The role new technology plays for the Jewish summer camp industry.
While many don’t typically associate high tech with the camp world, which for generations was thought of as a low tech industry, there’s no question that camps have come to depend on the latest support applications in the technology world to run their camps efficiently, effectively and safely in the 21st century. After all, while one of the core missions of the overnight summer camp experience may continue to be allowing our youth to unplug from their electronic gadgets for several weeks each summer, the camps charged with that mission must be run like businesses. And that means using the best technology to manage everything from security, registration, financials and medical information to social network engagement, summertime communication and alumni relations.
Sacha Litman, the founder of Measuring Success, emphasizes the importance of using “Big Data” to help camps with their year-round engagement efforts. Big corporations, he explained, have been using “Big Data” for many years and summer camps need to utilize the same data tools to acquire new campers and maintain existing relationships with both current staff and the valuable alumni who are now positioned to donate and send their children or grandchildren to the camp. These data measuring tools have been available to camps for years, but most didn’t know how to put that data to good use for philanthropic or camper recruitment and retainment purposes. Litman emplores camps to focus on engaging their campers twelve months a year rather than in the traditional camp recruitment season.
PPC, SEO, back-linking and analytics are terms that traditionally haven’t been tossed around in the offices that run Jewish summer camps. In the period of the Internet age, however, summer camps have had to shift their marketing focus to include such things as Google AdWords and pay-per-click advertising on such networking sites as LinkedIn and Facebook. Camps must allocate funding toward web marketing and social media. From targeting the camp’s main demographics on Google and optimizing their Facebook posts to blogging regularly for search engine optimization and analyzing the traffic to the registration page of the website. The days of asking the youngest professional in the camp office to set up a Facebook page or upload some summer highlight photos to the camp’s Instagram account are about over and a more professionalized Internet advertising and social media marketing era is here.
Summer camp professionals are undoubtedly feeling the stress with all of the technology that now goes into managing the many aspects of running a camp. CampMinder is one of a few full-service companies that have packaged every thinkable component into the software they sell to camps. Paul Berliner, of CampMinder believes that camps should be places that are technology-free zones – aside from the office that is. “Technology can be great if used properly.” He said. “It shouldn’t be a crutch; it should enhance. We’re about building relationships.”
CampMinder, founded in 2001 by former camper and staff member Dan Konigsberg, is the leading web-based camp management and communication system. The team works closely with camp professionals to identify the best practices in camp administration and even publishes an annual print magazine that focuses on the technology camps should be implementing into their management office. Their software is described as more than just a typical database. Their system claims to be intuitive and runs like the proprietary backend software being used by large corporations, which is how Berliner says camps need to be run.
Jeff Bowman, a Toronto native, launched CampBrain, which camps have come to rely on for all of their data, financial information, camper registration and even photo albums and e-mail newsletter communication during the summer. Bowman explained that his software is branded to look like the camp’s website so parents have a seamless registration experience and their first impression of the camp is a positive one.
CampBrain is offered to camps as either a desktop version or as a web-based, cloud managed option. Like CampMinder, all of their forms are customizable for the type of camp and includes a robust alumni management system for historical reporting. What parents appreciate, Bowman said, is that they only need one login and password for everything on the website. CampBrain offers camps credit card processing and complete medical records. Both CampMinder and CampBrain offer what has been described as the one-way window into camp. Parents (and other approved relatives) can get a taste of what the kids are up to each summer by logging into the website and viewing photo albums and reading newsletter updates from the staff.
One area in which camps have adapted very quickly in has been camper and staff medical information. Just as physicians and hospitals have had to break old habits and are now charting with electronic medical records (EMR), camps also have progressed to digital health care data. Dr. Michael Ambrose, founder of CampDoc.com, held court in the Shuk area and carefully explained why camps should use his software. Launched in 2009, Ambrose collaborated with camp doctors, nurses and directors to improve efficiency and maximize safety in local camp communities. CampDoc is growing exponentially each year while also moving into new arenas such as day camps, day care centers and schools. Gone are the days of camps using pencil and paper to keep track of campers’ medications and clinic visits. Today, everything is done the same way a hospital manages its patient data thanks to the embrace of new technology and a willingness to adapt.
The general consensus among camp experts is that technology shouldn’t be seen much by the campers who should unplug and have an electronics-free oasis during their summer experience. However, today’s summer camps must be run efficiently with the most up-to-date technology available.
The evidence shows that Jewish summer camp is a magical experience for thousands of Jewish youth, and the leaders of these camp institutions now recognize that in order to perpetuate their camp’s success they must run them more like businesses. That means exploiting the current technology available and ensuring that each camp’s professional staff has been trained in its use. Embracing the new technology will help camps further their mission and the campers will be the true beneficiaries.
Rabbi Jason Miller is a contributing writer to My Jewish Learning and Jlife Magazine.
