Carmody Honored by SPARC

Michael Carmody, FWCD’s Director of Auxiliary Services, received the prestigious Excellence in Auxiliary Award at the  Summer Programs and Auxiliary Revenue Collaborative. Each year, SPARC recognizes individuals and organizations for their exemplary work and outstanding contributions to the field of independent school auxiliary programs. This award holds a unique significance as it comes from nominations by their peers from across the country. Carmody was recognized with colleagues from All Saints’ Episcopal School (Beaumont, Texas), Charlotte Latin School (Charlotte, North Carolina), Breck School (Golden Valley, Minnesota), and Harvard Westlake (Los Angeles). 

The Summer Programs and Auxiliary Revenue Collaborative is the only professional resource exclusively for auxiliary programs. As the leading consulting firm and membership organization focused exclusively on advancing independent schools through auxiliary and summer program enhancement and developing non-tuition revenue streams, the SPARC provides organizational focus, demonstrates a deep understanding of this unique educational arena, and shares a combined expertise with decades of relevant experience.

“Through Michael's vision, creativity and hard work, the auxiliary programs at Fort Worth Country Day have evolved into a best-in-class program, placing FWCD as the strong market leader in the DFW metroplex,” said Tom Mitchell, CFO. “This award is a reflection of what he has done here, and I am thrilled that he was chosen for the honor.

Carmody joined the Falcon family in April 2018. He was hired to evaluate Falcon Fun in the Sun, the School’s previous summer camp, and to design, oversee and manage a new camp experience that would be attractive to students of all ages from the local area. T

In his first year, Carmody created SOAR, a program that offers grades JK-4 students a series of engaging and unique scholastic, arts and recreation opportunities outside the traditional school day schedule. Those opportunities include SOAR Extended Care from dismissal to 6 p.m. and SOAR Enrichment Programs. The SOAR team includes FWCD staff, professional educators, and experienced childcare professionals. 

In the summer of 2019, he launched Fort Wonder Summer Camps and Falcon Sports Camps. “I wanted to create a look and a name for our camps that would stick in the minds of the greater Fort Worth community, ultimately increasing our ability to attract students to our summer camps who do not currently attend FWCD,” Carmody shared in a Summer 2019 Falconer article. Fort Wonder camps are a mix of tried and true and the excitingly new. There are a variety of themed day camps and signature camps with fun events such as armadillo races, a wizards academy graduation ceremony, a galaxy glow party and more, offered each summer, providing campers with a cherished, memorable camp experience. Friendly, daily “competitions'' were added to Falcon Sports Camps to provide something new and different each day. 

Fort Wonder and Falcon Sports Camps enrollments – and staff – have grown exponentially over the years. Since launching Fort Wonder, the annual summer camp enrollment has more than doubled, growing from 991 to 2,405. 

“During the first year of Fort Wonder (2019), we had 23 Camp Counselors and Camp Administrators and a total of 52 Falcon Sports Camp and Fort Wonder Specialty Camp hosts,” Carmody said. “In 2023, we had 40 Camp Counselors and Camp Administrators and 146 Falcon Sports Camp and Fort Wonder Specialty Camp hosts. 

Carmody also brings the “bling”: the wildly popular Wonder Bands (silicone wristbands that campers earn for engagement in camp activities) and a collection of Bottle Badges (collectible stickers that campers earn for exceptional displays of character and special camp accomplishments). 

“I don't think there is anything more valuable than a good core memory, and my job is essentially to set the stage for kids and staffers to create great, lifelong memories,” Carmody said. “That is just such an amazing opportunity and a humbling responsibility. Building an outstanding team, creating a special environment, and delivering activities that result in the formation of core memories is so central to our work and such an important responsibility that we officially refer to our Camp Counselors and Camp Administrators as ‘Memory Makers.’ When I think to myself, ‘You get to make memories and lead Memory Makers for a living,’ it's a bit of a pinch-me moment. What could be better than that? It's hard work, absolutely, but the rewards of this position are invaluable.