Yakov and Estee Fleischmann, Co-Directors, Camp Stone
We are all struggling with excessive phone use, and not just at camp. So, last summer, we implemented a new policy at Camp Stone.
Just like our campers, our counselors would no longer keep their phones with them all the time. But we didn’t just take the phones away; we invited our counselors to imagine with us how to create this phone-free world together.
We’re pretty passionate about this shift because we wanted a camp environment where people — staff and campers alike — are present with each other, without all the digital clutter. We’re big believers in the idea that tech overuse is wrecking society, and camp is one place where we have the chance to actually do something about it. It didn’t serve our mission or vision to have counselors pretending they weren’t carrying phones and phones didn’t exist. Rather than pretend, we made them disappear!
Why We Needed Change
Campers haven’t had phones at Camp Stone for years. They hand them over on arrival, and they get them back when they leave. Parents know the drill, the kids know it, and honestly, the kids don’t even miss them. They’re sick of phones themselves.
Staff, though, were another story. We’d tell them, “Don’t have them out during the day, only at night,” but we knew that the rule was unlikely to be followed and it was difficult to enforce. But what was the alternative? We did some serious digging into what we’d need to replace phones with if we took them away.
Over five months, we talked to hundreds of our staff, our roshim (unit heads) from two years, people who’d been through our program. It turned out that most of our staff were on board because they hated the distractions from phones as much as we did. It wasn’t just us at the top wanting this change; they wanted it, too. But they needed a structure to make restricting access to phones doable.
Creating the System
So what did counselors need phones for? Through our conversations with staff, we landed on four things: communication, music, alarm clocks, and photos. Once we knew what we needed, we invested in some alternatives.
- Communication: We purchased Cobra two-way radios for about $3,000 total for each of our two sessions, which, for 500 staff members over the course of the summer, isn’t bad. These awesome little devices kept everyone connected in case of emergencies and important updates, with no need for phones. The best part? The radios were not “on loan,” they were the staff’s to keep, so they really took care of them. We even hosted a “bedazzling night” to deck them out.
- Music: Music is used in every setting and space at camp. We purchased MP3 players for about $80 each and set up subscriptions with all the major streaming services. At the beginning of camp, we handed out the players, set to go. Total cost? About $4,000. The MP3 players were numbered and tracked and came back at the end of the season. Next summer, they’ll be ready to roll.
- Alarm Clocks: We asked each staff member if they needed an alarm clock or would be okay being woken up by the Rosh on duty each day. We bought enough five-dollar alarm clocks from Walmart to meet the need. Total cost: about $1,000.
- Photography: We already had a terrific photo team. Even better, staff became intentional about requesting a photographer to attend specific activities that they thought would be photo-worthy. We also tested out a product called CampSnap, a digital version of a disposable camera. They work great and aren’t super-expensive. Truth be told, though, our photography staff handled the need for cameras with great results.
Storage and Usage Rules
During the day, phones had to stay in a big, multiuse room we call the Great Room. The phones went into labeled plastic charging boxes, housed in an enormous shelving unit with hundreds of three-headed (USB-C, mini USB, and iPhone Lightning) charging cables.
On their breaks during the day, if staff wanted to check their phones, they could. But they could use their phones only in the Great Room, nowhere else. No campers are allowed in there, so staff had a spot to handle personal stuff without the kids seeing phones in use.
Staff could also use their phones after Maariv (evening prayer) as long as they put their phones back before morning Tefillah. Counselors
had to keep them in the Great Room; no phones were allowed in the bunks.
And on Fridays, our Israeli staff were allowed to call home before Shabbat.
Making It Fun: Rewards and Incentives
Enforcing a staff phone policy isn’t easy, so we made it fun. We set up a reward system: Stick to the policy, leave your phone in the Great Room for long stretches, and earn prizes. Prices included camp-branded JBL speakers, beautiful gym bags with a camp logo, branded fleeces, and branded tumblers. There was even a top-tier “send it into orbit” option - staff who locked their phones in the safe for the entire month earned bonuses that matched their first-year salary.
We tracked it all with a QR code system so that staff could see their progress toward rewards. It was a bit like those old arcade tickets — rack up enough days without your phone, and redeem them for something cool. The staff loved it.
Impact on Camp Culture
The shift was incredible. Without their phones, staff weren’t just showing up, they were
present. Face-to-face interactions skyrocketed. A whole new level of social life opened up. This change also improved the relationships among staff. We even noticed a significant increase in the number of couples in serious relationships at camp! There were more connections made and friendships deepened. Real connections, not just text bubbles on a screen.
Parents were thrilled, too. “You got my kid to live without their phone? Amazing.” The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. This wasn’t just another rule; it became part of our camp identity. Staff parents bought in. Campers noticed that counselors weren’t on their phones either, and the whole place just felt more … present. That’s the best word I can think of.
Investment and Donor Support
Now, let’s talk numbers. We invested around $16,000 on this whole setup:
- Rewards Program: About $5,000 for prizes and bonuses
Fundraising for these costs was easy. Donors loved it. Seeing what’s happening with phone overuse and mental health, they wanted to get behind something that would make a real difference. It was easy to find donors ready to sponsor something that says, “We’re going to help these young adults step back from their phones and engage with life.”
Looking Ahead
Was the system perfect? No. We learned as we went, and we’ll keep refining it. Not every staff member bought in immediately or fully, but all understood our aims. At our staff
Shabbatonim, we’ll get feedback from our
roshim and see what adjustments make sense for next year. Every camp’s going to have unique challenges with a policy like this, and we want to make it work long-term.
A Model for Other Camps
I truly believe Camp Stone’s phone policy can work as a model for other camps. It’s a big shift and it takes (cultural and financial) commitment. It takes buy-in. But the benefits speak for themselves. This is something we can all do in camping: Give our staff and kids a breather from the constant digital noise.
In the end, this phone policy isn’t just about limiting screen time; it’s about creating a space where people can genuinely connect. Phones away, everyone fully present, that’s the Camp Stone way.
Estee and Yakov wrote a follow up article, you can find that here. They also hosted a webinar to share learnings from the first two summers of doing this and answer questions. Watch the webinar here.
Do you or your camp have a program or initiative or new way of working that you think other camps could learn from? Let us know - we are looking for future Directors' Corner content to share with your peers.