone (216)
831-8601 Website Orangerec.com Providing
educational, enrichment and recreational
programs and services to the
Orange Communities since 1973
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Orange Community Education Recreation
Laura Guentner Director Julie Green Youth
Program Coordinator
Wendy Scott-Koeth Stagecrafters Youth Theater
Coordinator
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About Orange Community Education Recreation
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About Orange Community Education Recreation

• One of Ohios most comprehensive community
  education recreation programs
• Unique model - integral part of Orange City
  Schools
• Suburban setting 12 miles from Cleveland
• 200 acre wooded campus with athletic fields,
  pools, school buildings, community center, senior
  adult center

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About Orange Community Education Recreation

• Serving five main communities with population of
  17,000
• Offering over 1,200 activities yearly
• Handling 13,000 registrations per year
• 3,000,000 projected revenues for 2008-09

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Orange Community Education Recreation Summer
Camps
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Orange Community Education Recreation Camps

• Over 35 day camps, enrichment, sports and
  specialty camps
• Serving campers from age 2 - college
• Camp enrollment for 2008 1,025 campers
• 2008 camp fiscal performance

Camp Revenues 354,192 Camp Expenditures 253,08
6 CAMP BALANCE 101,106
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Orange Community Education Recreation Camps

• Learn to Swim/free swim included in all camps
• Before and after camp care extended day program

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Orange Community Education Recreation Camps
Summer 2008 Day Camps (6-8 weeks)

• Orange Early Childhood Camp (ages 2-5)
• Orange Day Camp (Grades K-3)
• Lions on Safari Camp (Grades 4-5)
• Stagecrafters Youth Theater Camp (Grades 2-7)
• Swoosh All Sports Camp (Grades K-6)

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Orange Community Education Recreation Camps
Summer 2008 Enrichment Camps

• Digital Music Production (Ages 8-15)
• Lights, Camera, Action Video Production (Ages
  11-15)
• First Star Media Film Camp (Ages 11-15)
• Imagination Comes Alive Art Camp (Grades 2-5)
• Bugs, Birds, Bees Me Nature Camp (Grades 1-3)

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Orange Community Education Recreation Camps
Summer 2008 Enrichment Camps

• Advanced Computer Game Creation (Ages 8-15)
• Robotics Camp (Ages 7-12)
• Make It Take It Science Camp (Ages 7-12)
• Around the World Theater Camp (Grades 2-7)
• Behind the Scenes Theater Camp (Grades 2-7)

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Orange Community Education Recreation Camps
Summer 2008 Enrichment Camps

• Garden Art Safari Camp (Ages 3-5)
• Green Kids in a Colorful World (Ages 3-5)

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Orange Community Education Recreation Camps
Summer 2008 Sports Camps

• Football Camp (Grades K-5)
• Swoosh Tennis Camp (Grades K-6)
• Cleveland Cavaliers Basketball Camp (Grades K-7)
• Cheerleading Camp (Grades K-5)
• Karate Camp (Grades K-7)
• Soccer Camp (Grades K-5)

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Orange Community Education Recreation Camps
Summer 2008 Sports Camps

• Foil Fencing Camp (Grades 2-12)
• Baseball Camp (Grades 1-5)
• Gymnastics Camp (Grades K-6)
• Golf Camp (Grades K-8)
• Lacrosse Camp (Grades 2-5)

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Orange Community Education Recreation Camps
Summer 2008 Specialty Camps

• Summer Stock Theater Camp (Grades 9 - College)
• Lullaby of Broadway Residential Camp (Grades
  5-7)
• Safety Town (Grade K)
• Youth Counselor Apprenticeship Program (Grades
  7-8)
• Stagecrafters Counselor Understudy Program
  (Grade 8)

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Choosing the Right Summer Camps
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Choosing the Right Camps
Knowing Your Customers

• Identify best customers
• Identify repeat customers
• Use evaluations
• Conduct focus groups
• Create customer profile
• Know the demographics of your market

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Choosing the Right Camps
Trends

• Research, research, research
• Keep up with whats going on socially,
  environmentally and with business and consumers
• Rule of Threes If its mentioned in the media
  three times, then it may be emerging as a trend

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Choosing the Right Camps
Trends

• Its a trend, not a fad, if

Time Roots Everywhere Non-stop growth Durability
- www.Entrepreneur.com
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Choosing the Right Camps
Scope Out Surrounding Competition

• Know what camps you are competing with
• What is and is not being offered by others
• Avoid duplication unless market can bear it
• Co-op camps with competition

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Pricing Summer Camps
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Pricing Summer Camps

• Financial format

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Pricing Summer Camps

• Competitor pricing
• What will the market bear
• Early bird and discounted camp fees
• Payment plans
• Scholarships

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Summer Camp Marketing Strategies
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Camp Marketing Strategies
Who

• Previous campers
• Current youth participants
• Child/parent marketing its different
• Secondary marketing (teachers, coaches, etc.)
• General population service area

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Camp Marketing Strategies
What

• Camp brochure
• Camp brochure insert in larger program brochure
• Press releases
• Feature articles
• Websites

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Camp Marketing Strategies
What

• Newspaper display ad
• Flyers/postcards/newsletters
• Community TV channel
• Camp demos at school
• In-school distribution of flyers
• Camp fairs

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Camp Marketing Strategies
What

• Camp brochures distributed at grocery stores,
  libraries, community sites
• Birthday cards
• Camp reunions
• Community signage
• Community bulletin boards
• Save-a-space

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Camp Marketing Strategies
What

• Early-bird discounts
• Sibling discounts
• Direct marketing (phone/mail/in-person)
• Marginal/low enrollment marketing techniques
• Word of mouth
• Participant testimonials

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Camp Marketing Strategies
When

• Year-round
• Future programming decisions start during
  current camp season
• Late summer/fall planning decisions

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Camp Marketing Strategies
When

• Final camp brochure decisions - December
• Camp brochure 1st release Mid-February
• Camp brochure 2nd release Early/Mid March
• Flyers, press releases, etc. leading to March
  registration
• Repeat marketing prior to end of early bird
  discounts

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Camp Marketing Strategies
When

• Based on registration status, market camps
  throughout open registration times
• Year-round

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Recruiting Retaining Camp Staff
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Recruiting Retaining Camp Staff
Recruiting

• Recruit year-round
• Previous campers
• Current students
• Apprentice program
• Volunteers in-training
• College students home on winter/spring breaks

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Recruiting Retaining Camp Staff
Recruiting

• Ads in college/high school newspapers, websites,
  Craigs List, etc.
• Teachers and instructors in local schools

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Recruiting Retaining Camp Staff
Retention

• Making the job enjoyable
• Incorporating social/bonding activities
• Expectations and individual responsibilities
• Staff input on camp curriculum/ownership
• Respect
• Commit to next years hires at end of this
  years camp
• Perks T-shirts, food, etc.

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Meaningful Staff In-service
Training
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Meaningful Staff In-service Training

• Ice breakers
• Written job descriptions
• Staff handbook/notebook
• Clear expectations
• Interactive training scenario/role-playing
  practice to teach how to do job
• Training in CPR, first aid, safety, discipline,
  expectations, special needs campers, pool
  training, emergency procedures, department
  information

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Meaningful Staff In-service Training

• Camp calendars and daily schedule review
• Continuing in-service
• Rainy day activity list
• Camper drop-off/pick-up and general logistics
• Food
• Social activity

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Developing Parent Camp
Handbook
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Developing Parent Camp Handbook
What to Include

• Welcome letter
• Necessary forms
• Maps of campus or property
• Camp calendars and daily schedules
• Camper drop-off and pick-up procedures
• Introduction of Camp Director and Counselors

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Developing Parent Camp Handbook
What to Include

• Camper behavior expectations
• Camp open house
• Department information
• Staff contact information

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Dos and Donts for Contracting with Outside
Companies
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Contracting with Outside Companies

• Written contact and liability insurance
• References and background checks
• Match with in-house camp standards, curriculum
  and philosophy
• Clear expectations
• On-going supervision
• Renegotiate contract amounts and minimum and
  maximum enrollment

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Contracting with Outside Companies

• Seek out professionals and organizations in
  community to offer specialized camps

• Sports Teams
• Sports Celebrities
• Engineers
• TV Studios
• Science Centers

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Summer Camp Best Practices
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Camp Best Practices

• Key Camp Components

• Variety and choice of activities
• Special events/guests/field trips
• Family events
• Inter-camp activities
• Camp culminating activity

• Before and after camp childcare services
• Fun!
• New experiences
• Developmentally appropriate

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Camp Best Practices

• Inclusion of campers with special needs
• Safety
• Transportation
• Camper and parent evaluations
• Clear and frequent communications

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Effective Camp Evaluations
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Effective Camp Evaluations

• Short and sweet
• Immediate complete on site
• Area for general comments
• Dont just file USE feedback and suggestions
  to improve camps
• Market great ratings
• Collect testimonials for future marketing

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Effective Camp Evaluations
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Orange Community Education Recreation
Thank You! Have fun planning your next summer
camp season!
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Orange Community Education Recreation
32000 Chagrin Blvd Pepper
Pike OH 44124 Phone [phone] Website
Orangerec.com Laura Guentner, Director