What’s the Point of THIS Camp?
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It’s funny being the new guy at a camp in an industry you know pretty damn well. You get this unique chance to look at things through an expert lens while everyone thinks you essentially just rolled in off the street.
So yeah, again, I’m the guy walking around asking questions right now. (How’s Jack Walks and Talks at Camp as the new newsletter name?)
My latest one is in the subject line.
What’s the point of THIS camp?
I’ve been asking everyone at K&E: Campers, staff, leadership. Here’s what I’ve gotten so far:
Friendship | Get better at stuff | Refuge | Find purpose | Be yourself | Learn belonging | Figure out what you want | Experience new things | Be in nature | Better communication | Have fun | Accept vulnerability
Love every answer here. Wouldn’t change a word.
Except, notice a slight problem?
This list could belong to my camp, your camp, the camp you went to, the camp your kids attend, or any camp in America.
Nothing here is specific to K&E.
There’s a whole other list I need. One that’s definitely happening but much harder to articulate.
Camp Generic
Every camp says friendship, confidence, fun, be yourself. Check any camp website and you’ll see the same language over and over.
It’s all correct of course.
Wrote about this a few months ago, when we talked about “What Kind of Camp are You Marketing?”
This list is along the same lines, except it cuts even deeper because it gets to the very heart of what kids (and parents) get from this camp, specifically.
If I could’ve written your mission statement without ever visiting your camp, that might be a problem.
The funny thing is, that list above works great for summer camps as an industry writ large. In fact, it’s a great brochure for like ACA and other orgs selling the entire world of summer camping.
And look also, no shade here. Those answers above aren’t in any way wrong. They are correct, for sure. They’re just not unique.
They’re more categories than distinctions. They tell you what kind of organization camp is, but not what is the ultimate point of your camp.
But on an individual camp level, if everyone’s saying the same thing, then no one’s really saying anything.
The real question isn’t what camp does for kids. The real question is what makes YOUR camp irreplaceable to the families who choose it.
The Power of “THIS”
One word kind of makes all the difference here.
When I ask “What’s the point of camp?” it could be generic answer central. More than a few people will default to the universal benefits of all camps.
But when I ask “What’s the point of THIS camp?” (and def read THIS like it’s all caps and italicized) then there’s a purposeful distinction.
It means we’re getting specific. No copy-pasting.
Asking “this camp,” means admitting what you believe and what you don’t. What you prioritize and what you’re willing to sacrifice. What you’ll never compromise on and what you’re happy to let other camps worry about.
That one word makes all the difference between describing camp in general and defending why your camp should and does exist.
The Three-List Exercise I’m Trying
First, I’m asking campers: “What’s the point of this camp?”
Writing down everything they say. If you do this, you’ll probably get a list that looks a lot like mine.
Then I’m asking staff: “What’s the point of THIS camp?”
Writing that down, but pushing them a little more for clarity (in a nice way!) especially if they’ve been here multiple summers. What have they seen/ experienced/ picked up on that is helpful in understanding what makes the place tick.
Third, listening overtime to parents. Not asking them directly, because that would sound weird. But paying extra-close attention to what they say about choosing this camp. Or for prospective families on tours, what is it they are really looking for.
Things I’m kinda hearing already:
They’re looking for an intentional counterbalance to the world their kids already live in. Status might not matter in the same ways it matters other places.
They’re want some intentional simplicity. Maybe the same way they might choose a smaller school or a family vacation without phones.
They’re looking for a place that resets expectations and rebuilds character in ways their regular environment can’t.
Then I’m trying as much as possible to compare all three lists.
What’s missing?
What gets repeated?
What feels honest versus what feels like standard camp marketing speak?
Oh, and there’s one more I’m trying to answer across it all:
“What would campers miss most if this camp disappeared tomorrow?”
Not what they’d miss about camp in general. What they’d miss about THIS camp specifically.
Generic Purpose = Generic Culture
If staff and campers don’t know the point of this camp, they’ll import values from whatever environment they came from.
Generic purpose leads to generic culture.
But clear identity shapes everything: who you hire, how you train them, what daily decisions look like. Your camp’s unique purpose becomes the compass for every choice you make.
To get past the brochure language, ask yourself:
What’s one thing you refuse to add because it doesn’t align with who you are? What kind of friendship, confidence, or fun do you actually create that’s different from other camps?
These aren’t camp questions, these are THIS camp questions. The answers make everything else gets easier.
You got this,
Jack
Get my newsletter every week.
It’s all about kids today
Jack Schott
Summer Camp Evangelist