By Jarod "W" Wunneburger, Director of Camps
“I race donkeys,” the camp director told me at happy hour. Not your typical American Camp Association conference conversation. But it perfectly captures what I'm learning as I share Farm & Wilderness's expertise nationwide: innovation in camping comes in unexpected forms. “It’s actually pretty big – there are three races in Colorado, and some in Europe!” In fact, this latest trip to expand F&W’s reach was full of new (at least to me) facts:
- If someone lives in the Colorado mountains, they’ll often add the altitude they live at in addition to the city;
- Wyoming camps and Colorado camps collaborate a ton because Wyoming has very few camps,
- When racing donkeys, you run alongside them for sometimes as long as 30 miles.
It’s true that camps come in all shapes and sizes – there really is a camp for everyone. As I travel around on behalf of F&W to share our expertise and take our place in the education ecosystem, I am struck by how far F&W has come compared to our peer camps. We also have so many opportunities ahead of us.
We Do Many Things Well, Including Systems
When we compare ourselves to other camps, we have many things other camps do – beautiful land, dedicated staff, passionate alumni, a deep history. As I travel I note the regional differnces in camps, and Colorado and New England certainly had a few:
- Sure, we’ve been around longer than it seems like most camps out here in Colorado, but not the oldest back in New England. Many are more than 100 years old (but we’re on the way!)
- Sure, our buildings have been built with the help of campers but they are no means five-star accommodations.
- Sure, we have some pretty profound camp magic (and an impact report to prove it) but so do many other camps.
If you’re reading this, you might have your own thoughts about what sets us apart. However, as I look ahead to a time of change for F&W, one thing that stands out to me: our systems set us apart. We are a large and complex organization that has required systems to keep it all running – systems to keep all the vans maintained and ready to drive trips, systems to hire almost 250 staff each summer, systems to train and coach all those staff.
Great Systems Are Essential (No, Really!)
Don’t let your eyes glaze over too much when I bring up systems – stay with me. Camp is crazy inspiring and it makes me want to be a better person and to make F&W better. Appreciative families, silly traditions, profound conversations around a campfire – so much inspiration everywhere! However, inspiration, energy, and enthusiasm isn’t enough – you need systems to sustain the change.
Camps and schools can benefit from robust, intentional systems for a few reasons:
- Scale Impact: Thoughtful documentation and knowledge transfer let you serve more youth effectively
- Optimize Resources: Identify inefficiencies and opportunities through clear organizational workflows
- Support Staff: Provide role clarity and prevent team friction
- Protect Organizations: Strong systems safeguard time, energy, focus, and liability
A focus on systems, even for a few quarters, reveals problems that are not about the people but instead about the systems connecting them (or not). Start small with specific systems then tackle larger organizational ones. You’ll likely find the people are not really the problem, it’s the context, lack of clarity, and lack of systems they work in.
Next Steps for You and Farm & Wilderness
While it might feel this has strayed away from kids, camps, and donkeys, I assure you it hasn’t. Farm & Wilderness is at a transformational time as we work to improve our camp experience and think about what’s next in the wider education space. Our work over the last few years thinking about systems has positioned us to weather what’s to come, connect deeply with our community, and ultimately make a difference in this world.
I never did finish asking my new friend all my questions about donkey racing, and I hope to one day see them. The conference was a strong one, with great people, thoughtful discussions, and opportunities to show off what makes F&W strong. All three of my presentations went well:
- One on teaching behavior management to staff
- One on how to coach staff with intentionality and systems
- One on behavior systems (sensing a theme?)
My next conference for F&W is in Indianapolis!
Ready to be part of this transformation? Support Farm & Wilderness through:
- Donating to our scholarship fund
- Joining our summer staff
- Enrolling your children
- Following our journey on Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, or TikTok
#SummerCamp #Education #OrganizationalDevelopment #YouthDevelopment #Leadership