I disagree with the idea that so called “auto pilot kids” need less attention.
I was always a good boy through camp yeshiva etc. and I always felt left out because all the attention was given to those that “need more help”.
While it may be true that some need more attention than others, and someone who is going through a hard time should definitely be given help and attention, the fact that someone is not “problematic” or “high maintenance” does not at all mean that he doesn’t need attention. You can never know what’s going on inside.

הא גופא קשיא

You can still have a mashpia that is consulted for all ruchnius things and situations without taking away from the staff a feeling that it’s their camp and their efforts

Great article about camp
One additional point that needs to be addressed: in most non lubavitch camps, the head counselors and/or Learning directors are experienced machanechim who come back year after year. Additionally, the learning teachers (for the older children) are mechanchim. Untill the 70’s Parksville was that way. The camps have a bungalow colony attached to the camp for these families. Usually the teachers work for free or minimal pay in exchange for the bungalow (and meals from camp kitchen)

Perhaps if this camp received the financial support needed to cover its deficit, it could expand and accommodate more talmidim, for both months, and maybe even with an English speaking division.

All good intentions aside, any good endeavor relies on funding… Investment in the Chinuch of our children is certainly the most important investment of all!

Which 21-23 year old understands children’s emotions and Chinch ?? . A few years ago I was a head-counselor of a well-known overnight camp . I considered myself to be a chasssideshe bochur and still consider myself to be a chassishishe youngerman. Now as a parent I realize how clueless I truly was . When I was a headcounselor I thought I knew it all. Giving over the full authority to a 23-year-old is a big mistake.

The Rebbe clearly advocated for year round school!

Fun and crazy doesn’t necessarily mean camp is better…

The more a person does something the less excited and enthusiastic they are about it.

The more freedom a person has, the more they feel that it is “their project“ and the more effort people are willing to put into it
Give the same person the same project but with a lot of limitations, and he will not produce the same, because it is not “his “.
This is the very reason why camp is so enjoyable, because the staff are putting hours upon hours to make “ their project”the best I could possibly be .

If camps would do what you are suggesting, staff will stop investing the hours they do and the result will be a camp, which looks like a school…….

Written by a professional educator but awful writer.

That doesn’t answer the problem. If it’s true that it’s bad chinuch, than we need to figure out a solution.

We don’t buy treif food because it’s cheaper. We shouldn’t send kids to bad chinuch just to save money.

unfortunately, that camp runs in yidish, which is sadly not practical for most people.

Unfortunately they are limited in space and only one month (overnight).

Your comment opens with “This article assumes that if only there would be professional mechanchim in camps, nothing would go wrong.”

Please point out how you made this assumption about the article. I don’t think the article or it’s author assume anything of the sort.

Besides, I don’t think anyone with a bit of knowledge of what goes on, on the ground, will disagree that the more we can improve – by following the authors points – the more we should improve.

Bochurim were a lot more capable, mature, chassidish, and less arrogant. There was also much less man power needed than today, so 2 or 3 solid bochurim is all that was needed to run lubavitch camps