Jon

2014 Camp Role:
Counselor

Key Qualifications:
Coach at Tigers Basketball
Overnight Camp Counselor @ Pine Orchard Free Methodist Camp
PDCI Class of 2014 Valedictorian
Multiple athletic awards

Favorite Snack Food:
Salt and Vinegar Chips

Favorite camp activity:
Sports

Favorite Book/Movie:
Chronicles of Narnia

What’s your greatest fear?
Sharks

What’s your guilty pleasure?
Handfuls of marshmallows or spoonfuls of cake icing

When I have an hour of free time, I like to…
Play guitar

What are you most excited about for summer 2014?
I am definitely looking forward to camp this summer! I am excited to hang out and have fun with kids 5 days a week. Looking forward to making new friends and making memories.

Courtney

2014 Camp Role:
Programmer

Key Qualifications:
Former Event Coordinator
Sales Associate at Mastermind Toys
Starting accelerated ECE program this fall

Favorite Movie:
Big Fish by Tim Burton, just love the story.

Favorite camp activity:
There are so many camp activities to choose from, but I’ve always liked Arts & Crafts best.

What is your funniest habit?
Don’t know how funny it is, but I doodle on all my papers! If I have a pen there will be drawings all over my notes.

What’s your greatest fear?
My greatest fear is falling, not scared of heights, just the falling part.

What’s your guilty pleasure?
Watching junkie reality TV.

When I have an hour of free time, I like to…
Nap …. it’s pretty much my greatest past time 🙂

What are you most excited about for summer 2014?
I am most excited for all the crazy adventures i’ll be having at camp. I love doing new things and this is going to be a great summer!

This time of year we get lots of calls and emails asking if there are spaces remaining in certain weeks of camp. The good news is… you can check yourself!

There are two ways to check the availability of the week(s) you are interested in:

1) Go to our online registration system and search for the sessions you are interested in. Our system will not allow you to register in a week that is already full.

2) Visit our Facebook page to see the most recent updates on which weeks & age groups are full or nearing capacity.

Gloria

2014 Camp Role:
Counselor

Key Qualifications:
Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering
Former Instructor at Engineering Science Quest day camp (U Waterloo)
Mom of 2!

Favorite Movie:
Man of Steel

Favorite camp activity:
Camp Songs

Personal theme song:
“I’m walking on sunshine”… most of the time lol

What is your funniest habit?
Breaking into song in the middle of a conversation.

What’s your guilty pleasure?
Gravy.

When I have an hour of free time, I like to…
Connect with people

What are you most excited about for summer 2014?
I’m SO excited for mad science!!! I can’t wait to see what kind of messy fun crazy things we’ll have fun with. And being a part of a full summer camp program will be a first for me. I have a feeling I’m going to LOVE it.

If you follow our blog you may have seen my post recently about the definition of camp. It’s something I feel strongly about.

When you’re shopping around for a summer camp for your child (and I do hope you shop around!), I hope you’ll consider carefully the qualifications of the director. A camp and it’s program are only as good as the person who acts as the driving force behind it.

While (obviously) I love MKDC with all my heart and believe it is an awesome place for a child to be, I also believe that the most important thing is for every child to have a quality camp experience, regardless of which camp you choose. It’s important to remember that there are hardly any regulations regarding who can start a summer camp, so the responsibility falls on YOU, the parent, to look carefully at ALL the facts before choosing a program.

When you speak with the director (and you SHOULD speak with the director before enrolling) here are some things to look for and/or ask about:

Child Development Qualifications

The key to running a camp that is beneficial for children is understanding the fundamental principals of child development. A diploma/degree in education, child & youth work, early childhood education or similar will provide you with confidence that the director understands children’s needs at each stage and is able to develop a program that is appropriate. Other desireable qualifications might include a parks & recreation or sports administration degree, coaching certifications, or camp director certification through a professional camping association.

There are many organizations (museums, athletic clubs, etc) that run programming for children in the summer. They are undoubtably very knowlegable in their field. But if they don’t have someone on staff who is trained specificially in child development they may not have the qualifications to best meet your child’s needs.

Prior Camp Experience

It stands to reason that a person in any position of authority would have experience in the field prior to being promoted. Does the camp director have experience working in the summer camp field as a counselor or other member of staff? Has the camp director worked at any other camps besides the one he/she currently operates? How long has the director been working in the camping field? How long has the camp itself been in operation, particularly with its current director?

Professional Associations

A camp director who is serious about his/her job will take steps to connect with other camp professionals for the purposes of accreditation and to keep abreast of industry standards. Does the director belong to any professional associations such as the Ontario Camping Association?

Continual Development

Taking care of someone else’s children is serious business. A camp director who takes this responsibility seriously will always be on the lookout for ways to improve their skills and qualifications. Has the camp director recently taken any courses or attended any conferences in order to upgrade his/her skills & knowledge?

 Definition of Camp

Finally, as I’ve said before, it’s important to find a camp that fits with your own definition – and that means finding a director whose vision you can identify with. Ask about the director’s goals for camp and what they hope to achieve for each camper. I personally believe that a true summer camp is much more than just a childcare option, a place to drop off your kids – that’s just babysitting. A REAL camp will provide an experience that enriches a child beyond the scope of a single workday. Camp should provide your child with a unique, welcoming community that creates opportunity for long-term growth.

Q: Am I able to purchase more than one 5 day pack? Or is that option allowed for only 5 days?

A: YES! You can register for more than one flex-pack, but our online system isn’t set up to do this automatically because almost all of our campers register for full weeks. If you would like to register for more than one flex-pack, please download the printable registration form and indicate the dates you need. We will work it out for you!