The Brandwein Skill-A-Thon on Training & Leading Your Best Camp Team Ever

WORKSHOP OVERVIEW

This is a special opportunity: We usually learn from Michael in standing-room-only giant rooms with hundreds of people. This exciting workshop is a small group, in-depth learning experience with hands-on practice in a unique, fun, energetic, creative experience packed with immediately useable skills. And the detailed design of every minute of the workshop, including meals, models everything you’ll learn, so you’ll feel and see how these powerful techniques work! 

You can learn more about the workshop, including the hotel information, add-ons, and more here. 

WORKSHOP DETAILS

This interactive Skill-A-Thon experience is packed with specific, practical, and original

skills you can’t get anywhere else that you will learn, practice, and take home:

• Staff training that is superb teaching, not talking
• • Save a ton of time: During the Skill—Thon you’ll plan essential parts of your 2026 training, plugging in tested, highest-quality activities and applying the biggest secrets to successful scheduling
  • How to grab attention with this generation in a social media world
  • Increase professionalism and support staff in doing this real job, even if it’s one of their first
  • Motivate all levels of staff and build stronger teamwork
  • Boost interesting and exciting participation, and make sure people learn the practical skills that they will really use and are essential for camp success
  • Saving a ton of time by planning essential parts of your training right now, during the Skill-A-Thon,
• Real character and youth development every hour, every day, every camper
• • How to make sure your camp is building confidence, kindness, respect, responsibility, creativity, cooperation, and much more
  • Recruit & retain campers by distinguishing your camp from others in the ways you communicate your mission and its value, making your camp the place parents want to send their kids
  • The step-by-step techniques to use at every camp activity area
  • Applying and teaching staff to use Michael’s world famous L.A.S.E.R.B.E.A.M. techniques to identify, teach, model, and design program to build great qualities in young people
  • “Playing with a Purpose” with Michael’s original games that teach skills for life
• Developing the Leadership Team for maximum camp success, including:
• • Communication and collaboration skills
  • Turbo-charging creative program that brings back campers
  • Problem-solving, planning, and critical thinking
  • Customer service
  • Running magnificent meetings by deleting “gripe sessions” and motivating specific actions
  • Leading large groups for announcements, special events, and other “up-in-front” moments

Includes Free Exclusive Follow-Up Webinar for Participants Only! (Date to be determined at the Workshop)

WHO LEADS THIS?

Legendary, award-winning camp expert Michael Brandwein (michaelbrandwein.com) is

an internationally acclaimed staff trainer who has presented in all 50 states, on 6

continents, and served on the national board of the American Camp Association.

Michael is the number one bestselling author of staff-training and leadership books (7!)

in the camp field, including his two latest: Growing Great Qualities in Kids: The

L.A.S.E.R.B.E.A.M. Technique for Bringing Out the Best in Young People and The

Intentional Camp: Putting More Muscle in the Mission of Character & Youth

Development.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND

The camp leadership team of Resident and Day Camps (Nonprofit & Independent) of all

sizes, including directors, assistant directors, owners, site directors, supervisors,

program directors, unit and area leaders, senior staff, and others—and all levels of

experience.

WHAT'S INCLUDED

• 2 Nights of Hotel (Monday & Tuesday)

• 3 Meals

• • Monday Dinner

  • Tuesday Lunch

  • Wednesday Lunch

• Training Materials & Supplies 

• Includes Free Exclusive Follow-Up Webinar for Participants Only! (Date to be determined at the Workshop)

Hotel Accommodations
Hotel accommodations for Monday, January 12 and Tuesday, January 13, 2025 are included in your registration as your hotel stay, with both double and single room options available. If you already know who you’d like to room with, let us know at registration! If you don’t require a hotel room, please contact us at registration@acail.org for information on alternative pricing.

If you would like to arrive early or stay later, you can add nights at a discounted rate while registering or by emailing registration@acail.org! 

HOW DO YOU KNOW IF THIS IS WORTH YOUR TIME AND MONEY

Listen to your peers: 100% of past participants say they would recommend it to others! The last workshop was attended by about 35 participants from 16 different states and three Canadian provinces. Participants from past workshops say:

FREE EXCLUSIVE ONLINE FOLLOW-UP—THE GUIDED WORKSPACE!

Our own learning community! A few weeks after the Skill-A-Thon, we’ll have a

three hour virtual opportunity for you to drop in and out at your convenience so

that you can continue to work on your specific camp’s training—with Michael as

your personal guide! Get bonus tips. Collaborate and get feedback with others.

And what a great way to set deadlines for ourselves: “I’m going to work on a draft

of XYZ in time to share it with others at the Guided Workspace!”

FREE GIFT: Michael’s latest, 2025 ground-breaking bestseller, The Intentional

Camp: Putting More Muscle in the Mission of Character & Youth Development

REGISTER NOW TO SAVE: $50 Discount for Early Registration before October 15!

SAVE EVEN MORE: 50% discount on Michael’s other six bestsellers for all Skill-

A-Thon participants, if ordered at time of registration!

STAY OVER DISCOUNT

Come for both Women in Camp Summit  and The Brandwein Skill-A-Thon on Training & Leading Your Best Camp Team Ever and you receive $75 off both registrations if registered by November 15, 2025! ($150 savings!)

To receive this discount, participants must register and attend both programs. Following the events a refund will be provided to the participant.

• Come for both Women in Camp Summit  and The Brandwein Skill-A-Thon on Training & Leading Your Best Camp Team Ever and you receive $75 off both registrations if registered by November 15, 2025! ($150 savings!)

  To receive this discount, participants must register and attend both programs. Following the events a refund will be provided to the participant.

LOCATION & TYPE OF WORKSHOP 

This event is a live, in-person event. ACA Illinois will not record this event.

THE FINE PRINT

You must pay for this event at time of registration. If you would like to pay by invoice/check, please contact registration@acail.org prior to registering.

By registering and attending an ACA Illinois event or meeting, virtually or in person, you are agreeing to all the event policies listed here. These policies include the photo release, refund, link sharing, Code of Conduct, and other related policies. 

HOW TO REGISTER

You must have a Member Profile to register for this event. If this is your first event with us, please click here to create a profile. It's free!