Starting a Summer Camp: The Stomping Ground Chapter
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The Unlikely Engineer
In 2012, I graduated with an Industrial Engineering degree from the University of Pittsburgh. If you knew me back then, that might sound wild—because I was always the “camp guy” at heart. But I went to school for free, my dad thought it was a brilliant plan, and I didn’t exactly have a better idea. So, hello Pitt IE Class of 2012!
Finding My Real Passion
Sitting on the back of the car that took us to 200+ camps - 2012
Deep down, I knew engineering wasn’t my destiny. I just didn’t realize adult life could look like camp. Right after college, I traveled the country with my girlfriend, Laura Kriegel, hitting up more than 200 camps in 47 states and devouring way too many PB&Js. Everywhere we went, people asked, “So, when are you starting your own camp?” I thought they were insane.
“Starting a camp costs tons of money,” we’d say. Our parents were educators and engineers; we didn’t have a business bone in our bodies.
The Big Idea (Thanks, Scott!)
Then in 2014, Scott Arizala, a camp guy and future mentor, said, “Why not just rent a camp, like renting a car, and convince your friends to work for free?” Mind. Blown. So we volunteered at Scott’s place, learned the ropes, and teamed up with Scott, Sylvia van Meerten, and James Davis to launch our very own: Stomping Ground in the summer of 2015.
First Summer: Pure Chaos
We started with 63 kids, 21 of our best friends volunteering, and one week of utter madness at a rental facility in New Jersey. I learned more in those few days than I had in the rest of my life combined. It was a total nightmare—but it was our nightmare, and we loved it.
Growing from Zero to a Real Community
Over the next seven years, Stomping Ground morphed from a half-baked concept into a legit nonprofit:
8 weeks of camp
150 kids at a time
About $1 million in revenue
Plus, we purchased and revived an old Boy Scout camp in 2020!
The Hardest Part: Acquiring a Camp During the Pandemic
In March 2020 (perfect timing, right?), we officially took over this old property that had no water, no power, and more rot than you’d think possible. The world promptly shut down, and we got our crash course in facilities management:
Building four cabins ourselves (and hiring an awesome Amish crew for four more)
Renovating the bathhouse and barn
Digging septic systems
Moving an entire building a mile down the road
Ripping out boards, replacing them, and repeating until we lost count
List list of projects is too long to remember
It was 18 months of dirty days swinging hammers and late nights staring at spreadsheets. Shoutout to everyone who made it happen—especially George and Dylan for trusting we’d figure it out together.
Personal Crossroads
By spring 2021, running the camp had taken a toll on Laura and me. After 10+ years together, we broke up. We decided I’d step down after the summer so she could keep Stomping Ground going strong. It was the right call and incredibly tough.
To this day, I believe Stomping Ground is an awesome place for kids to learn how to navigate freedom, collaborate with people who are different, and use restorative practices to solve conflicts. It’s a progressive haven for cool, crunchy families in New York, and I’m proud of the role I played in getting it off the ground.
Leading a night game my last summer at Stomping Ground - 2021
Key Lessons I’m Taking Forward
People, People, People: The right team can make the impossible possible.
Set an Ambitious Vision: Be relentless—it’s contagious and exciting for everyone around you.
Hard Work: Most problems fold when faced with consistent effort.
Be Open: Let others in. The real growth happens when you do.
Trust: Give people (and kids!) the benefit of the doubt, and they’ll return the favor.
Capture the Moments: Photos, videos, journals—future you will want them.
Say “Thank You”: Often and sincerely. It never gets old.
The Next Chapter
Thank you for reading. I hope this story sparks a small fire in you—whatever kind of “camp” you want to start in your own life, just know it’s possible. Keep doing big things, keep taking risks, and keep sharing your joy with the world. It matters.
Get my newsletter every week.
It’s all about kids today
Jack Schott
Summer Camp Evangelist