January 3,2017
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, YWCA Bergen County’s CEO Helen Archontou announced this week that YWCA Bergen County’s two summer camps, Camp Ma-Kee-Ya at Mahwah’s Darlington County Park and Camp Orinda in Dumont, have received American Camp Association (ACA) Accreditation, the nationally recognized “gold standard,” in camp certification.
According to the ACA, “ACA Accreditation means that your child’s camp cares enough to undergo a thorough (up to 300 standards) review of its operation — from staff qualifications and training to emergency management. American Camp Association collaborates with experts from the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Red Cross, and other youth-serving agencies to assure that current practices at your child’s camp reflect the most up-to-date, research-based standards in camp operation. Camps and ACA form a partnership that promotes growth and fun in an environment committed to safety.”
“We are so proud of our staff and organization,” said Archontou. “It’s gratifying to us that the ACA recognizes our camps deliver a summer experience that brims with fun, adventure, and friendship and that our outstanding, attentive staff is devoted to assuring that every child feels welcome and engaged.” YWCA Bergen County is absolutely committed to providing affordable camp tuition and flexible enrollment options. “We know there really is no ‘one size fits all’ camp program,” Archontou added.
The ACA Accreditation is the YW’s latest high-level accolade. Earlier this year the National Inclusion Project selected YWCA Bergen County as partner in its Let’s All Play program to create an inclusive environment where children with and without disabilities can play, learn and laugh TOGETHER. Research shows overwhelming evidence that the National Inclusion Project’s model helps children with disabilities improve self-esteem, social skills and confidence, while those without disabilities improved their leadership, problem solving and empathy skills.
“This collaboration has brought important inclusivity training to our staff and has helped us enhance our excellent camp and before and after school care,” said Archontou. “We see 2017 as a year of unprecedented promise and opportunity in all of our school age programming.”
