While safety is one of Cho-Yeh’s values, we want parents to know that there is always an inherent risk to being at Camp. We work hard to mitigate risk, but we believe that risk is an essential component of personal growth. At Cho-Yeh, we take calculated risks with providing activities outside of your child’s usual comfort zone to help grow them as individuals but we do not take risks when it comes to your child’s well-being. As an ACA accredited camp, we work within the standards set by the American Camp Association to make sure our safety standards and practices are the best that they can be. The health and welfare of our camp community is our top concern. Read through our Child Protection Plan for more information.
What steps have been taken to keep my child safe?
A lot! Camp Cho-Yeh is proud to share that we have hired camp safety consultant, Rick Braschler, to do a full safety and risk audit of our facilities, program & policies. Rick was extremely impressed with Cho-Yeh’s culture and commitment to safety and provided some helpful recommendations to further reduce risk. Starting with selecting excellent summer staff, each employee must fill out a detailed application, have an interview with a full-time staff member, provide three references and undergo a background check. Before arriving at camp, staff members must complete abuse prevention training through our child safety consultants: Praesidium. With a full two weeks of staff training before camp starts, our counselors and support staff are well trained and equipped to identify and reduce risk at camp. Our facilities have been engineered to limit private spaces such as having 12 inches under stalls and showers and having windows on all private office spaces. Cho-Yeh has a strict “rule of three” policy, which requires that counselors never be alone with a camper in a building or private area. Read through our Child Protection Plan for more information.
What does ACA accreditation mean?
The main purpose of the ACA accreditation program is to educate camp owners and directors in the administration of key aspects of camp operation, particularly those related to program quality, and the health and safety of campers and staff. The standards establish guidelines for needed policies, procedures, and practices. The camp is responsible for ongoing implementation of these policies. ACA accreditation assists parents in selecting camps that meet industry-accepted and government-recognized standards.
What protocols are in place to keep my child safe while at water activities?
There are always a minimum of 2 lifeguards on duty when kids are in the water. The number of lifeguards increases with the number of kids in the water.
Campers take a swim test in the pool on their first day and they will be given a band according to their ability: Blue-strong swimmer, Red-weak swimmer, Green-non-swimmer who will also be required to wear a life jacket while in the water (pool and lake).
Life jackets are required in the lake for ALL ages, regardless of ability.
What if my child is not a strong swimmer?
Before swimming in the pool for the first time, every camper will take a swim test in our pool. Your child will be given a color-coded bracelet according to their ability: Blue-strong swimmer, Red-weak swimmer, Green-non-swimmer who will also be required to wear a life jacket while in the water (pool and lake).
Life jackets are required in the lake for ALL ages, regardless of ability.
What happens if my child gets sick/injured while at camp?
It is our hope that every camper will remain healthy and fully able to participate in all aspects of camp life. Just in case, though, Cho-Yeh’s Health Center is staffed by at least 2 medical professionals 24 hours a day all summer long. We supervise the provision of medication at each meal. Want more details? Check out Health & Wellness.
How often do campers require outside medical care?
It is quite rare! Our incident report analysis shows that only 0.3% campers required outside medical care.
How will medication (prescription or OTC), supplements, or herbal remedies be dispensed during the camp session?
All of these are considered “medications” and will be dispensed by our onsite Medical Staff during the session. Medications are typically dispensed during breakfast, lunch, dinner and bedtime. Campers and staff are not allowed to keep any medications in their cabins. Please be sure to check in all medications to our Health Center during Check-In on Sunday.
How does Cho-Yeh deal with homesickness?
Homesickness is a reality of overnight camping, but one of the unique experiences of camping is allowing campers to gain a sense of independence. All of our counselors go through an extensive staff training before the summer begins that includes helping a homesick camper. If a camper is homesick, our counselors will do their best to comfort the camper. If the homesickness persists the campsite supervisor will talk with the camper and will connect with parents to find the best strategies for helping the camper through the session. Although we have campers each session who will wrestle with some homesickness, it is extremely rare that a camper will need to be sent home. Campers who stick it out will gain an incredible sense of independence!
How are conflicts handled at camp?
Conflicts happen, even in uplifting environments like camp. We train our counselors to recognize and reduce conflict within the context of camp. They are also trained on detecting bullying and taking proper measures to defuse these types of behaviors. Our counselors and leadership staff treat each situation as appropriate, and will call parents to update as needed.
How does Cho-Yeh accommodate allergies?
The safety of your children is our first priority. We need to know any allergies your child has. Please provide these details on your Health History form and be as specific as possible with the information to allow us to be prepared to accommodate your camper’s allergy. For more information on specific food allergies, check out our Food and Nutrition page.
Can my child attend camp with ADD/ADHD?
Many children with ADD/ADHD are here at camp. We handle this medication for campers just as if it were any other medical treatment. Please be sure to note the ADD/ADHD on the Health History form and turn in any medications to the Health Center.
Staff
What is the selection process for staff?
We take a great deal of pride in the selection of our staff. Prospective counselors go through a comprehensive application process which includes a background check, an intensive application, references, and a personal interview with one of the camp staff. An extensive training program is provided at the start of the summer season. Staff members are trained on topics such as child development, how to recognize, prevent, and take action against bullying, behavior management, risk management, emergency procedures, Bible Study, and much more. During the summer, staff are supervised and evaluated by members of our camp leadership team and full-time staff. Check out Our Staff page for more information.
What is Cho-Yeh's camper to counselor ratio?
We strive to provide the best possible experience for your child. We carefully recruit and screen to cultivate the most adept counselor staff possible. While there are some variations from time to time, the vast majority of our cabins maintain a 6:1 camper to counselor ratio. This allows us to create a meaningful experience and maximize the time campers get to spend with their role models in small groups. Check out Our Staff page for more information.
