This is the Referral Rundown, the newsletter that helps camps grow through word of mouth.

We’re the biscotti of newsletters – light, sweet, and good with your morning coffee.

Today’s estimated read time: 1 minute 37 seconds

We had orientation last week, and it had me reflecting on the errors I tend to make during staff training. Here’s my take:

Most staff training mistakes don’t feel serious in the moment.

They feel small.

A missing email.
An extra presentation.
A rushed conversation.

But by week three of the summer, those little things compound.

Here are three mistakes I see camps make over and over during staff training.

For many counselors, staff training starts long before opening day.

They’re wondering:

What should I pack?
Who will I live with?
What’s the vibe going to be?
Will I fit in?

Silence creates anxiety.

Good pre-camp communication doesn’t just transfer information.
It builds confidence.

Even a few thoughtful touchpoints before arrival can change the energy staff walk in with.

Some trainings become:

“Did we cover everything?”

Policies.
Procedures.
Emergency protocols.

Those things matter.

But training isn’t just information transfer.

It’s culture-setting. And as Jack Schott says, a big part of culture is vulnerability.

So the better question is:

That’s a very different goal.

This one is hard because camp leaders care deeply.

We want to explain everything.
We want staff to understand.

So we talk.

And talk.

And talk.

Meanwhile, staff learn best by:

Nobody becomes a better counselor from sitting in folding chairs for six straight hours.

The best trainings feel participatory, not performative.

Great staff trainings don’t happen because you cram in more information.

They happen when staff:

In this way, most summers are shaped before campers even arrive.

One underrated referral moment

A lot of camps focus on referrals after the summer.

But one of the best times to encourage sharing is actually during camp.

Parents are hearing stories.
Seeing photos.
Feeling excited in real time.

That’s when enthusiasm is highest.

Sometimes the best referral strategy is simply catching people while the experience still feels fresh.

Questions about how to do this? Let us know.

The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt

This book has sparked a lot of conversation in camp circles in the past couple years.

The core argument:

Kids are spending less time in real-world, independent environments and more time online.

Whether or not you agree with every point, it’s a helpful reminder of what makes camp valuable:

Unstructured time.
In-person friendship.
Real responsibility.

Things that are increasingly rare.

This book will be helpful foundation for making the case for camp in our time – to parents, potential staff, or anyone else.

Until next time,

Peter “Talent Show Terror” Elbaum