You know that the camp experience is an important part of a child's development and education - but do your elected leaders?
As this country wrestles with considering how to improve our education system to meet 21st Century needs, it is ever more important that we develop advocates in our elected leadership who understand that a camp experience can be an incredibly valuable part of the year-round education of the whole child.
Now is a great time to invite your elected leaders (state and Federal) to your camp to show them that camp is not just recreation, but as part of year-round learning experiences, it contributes to the growth and development of children, youth, and adults.
|
| |
| ACA has created a number of resources to help you invite your elected leaders to your camp: |
| ACA Congressional Visit Toolkit : Helpful hints in the areas of: |
How to create and send an invitation to your elected leaders
|
| How to follow up with Congressional staff to convert the invitation to an acceptance |
| How to plan the logistics for the visit day |
| How to attract media coverage for the visit day |
| How to maximize the visit, including: |
| Showing your visitor how the camp experience significantly enhances the work done by schools, civic organizations and government institutions helping children develop into healthy adults |
| Showing your visitor how camp provides a safe and nurturing environment that gives children and youth a sense of community |
| Telling your visitor how kids are at less risk when they feel loved, capable and included – and that your camp fosters these feelings of accomplishments and self worth |
| Convincing your visitor that camp offers a supervised, positive environment with well-defined boundaries that help children and youth grow |
| Demonstrating that camp builds compassionate committed leaders who understand community service |
| ACA Congressional Visit Invitation Central - Once you've decided to invite your leaders to camp, this tool automatically helps you create and send your invitiations (you don't even need to know who your elected leaders are - we know that information based on your zip code!) |
| Children and Nature - ACA's public policy position statement that will help you with the language you need to speak with your elected leaders about the value of the camp experience. |
| School Calendars -ACA's public policy position statement that will help you with the language you need to speak with your elected leaders about the value of the camp experience. |
| Year Round Education -ACA's public policy position statement that will help you with the language you need to speak with your elected leaders about the value of the camp experience. |
| |
| Need more help? Contact the ACA National Office Public Policy Department. |
| |
