We’re Speaking at the 2025 Tri-State Camp Conference!
Camp Jamison is thrilled to announce that we will be presenting two powerful sessions at the 2025 Tri-State Camp Conference, the largest gathering of camp professionals in the world! Our team, led by Jacqueline McDonough, alongside Jaymi Phillips, Ajae Adams, Sincere Jackson, and Allana Gray, will bring critical conversations to the forefront about fostering inclusivity, checking biases, and creating camp spaces where all children thrive.
Session #1: Adultification of Black Children: Checking Biases in Camp Settings
Tuesday, March 11, 2025
3:15 PM – 4:15 PM
Room 315
Session Description:
Black children are often viewed and treated as more mature than their peers, leading to unrealistic expectations and disciplinary disparities in various settings—including summer camps. This session, moderated by Jacqueline McDonough, will explore how adultification bias affects Black campers and what camp professionals can do to create safe, equitable, and developmentally appropriate environments. Our panelists, all former campers turned camp leaders, will share personal stories and research-backed strategies to help staff recognize and address implicit biases, ensuring that Black children experience the joy and freedom of childhood at camp.
Session #2: Creating Inclusive Camp Cultures: Strategies for Retaining Black Campers and Fostering Belonging
Thursday, March 13, 2025
9:00 AM – 10:00 AM
Room 315
Session Description:
Diversity in camp enrollment is only the first step—true inclusion requires intentionality. This session will use Camp Jamison as a case study to explore how camps can go beyond diverse recruitment to ensure retention, belonging, and success for Black campers. Led by Jacqueline McDonough and former campers who are now camp leaders, this discussion will highlight key strategies for addressing bias, fostering positive camper-staff relationships, and cultivating a culture of inclusivity. Attendees will leave with three actionable takeaways for improving camper retention through marketing, program development, and relationship-building.
Why These Conversations Matter
Camp should be a place where all children feel seen, valued, and empowered. These sessions will challenge camp professionals to critically examine how implicit biases affect the camp experience and equip them with the tools to build more inclusive, joyful, and equitable communities.
Join Us at Tri-State!
We are honored to share our insights and experiences at the 2025 Tri-State Camp Conference. If you’re attending, we’d love to see you at one (or both!) of our sessions. Let’s continue pushing the conversation forward to ensure that every child has a place to belong at camp.
Tag us on social media and let us know if you’ll be there!
#CampJamison #TriStateCampConference #InclusionInCamps #CampLeadership #GratefulForThisJawn
