Advanced Leadership Program

Camp Helper Sign-Up

Congrats on being selected. Before you sign up, please read through the details below.

A Note for Advanced Leaders

I recommend that if you have an interest in any of the camps, that you consider attending as a participant and not only as a helper.

There is a reason high school athletes still attend sports camps year after year: they want to improve their skills. The same applies in the kitchen and in creative, business-minded work. Skill development does not stop once you are “good enough.”

If baking is not currently a strong area for you, I strongly recommend signing up for Feed Yourself or Advanced Baking. Improving your skills directly improves your effectiveness as a leader in these camps. It also signals to me: that you are driven to improve, open to learning, and understand that your confidence is stronger than your ego or pride which might be saying that you are too old to attend. That mindset matters.

Spring Leadership Training Session

Based on the information provided in the form below, I will set one or more dates for a 1.5-hour training session here at BMK.

*Parents are welcome to stay and work in the workshop room or hang out during the session. I know spring sports schedules are not set yet, so feel free to email me if your availability changes. I will not set dates until March. If you cannot attend one of the scheduled sessions, just let me know and we will work something out.

For Campers

Two-day camps run from 9:00am–1:00pm each day.
One-day camps run from 9:00am–4:00pm.

For Helpers

Helpers should plan to arrive between 8:40–8:50am. You will help with any last-minute set-up and be ready to assist with camper drop-off.

If you are coming to camp with a younger sibling, your sibling can either come early with you, or you can arrive at the normal camp start time. The same applies to pick-up. Your sibling can hang out after camp, or you can leave at the regular end time. This is completely up to parents. This program is not meant to add stress or create scheduling headaches. Please do what works best for your family.

Pick-Up on Day 1

Helpers should plan on staying until about 1:30pm. This extra time is used for additional clean-up, setting up for the next day, and a short debrief. We talk through how Day 1 went, any changes to the plan for Day 2, great moments you noticed from campers, and anything important to share moving forward. More detail on this will be covered during spring training.

Day 2 (or Full-Day Camps)

For two-day camps, Day 2 pick-up is usually closer to 1:45pm. This will be confirmed on Monday after we see how long clean-up and reset take and how many helpers we have.
If you don’t have flexibility and need a set time now, plan on 1:30pm for both days to make things easy.

During Day 2 clean-up and debrief, we revisit what improved, what was challenging, obstacles or failures, and moments you were proud of. We also take time to call out leadership moments you saw in each other and meaningful moments from campers.

For full-day camps, we check in briefly at lunch to see how things are going, then do a full debrief at the end of the day. Pick-up is typically around 4:30pm.

The Why

This extended time is essential to making this program more than “I helped at a camp.” These conversations mirror the same discussions, questions, and lessons I bring to adults ranging from executives to NFL rookies earlier in the summer. I highly encourage helping with more than one camp. Those who participate in multiple camps get the added benefit of applying these lessons again and seeing why they matter.

A note:

Summer schedules are unpredictable. Life happens. If staying after camp is not possible, or if you need to be picked up early or dropped off late, please don’t stress. Just let me know as soon as possible so I can plan accordingly.

For Parents

Please help spread the word about some of the more advanced camp options this summer. In past years, I moved away from offering older-kid-only camps, so some families may not realize these opportunities are available again. Word of mouth is how BMK has always grown, so thank you.

Updates on advanced camps:
As part of the Advanced Baking camp in June, I may be adding more technical skill work, including laminated dough (palmiers) or advanced chocolate work. I would like to offer croissants in future summers, which means first developing more advanced bakers through camps like this one.

Archery & First Aid combines archery instruction with practical, life-saving first aid and CPR skills. This camp does not include certification, but it does focus on real-world skills campers can carry with them. For campers who have attended fire camps in the past and demonstrate strong safety awareness, there may be opportunities to practice additional skills under supervision.

There is also a strong chance the baby goats will have been born shortly before camp, which means plenty of baby goat snuggles will be worked into the day.

For entrepreneur-minded campers, we have added creating and building a jewelry line as part of the Sephora camp experience. With an older group this summer, we will also spend more time learning how to see past marketing tactics and become financially savvy shoppers.

There is also one spot available in the August baking competition.

(And yes, another form to fill out- don’t worry, it is a quick one, and will help me make life easier for everyone this spring/summer)