empower people has been invaluable to our camp program and culture. Yes — camp creates a strong foundation for someone looking to lead others. This staff member’s legacy at camp highlights his ability to inspire. 9. Avoid adjectives without examples. “Make sure you have real ly great examples of what you are talking about,” Fugate says. “Don’t just say a student is outstanding — you explain why.” Standing alone, adjectives do not tell us much unless facts and anecdotes support them. Here’s an example: Katharine is hardworking, creative, and determined. OK — we have some adjectives. But do they tell the reader very much about Katharine? Does she stand out from other applicants? Try the next sentence instead: Kathar ine knew the ki t chen director position was an enormous undertaking, but she used pure grit, determination, and hard work in order to get the job done — and was extraordinarily successful. This adds an extra dimension to the first statement — the thesis of the let ter went from wishywashy to punchy. Now, fol low it up with how and why she was “extraordinarily successful.” She came in way under her $90,000 budget, introduced new healthy foods, collaborated with a local farmer’s market, led a cohesive staff, and held the camp kitchen to the highest standards. When the health department came through on a very spur-of-the-moment visit, we had zero corrections. All of this was because of Katharine’s leadership. These illustrations allow the reader to learn a ton more about Katharine than they would have with just a few adjectives. Her actions (described) speak louder than words! 10. Give the person a personality. Drop in some unique points about the individual that set them apart from the average applicant. To this day, Stephen is well renowned as an epic activity planner — just ask him (or anyone who has been to Camp Al-Gon-Quian) about the “Zombie Apocalypse.” He was successful following protocol as the health assistant but was equally able to tap into his imagination to plan magical experiences for our campers. Drake was able to bring her art background and knowledge to camp, inventing classes such as “Monet Is My Homie,” which allowed kids to appreciate art history and expanded our camp art classes far beyond tie-dye and friendship bracelets. 11. Proofread. My name is Sarah Kurtz and I will have a hard time reading your letter if you address me as “Sarah Klutz” (true story). Letter readers also appreciate it if the letters are kept short — in most cases, under a page. “Use a standard font, standard size margins, and make it easy to read,” Fugate says. “A scholarship committee member could be reading letters from 500–1,000 or more applicants!” 12. Have someone else proofread. Or at least read the letter aloud to yourself. Even bet ter yet, f ind a noncamp person and ask him or her if the letter makes sense. 13. Follow all the steps and send it in ON TIME. One of the best ways to appreciate your staff is to put it on paper; to tell the outside world about their potential and help them achieve their goals in life. And, according to Remick, letters of reference do make a difference: “I consider them a lot, particularly if they are written well. Most of the time, the letter writer has a lot more experience with the applicant than I do and knows things I can’t tell from a brief interview with that person.” Try to think of writing recommendation letters not as a chore but as staff appreciation: It is the best way to a repay a staff member for all of the great work he or she has done for your program. It is our obligation as camp directors to do it right. Photo on page 32 courtesy of Camp Skyline, Mentone, Alabama. Sarah Kurtz is the director of Camp Al-Gon- Quian, the Ann Arbor YMCA’s residential camp in Northern Michigan, and a graduate of the Medill School of Journal i sm at Northwestern University. CAMPING magazine • November/December 2013 35
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