Expert Online Training

Hanging with two of the finest camp pros in the biz. Aaron Greenberg and Andy Pritikin

CAMPference 2024 took place in in San Antonio, Texas. The keynote was delivered by attorney and camp director, Isaac Mamaysky. and provided a comprehensive overview of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Camp professionals in attendance walked away knowing understanding what the ADA requires of them, what protections it offers to employees and campers, and how to approach ADA questions. Mamaysky offered feedback on case studies volunteered by audience members to consider how the ADA applies to real-world scenarios in the camp industry. The session also included opportunities for attendees to ask questions. Expert Online Training was proud to be the keynote sponsor.

Reasonable Accommodations: Our Obligations Under the ADA - Keynote by Isaac Mamaysky at CAMPference The CAMPference 2024 keynote delivered in San Antonio, Texas by attorney and camp director, Isaac Mamaysky, provided a comprehensive overview of the American...

Expert Online Training was proud to be the Keynote Sponsor for CAMPference 2024. Isaac Mamaysky led an engaging and informative session titled "Reasonable Accommodations: Our Obligations Under the ADA".

The 16th Annual Night-Off Party is happening at Bourbon Heat Night Club (711 Bourbon Street in the French Quarter) on Wednesday, Feb. 7th. It'll begin after the Grand Opening of the Exhibit Hall at ACA Nationals, so around 9pm. Looking forward to seeing everyone. We've rented the club, booked a DJ, there will be light food, drinks, and hundreds of camp pros. Send me a PM if you have any questions.

Expert Online Training is seeking a creative marketing and social media manager who has design experience, writing ability and a feel for the summer camp space. Contract work, about 10 hours a week. Work from home. Competitive pay. [email protected]

Happy Holidays everybody!

Staff make, or break, the camping experience. Give your staff the knowledge to excel. Bonus points if you provide it to them in an app-friendly, video-based format, that they can access on their own schedule.

A pic of our film crew on set at Camp Zeke in Lakewood, PA with Camp Founder and Director, Isaac Mamaysky. The photo was taken in August by his wife, and the other Camp Founder and Director, Lisa Mamaysky.

This is an odd business communication but here goes…

We’d planned to send out Expert Online Training's renewal communication last week but I, Evan Heltay, live in Israel and as I'm sure you've heard our country was attacked by Hamas terrorists and the number of dead and severely injured is staggering.

Over the last week I’ve been focussed on my family and community. I’ve been collecting and delivering food and supplies, making military clothing, attending funerals, and digging graves.

So business will need to wait for the moment.

I appreciate your understanding and support.

* the image is from a funeral procession in our neighborhood last night. Our community gathered to honour two young brothers, two heroes, Noam and Yishai Slotki z"l.

Today is a very special day for the Jewish people as we prepare for the holiday of Yom Kippur this evening. Throughout the day, people will be doing all kinds of things to prepare. It's all about getting ready. May your preparation and may your Yom Kippur be meaningful. May you have an easy and meaningful fast. May all of God's blessings for a good year - in health, in peace, in unity, in joy, in success - be signed, sealed, and delivered! Gmar Chatima Tova!

We're excited to be releasing a new video on preparing international staff for employment at American summer camps. Camp staff come from all over the world but one of the most regions remains the UK. Here are some items which have different words in the US then in Great Britain. Can you name any others?

Had a blast working with our friend, and leading camp pro, Dan Weir. Dan appears in several new Expert Online Training videos which are scheduled to be released in the fall.

Visiting with Josh Corpuel at Camp Wayne for Boys and Girls. It's really fantastic to be able to film at these beautiful, traditional, sleepaway camps in Wayne County, PA.

Having a great time filming at Camp Zeke in Lakewood, PA. Isaac Mamaysky and his wife run a wonderful camp. Zeke feels warm and inviting from the moment you arrive. The staff are friendly and empathetic. The campers are active and engaged. Plus the food is fresh and delicious!

We're updating our international staffing material, so we brought in a couple of fellas that know a thing or two about the topic. Matt Buczek and Jeff Daly

We're heading out on the road to film new content in NY and PA over the next two weeks. Excited to be filming some fantastic new videos at French Woods Sports and Arts Center

We'd like to address the recent experience of slow page responses on our platform. Yesterday (May 10th) was our busiest day ever, with a record number of courses and quizzes being accessed through both our mobile app and website. However, this unprecedented surge in user activity placed a strain on our infrastructure, leading to slower response times.

We took immediate action to rectify the issue and ensure a seamless user experience moving forward. In response to the overwhelming demand and as part of our commitment to continuous improvement, we upgraded our infrastructure. This upgrade will not only address the challenges we faced yesterday but also provide us with the scalability and capacity needed to accommodate our growth throughout 2023 and beyond.

We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience caused by the slow page responses. Our team has been working tirelessly to enhance our platform's performance, and we appreciate your patience and understanding during this time. As always, your satisfaction and success remain our top priorities, and we are confident that the improvements we made will contribute to a smoother and more efficient user experience.

Thank you for your continued support.

Evan A. Heltay
Co-Founder and Director of Operations, on behalf of the entire team at EOT

We've posted 2 new videos (filmed in August 2022) for summer camp professionals to watch and benefit from. Access them, at no cost, via https://www.expertonlinetraining.com/

Day Camp Dynamics Part 1: Drop-Off, Parent Communication, and Pick-Up features Dan Neal. Dan has an impressive background in the summer camp industry, he's a third generation director and co-owner at Camp Doublecreek, where he continues his family’s legacy of providing a fun and safe environment for children to learn and grow.

With involvement in other organizations such as (Camping Association for Mutual Progress) and the Youth Camp Advisory Committee for the Texas State Health Department, Dan was also recently appointed to the LCOL (Local Council of Leaders for the ACA).

Camp Staff and the Internet - Promoting Online Leadership-by-Example features Tim Huchton.

Tim is a well-known and passionate industry professional. Tim’s professional career has been spent in the camp and conference industry, and his belief that a well-trained staff is the key to an excellent camp season aligns right alongside EOT’s.

Tim is the President and CEO of Mo-Ranch and he speaks regularly at conferences around the country.

We’re proud to introduce you to another newly minted EOT faculty member, Meg Clark! Meg began her camping career in 1992 at Camp Waldemar. Meg then built Camp Lonehollow , a wonderful co-ed camp in the Texas Hill Country. She recently returned to her childhood camp, Waldemar, as owner. She also serves on the American Camp Association National Board.

Meg lends her expertise in our new module, “Helping Kids Fit In”. For a limited time you can watch this video for free on our website. https://www.expertonlinetraining.com/

We’re honored to have you on team EOT, Meg!

If you're going to be in Orlando next week - good news! The 13th Night-Off Party will take place on Wednesday, Feb. 22nd from 8:30pm until midnight at Senor Frog's.

8747 International Dr. is a 5 minute drive, 7 minute trolley (recommended), or 23 minute walk from the Rosen Center.

Escape the conference and come party with your people.

Hosted by CampMinder, Everything Summer Camp, Expert Online Training, IENA - International Exchange of North America and Ship Camps.

If you're attending the ACA National Conference in Orlando next week, come by and meet the Expert Online Training team at booth #608. We'll be happy to answer your questions, offer a quick onsite demo, and hear your thoughts about staff training.

Camp directors pondering whether or not to use Expert Online Training are sometimes concerned with how their staff will react. Will they view video-based training positively or will they see it negatively as yet more work. In August we were filming at Camp Doublecreek in Round Rock, Texas. One of their lifeguards was kind enough to offer her thoughts.

Lifeguard Testimonial - EOT This is "Lifeguard Testimonial - EOT" by Jonathan Mills Media on Vimeo, the home for high quality videos and the people who love them.

We’re honored and excited to introduce you to our three new EOT faculty members! First up, meet Tim Huchton. Tim is the President and CEO of Mo-Ranch in Hunt, TX. He’s worked in both the nonprofit and private camping world as well as for the American Camp Association, and is passionate about the camp experience. He feels that the key to a solid camp season is hiring the right staff and ensuring that they are well trained.

Tim is featured in our new training modules, “Staff and the Internet” and "Wise Use of Time Off”, which you can check out right now at https://www.expertonlinetraining.com/
Welcome to the EOT family, Tim!

We're looking forward to speaking and exhibiting at The Salvation Army North American Camping Symposium February 6-10 with camp directors, Salvation Army leaders, and camp staff from across USA and Canada. It'll be happening at Hoblitzelle Summer Camp in Midlothian, Texas.

I've recently begun listening to a podcast called "A Bit of Optimism". The host is Simon Sinek, author of "Start With Why". Today I was listening to his most recent episode "Ask Simon Anything: Part Two". Early on he's asked "Do you think the American education system is broken?" and I think his answer is equally applicable to the summer camp industry. To paraphrase, Simon states "The simple answer is yes. Look at schools, compare their approach to modern leadership theory and you'll see that they're at least 10-15 years behind. A high school principal will confidently say that my #1 priority is my students. No it's not! Your #1 priority is your teachers. Your teachers' #1 priority is your students."

IMHO, this idea is even more on point in camping.

Most schools have a principal, vice principals, nurses, guidance counselors, mental health specialists, administration staff, and more leading a team of professionally trained, degree holding, teachers. Each school year involves a period of about 10 months.

Camps generally have much smaller leadership team, many of whom are only seasonal, and they're responsible for a large group of counselors who are young, inexperienced, and have little (if any) training specific to youth.

What is the biggest challenge for our industry at this moment? Staffing. Staff recruitment, staff training, staff mental health, staff failing to complete their contract because they were fired, quit, or... just didn't show up one day.

Last month I had the opportunity to hear Dr. Rob Ribbe speak at CAMPference in Marble Falls, Texas. During his opening keynote Dr. Ribbe posted a phrase which we know well. "Camp is for the ____________________." The audience of seasoned camp professionals all responded enthusiastically, "Campers!" And that response, Dr. Ribbe suggested, is not complete. It should be "Camp is for the campers and staff".

I've worked in the youth development space for over twenty five years and I've had the opportunity to communicate with thousands of camp professionals from all over the globe. I can confidently tell you that the most successful camps invest not just in equipment for their campers to enjoy, but also in their employees to make sure that their staff are engaged, prepared, and supported. It has been my experience that those same camps benefit from higher numbers of returning staff and lower rates of accidents and injuries.

I also believe that parents notice when a camp invests in their staff. It's a sign that the staff offers a professional and caring environment. If the camp directors look after their staff it makes sense that the campers will be well cared for by all.

https://simonsinek.com/.../ask-simon-anything-part-two/

We just arrived in Texas! Looking forward to supporting our friends from Hibbs-Hallmark & Company at CAMPference.

We're excited to be heading to the Christian Camp and Conference Association National Conference - Together '22 in Black Mountain, NC. We'll be onsite Monday, December 5th and Tuesday, December 6th to support our business partners, Morrow Insurance Agency, Inc.