At first glance, three days doesn’t seem like enough time to change much. But anyone who has attended the Tri-State CAMP Conference knows better.
Tri-State is where ideas meet action, where connections spark collaboration, and where small moments of engagement can transform the way you lead, innovate, and inspire. Whether you’re a first-time attendee or a veteran, this 26-point checklist will help you make every conversation, every session, and every experience count. Complete these actionable steps, and you’ll leave energized, inspired, and ready to tackle 2026 with purpose.
- Connection & Community
Grow your network, expand your perspective, and strengthen your camp community.
Connections are the heart of Tri-State. Every conversation, every question, and every handshake, is an opportunity to learn, reflect, and grow. This category helps you move beyond small talk and build relationships that last far beyond the conference.
- Meet someone new who challenges your perspective and approach.
- Reconnect with a colleague and exchange insights from your camp season.
- Build a bridge outside your usual network and share ideas.
- Spark a meaningful hallway conversation that leaves you thinking differently.
- Contribute intentionally in an affinity group meeting to deepen relationships.
- Learning in Action
Level up your knowledge and skills with practical takeaways you can apply immediately.
Tri-State is packed with sessions that go beyond theory. Here’s where you turn inspiration into action, taking home strategies, tools, and insights that directly improve your work. Make learning active and intentional. Don’t just attend, absorb, question, and plan for application.
- Step into a session outside your comfort zone to uncover fresh ideas.
- Capture one actionable insight you can implement when you return to camp.
- Ask a bold question that sparks discussion and new perspectives.
- Discover a tool, framework, or approach that changes how you work.
- Leave a session seeing your role, or your camp, in a new light.
- Leadership & Perspective
Glow up your leadership by stretching how you think, decide, and influence.
Tri-State is as much about how you grow as a leader as it is about learning. These steps help you challenge assumptions, gain confidence, and develop skills that influence not just your camp, but your team and the wider community.
- Share a challenge you’re facing and invite collaborative solutions.
- Mentor or guide someone newer in the field with your expertise.
- Listen actively to a perspective that challenges your assumptions.
- Identify one mindset shift that could change how you lead.
- Gain confidence in a decision or direction you’ve been weighing.
- Exploration & Experience
Show up fully, explore new ideas, and uncover opportunities to grow.
Tri-State is full of surprises. Unexpected ideas, new people, and unique opportunities are everywhere you look. Exploration isn’t just about curiosity, it’s about finding experiences that energize you, expand your thinking, and give your camp a competitive edge.
- Dive into the Exhibit Hall and engage with at least one new vendor or resource.
- Discover an approach, program, or service you didn’t know existed.
- Attend a keynote with full presence, take notes, ask questions, reflect.
- Say yes to a session or experience you hadn’t planned on.
- Connect socially. Laugh, share stories, and make memorable connections.
- Recharge & Refresh
Glow up your energy and clarity so you leave Tri-State renewed and ready.
Professional growth isn’t sustainable without personal renewal. These steps help you pause, reflect, and recharge, so that when you return home, you’re not just inspired, you’re ready to act with clarity, focus, and energy.
- Take intentional pauses between sessions to reflect and refocus.
- Have a conversation that reminds you why you love working in camp.
- Step away from daily responsibilities and be fully present at Tri-State.
- Enjoy a shared moment of fun and laughter with peers.
- Let go of one expectation or pressure that’s weighing on you.
- Leave energized, inspired, and ready to take your camp, and yourself, to the next level.
Why This Checklist Works
Tri-State isn’t just a conference, it’s a launchpad for transformation. In three days, these 26 actionable steps help you show up with intention, level up your skills, and glow up as a leader, professional, and person.
Small actions create big results: a conversation in the hallway might spark your next program idea, a session might shift your leadership perspective, and a pause for reflection might recharge your energy for the whole season.
Three days. Twenty-six actionable wins. Countless ways to grow, connect, and thrive.
The question isn’t whether you can check them all off. It’s whether you’re ready to make Tri-State 2026 your best three days of your off season.
