January 10-14 at NorthBay in North East, Maryland
The ANCA Overnight Camp & Outdoor School (OCOS) Summit brings together directors and management staff from overnight nature-based camps, outdoor schools, and residential environmental learning centers across North America.
These organizations share the unique challenges of housing and feeding program participants for multiple days, and the Summit fosters a space to solve problems and build connections in this particular field. ANCA holds the Overnight Camp & Outdoor School Summit in person every two years.
This Summit is relevant to any organization that offers overnight, multi-day programs that are based in environmental education, and we welcome all professionals in leadership or management positions at these organizations.
The Overnight Camp & Outdoor School Summit is the single most useful gathering of practitioners in the country for residential EE programs. Imagine all of the biggest challenges you have at your center, and in this one weekend gathering you will leave with ideas and ways to approach all of them ... from people who have been in the same place as you!
— John DiDiego, Education Director, Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont
About NorthBay
Located on a peninsula in the Chesapeake Bay, NorthBay’s campus will offer a scenic waterfront setting for Summit participants. Operating since 2005, NorthBay has an impressive array of facilities, including:
- Lodging for 700, with a variety of cabins, bunk rooms, and hotel-style rooms
- A dining hall with 600-person capacity
- An adaptable high-tech theater
- An expansive gymnasium, appropriate for multiple sports and activities
- A variety of adventure elements such as a high ropes course, zipline, and both indoor and outdoor climbing walls
NorthBay is situated in Elk Neck State Park, which spans over 2,000 acres that include forests, marshlands, white clay cliffs, and sandy shorelines. The Park offers hiking trails and amenities such as the Turkey Point Lighthouse, which provides expansive views of the Chesapeake Bay.
NorthBay is ten minutes from North East, a charming town with local shops, boutiques, and restaurants. The nearest airports are the Philadelphia International Airport (an hour’s drive) and the Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (an hour and fifteen minutes).
FAQs
Curious about the Overnight Camp & Outdoor School Summit? Here are some frequently asked questions about the event.
Who is the OCOS Summit for?
Leadership staff from overnight camps, outdoor schools, and residential environmental learning centers that offer overnight, multi-day programs based in environmental education. This includes executive directors, CEOs, managers, and education directors, as well as staff who are interested in leadership within the overnight camp and outdoor school profession.
How many people attend?
Typically 80-120 people. This small size means that you have the time and space to build meaningful connections with nearly everyone in the room.
Why should I attend?
If you’re part of the overnight camp and outdoor school profession, there is no better space for your professional growth — the Summit is a supportive environment where you can learn in-depth about management and operations at overnight camps, outdoor schools, and residential environmental learning centers. In the programs you will connect with peers who truly understand the challenges you face and have insights to offer. Beyond programs, too, you have the opportunity to explore the host organization and see their operations firsthand.
What can I expect to learn about?
All things pertaining to the management of overnight camps, outdoor schools, and related organizations. Examples of topics include:
Advocacy and civic engagement
Building maintenance
Dining facilities
Diversity, equity, and inclusion
Food systems and farms
Fundraising
How to connect with teachers
Marketing and communications
Program management
Registration software
Risk management
Staff recruitment
Strategic and master planning
Succession planning
Workplace environments
How is the OCOS Summit different from other conferences?
Outdoor schools and overnight camps occupy a unique niche within the environmental field, and the OCOS Summit is the only conference that serves administrators within this particular industry. While other conferences may lightly touch on topics that are relevant to outdoor schools, this Summit exclusively explores the logistics of organizational management and leadership in this field.
How is the OCOS Summit different from the ANCA Annual Summit?
The ANCA Annual Summit includes a broad diversity of ANCA members, many of whom represent day-use centers that have no overnight programming. While topics at the Annual Summit will still be relevant to leadership staff from overnight camps and outdoor schools, the OCOS Summit provides a space exclusively for organizations that deal with the challenges of housing and feeding program participants. This focus allows OCOS Summit attendees to connect solely with peers who face similar challenges.
What if I'm new to the field?
Please attend! You don’t need to have been in the profession for any set amount of time. Even if you're just starting in your position, we welcome you to the event and know that it will help you in your work.
What if I'm retired from the field?
Please attend! We welcome veteran and retired professionals, and appreciate the experiences and wisdom they share.
