2026 SPARC National Conference

Turn the tools you already have into powerful, low-cost systems for managing your conferences and programs. This interactive roundtable explores how Google Workspace—especially Google Sheets—can be leveraged to streamline data management, improve organization, and automate workflows, helping you scale your programs more efficiently and accurately. Facilitators will share real-world systems and examples that leverage formulas, data connections, automation tools (such as Apps Script), and communication workflows (including mail merge strategies with Google Education Plus) to reduce manual work and improve accuracy. In addition to Google tools, the conversation may also touch on complementary platforms and emerging approaches such as AI-assisted (“vibe”) coding to extend functionality.

The format will be collaborative and discussion-driven. Presenters will guide the conversation through structured subtopics with tips & tricks from our experience and create space for participants to share their own tools, challenges, and solutions.This session is best suited for participants with a basic familiarity with spreadsheets. Those already highly advanced in Google Workspace automation may find the content more foundational, and we would love to hear your input & perspective through the discussion. Attendees will leave with new ideas, practical strategies, and adaptable frameworks to make their program data management more efficient and accurate.

Most strategic planning starts with a vision and works backward, often without a clear picture of the underlying business model needed to sustain it. Revenue streams, cost structure, market position, and institutional capacity are too often treated as assumptions rather than as the foundation for innovation. In this session, the speakers will introduce a business model-first approach to innovation and strategic planning and apply it directly to auxiliary programs and other entrepreneurial opportunities. Using the “RIPL” framework (Research, Innovate, Play, and Learn) you will explore how to test new ideas, understand their financial and strategic value, and build case studies and proposals to bring to your Head of School and CFO to get them on board. Expect a practical, working conversation grounded in frameworks, real data, and real school examples, with time to examine your own program portfolio. You will leave with sharper questions, a clearer understanding of how innovation fits into the school’s broader financial model, and a more compelling way to move a good idea from concept to sustainable strategy.

Are you looking for a way to energize your camp, support your staff, and meaningfully engage your middle schoolers? Join us for a dynamic session on how to build and implement a strong Counselor-in-Training (CIT) Program that does more than just keep tweens busy, it develops leadership skills, fosters responsibility, and lays the foundation for future job success. In this session, we’ll explore how to effectively train middle school students to become capable, confident, and committed junior leaders by:

- Structuring a CIT Program that aligns with your camp’s culture and goals
- Providing age-appropriate leadership training that sticks
- Creating real, valuable roles for CITs that support your instructors and enrich the camp experience
- Promoting mentorship, teamwork, and a clear path to future employment

Whether you're launching a CIT program for the first time or looking to improve an existing one, this session will provide practical tools, proven approaches, and real-world examples to help you empower your middle schoolers and transform your camp community.