Awards & Recognitions

As a part of NEYCC, we would like to recognize those camps and individuals who are helping to innovate, lead, and inspire our movement. Please nominate a fellow Camp Professional or program for a 2025 award.

Program Innovation Award

Awarded to a camp or individual responsible for creating excellent programming in correlation with any part of the YMCA mission: Healthy Living, Youth Development, or Social Responsibility. The program should be enduring and replicable to further the cause of the YMCA and show ingenuity and creativity in camp programming.

2016 – YMCA Camp Sloper, Southington-Cheshire Community YMCA

2017 – Lindsay Hutchinson, Frost Valley YMCA & Y-Knot Accessible Sailing, YMCA Camp Chingachgook

2018 – Zach Eigenbrodt, Frost Valley YMCA

2019 - YMCA Camp Sloper, Southington-Cheshire YMCA

2020 - Pat Gizinski, YMCA Camp Tockwogh

2023 - Gabrielle Lazarte, Camp Star at Hillsborough YMCA

2024 - Britney Bruno, Valley Shore YMCA

2025- Kate Russ & Eddie Norgard, Camp Dragonfly- Somerset Hills YMCA

Social Responsibility Award

Awarded to a camp or individual that demonstrates a commitment to Social Services, Global Services, Volunteerism & Giving, and/or Advocacy. This camp or individual has created a program, or, whose program as a whole, addresses the specific needs of their local or extended community; whose initiatives have a substantial impact with a small investment; or have undertaken a long term project that is continuously supported by the camp and/or YMCA association.

2017 - Claudia Soo Hoo, Merrimack Valley YMCA Camps

2018 - Trisha Kline, YMCA Camp Zehnder, The Community YMCA

2019 - Antonio Thornton, Bear Glasgow Family YMCA

2020 - Jessie Emmons, Frost Valley YMCA

2024- Camp Hazen YMCA

2025- Dave Leveille, Camp Rise

Rising Star Award

Awarded to an emerging leader in the camping industry who brings new ideas, creative approaches, a desire to learn, and a passion to the Y camping movement. Candidates will have not yet reached a senior-level position (no higher than camp director), but whose track-record reflects passion, success, maintenance of the YMCA core values and the potential for appointment to the highest levels of the profession. This individual should be a camp professional for no less than 2 years and no more than 5 years.

2017 - Zac Broomfield, Camp Frank A. Day, West Suburban YMCA

2018 - Heather Hayes, YMCA of Greater Rochester

2019 - Sarah Mikiewicz, YMCA of Greater Rochester

2020 - Cara Apsley, YMCA Camp Bernie

2023 - Ru Foster, Camp Sloane YMCA

2024- Shannon Sullivan, Camp Combe YMCA

2025- Sarah Dowd, Children’s Island Day Camp- North Shore YMCA

Legend In Camping

This award is a “capstone” award, recognizing an individual who has dedicated a lifetime of service in support of youth development, healthy living and social responsibility for the betterment of the camping profession. This person does not necessarily have to be in direct service or function at a programmatic level, for example, career marketers, registrars, human resources or other support role professionals who have had a lasting impact on the success of their respective camps are eligible for this award as well.  Please note that this is a rolling nomination process, and submissions will be considered for future conferences rather than being specifically tied to the upcoming event. Nominees should be either retired or approaching the later stages of their career, having already made substantial contributions over an extended period. .

2016 - Gary Forster

2018 - John Snowden

2019 - Debbie Parker

2020 - Philip Connor

2023 - Jerry Huncosky, Frost Valley YMCA

2024 - Dave DeLuca

2025- Jody Skelton

Each year, the conference planning committee honors certain individuals with a number of awards, including the Legends in Camping Award. This award is given to a seasoned leader in the camping industry known for their outstanding service in Y camps. Honorees have pioneered and advocated to make noteworthy contributions in the camping field and have passed their knowledge to the next generation of Y camp leaders through coaching and mentorship. They exemplify the best service, research, and/or administration skills which enable them to strengthen the foundations of the community. Honorees have been in the Y movement for over 20 years, are of high moral character, demonstrate Y’s core values, and represent the Y’s mission.

It is our honor to recognize Jody Skelton with this year’s award. Originally hailing from Cumberland, Maine, Jody is a lifelong friend and leader in the Northeast Camping movement. Jody retired from YMCA Camp Huckins in 2020 after an incredible 51 years, starting back in 1970 as a camper at Huckins. Jody's passion for Huckins, located on Ossipee Lake, in New Hampshire, can only be described as love at first sight. Jody spent every summer at Huckins from the age of 9 through high school and college. Shortly after graduating from Springfield College, Jody joined the full-time team in 1987 as a Program Director. Jody has held almost every seasonal and full-time position at Huckins, working her way up to CEO, which she held for the last 17 years of her career.

During her tenure, Jody grew the organization from a $1M business into a thriving $3.5M operation. Under Jody’s leadership, camper enrollment was strengthened, robust pre and post season programs were created, and alumni relations within the Huckins community were deepened, resulting in increased annual giving. In 2012, Jody successfully led the organization through its first ever Capital Campaign for $2.5M, which funded the creation of an all-new Leadership Division. The Campaign made critical infrastructure improvements, while developing endowment funds to ensure that Huckins would be around and thriving for future generations. The organization grew and went through vast updates and improvements under Jody’s vision and leadership, all the while maintaining the integrity and magic of camp that has been felt by generations of campers and staff since the inception of Huckins.

Outside of the Summer months, Jody's passion was supporting her local community of Mount Washington Valley, New Hampshire, through her work as the leader of Carroll County YMCA, by serving on numerous local non-profit boards, and as a hands-on volunteer. As Jody dreamed of summer months, she directed her passion to teaching on the slopes, and taught hundreds of local elementary school children to downhill ski through the Eastern Slope Ski Club (ESSC) program, where Jody also served as a board member. She created family-based programs, which she taught in remote locations across the county –many of these programs are still going strong three decades after they began. Jody always found the time to volunteer for the ACA and New Hampshire Camp Directors Association. She loved nothing more than giving back to the Camp community and connecting with other like-minded professionals.

Jody served as the NH state Director for YMCA Youth & Government for several years, teaching local students the importance of democracy and how the NH legislature operates. Jody's leadership on this program was remarkable, and she was instrumental in growing the program while strengthening relationships with state legislators.

One of the amazing things about Jody is that her energy, enthusiasm, and openness to new possibilities are balanced by her incredible kindness and her deep connection to others and to the natural world. Jody has served as a mentor, coach and leader to many and spent her career empowering people, especially young women.

Jody’s passion for Camp, outdoor adventure and teaching was instilled in her three children - Jamie, Mike and Becca, who all spent many years working at Camps across the northeast and each created careers centered around teaching and supporting others. Since retiring from official YMCA duty, Jody has enjoyed international travel, service projects to the YMCA of Seven Council Fires in South Dakota and volunteering her time as a fishing guide at Huckins. Jody is an avid hiker, skier, swimmer, and pickleball player. When not off on an adventure, Jody can be found enjoying her time at her condo in Puerto Rico.