As we prepare for the centennial year, you may have already noticed some updates to our website and logo. We understand people have a strong emotional connection to the original four-fold emblem. We do, too – that’s why it continues to be part of our AYF story.

The four-fold emblem and way of living remains a cornerstone of our program outcomes and key to our identity. It remains the front of the founder medal, is displayed prominently at both sites, and its symbolism is explained during each program.

So why did we change it? We decided the upcoming centennial was the right time to refresh our logo as we enter the next 100 years. Last year, the AYF and a design firm worked with focus groups to create a bold, youth-oriented image, inviting new young people to experience four-fold living and the timeless mission of the AYF.

This new fire design is an updated take on classic AYF imagery that symbolizes the sparks enkindled in the past fueling the fire of the future.

• The three-color fire represents the original dare: Aspire Nobly, Adventure Daringly, Serve Humbly
• The four logs symbolize the four folds that fuel the fire within
• The addition of 1925 and AYF acknowledge our founding year and how people often refer to the American Youth Foundation today.

We also invested in a new, dynamic website to help us increase our reach and relevance. The new ayf.com is more approachable to those new to the American Youth Foundation, with quick access to all our program offerings for children, teens, and adults. More updates and features are coming in 2025, and we hope you’ll check back often to see the exciting additions.

And now, I call on you to adventure with us into the next 100 years. We want and need your support to build on this momentum. You can help us sustain and expand our transformational programs, reach more people, and maintain the excellence that has defined our organization for a century. Spread the word about the camps, tell a young person about staff opportunities, and give a gift to the annual fund; all these actions make a critical difference for the AYF and the youth we serve.

Together, we will keep this legacy alive and thriving. Together, we will ensure the AYF will inspire, nurture, and empower the next generation of leaders and changemakers.

With gratitude and excitement for the year ahead,

Liz Marshall
President and CEO

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In 2022, the AYF Board of Directors and senior leadership team embarked on a multiyear strategic planning process to assess what the organization does well and how it can grow.

“The AYF is fortunate to be in possession of these magical properties where we create program communities focused on what kids need right now,” said President Liz Marshall. “The strategic planning process gave us chance to step back, be thoughtful, and to tune up language and mission to best meet the needs of kids of today and the future.”

Setting up the AYF for the next 100 years is no small task. That’s why leadership tapped Tucker Branham of Change Develop Move, a consulting organization with national reach, to help with the strategic planning process. In addition to her professional expertise, Branham is also a Miniwanca program alumna and former seasonal staffer.

“Tucker has a unique combination of professional experience and a personal understanding of the AYF’s strengths,” Marshall said.

Branham and the leadership team began the process by listening. They spent months consulting with individuals across the AYF community, including current and past staff and program participants at National Leadership Conference, Miniwanca and Merrowvista; parents and caregivers; and board members. They also conducted surveys and focus groups about the values and direction of AYF work.

“While listening to alumni, I was struck by how frequently the same words and themes came up across the generations: inspirational programming, celebrating the best in others, exploring different perspectives,” Branham said. “People feel passionately about the experience they had and want to make sure those experiences are available to others in the future.”

This feedback laid the foundation for a strategic planning taskforce and staff committee to begin developing and implementing a strategic plan.

Marshall said the next step was to identify and assess the organization’s values. “At a moment like a centennial, you can go in a lot of different directions. There are a lot of competing priorities,” she said. “Starting the process with values means wherever we go will be grounded in culture code of the AYF. It will keep key decisions around policy, practice, and assessment rooted in the common language of community values.”

With these values established, the taskforce turned its attention to the AYF’s new vision and mission. The vision, Branham explained, serves as the “grand why” of the AYF’s existence and the impact it aspires to create. After careful consideration, the AYF declared its new vision for the next 100 years: Inspired people unleashing their best in the world.

“This language harkens back to the inspiration at the core of the organization since it was founded in 1925, interpreting it in a new way for this century,” said former President Anna Kay Vorsteg.

The new mission statement articulates how the AYF intends to put that vision into action: The American Youth Foundation dares people to discover and celebrate the very best in themselves and others, inspires them to explore diverse perspectives and complex challenges, and emboldens them to live courageously, engaging their full capacity.

“The AYF’s incredible strength lies in its legacy of powerful youth programming,” Marshall said. “The language and vision of original founders – that all people should be welcome to the work of discovering and developing their four-fold best selves – is evident in our new mission. We are continuing the tradition of everyone doing their own internal work to become their best, then contributing to a larger community.”

Developing a new organizational vision, mission, and values is careful, theoretical work. The second phase of the strategic plan creates and implements strategies and objectives that put those concepts into practice.

The AYF is evaluating five strategic components to ensure the relevance and reach of its transformational youth programming: participants, staff, programs, places, and finance. Each of these components has key objectives and targets to reach in the next few years.

For example, the AYF recognizes that increasing recruitment and retention rates are vital to attract and retain a broad and diverse base of participants open to pursuing their best and supporting the best in others.

“There’s a real need to rebuild and fill our communities,” Marshall said. “Growing back to our full capacity post-pandemic is not quick or easy, so before we can expand in significant ways, we have to shore up the core of our unique program communities and fill them with participants.”

By 2026, the AYF hopes to be back at full enrollment of summer camp programs, serving more than 500 Merrowvista campers, nearly 800 Miniwanca campers, and nearly 300 National Leadership Conference participants. Data-driven, outcomes-based decision making regarding program offerings, staffing models, and more are vital to this process.

The strategic plan also includes a focus on the physical sites and facilities through a master plan for renovation and upgrading the sites with safe, inviting buildings to house programs. Finance goals include expanding revenue as a nonprofit by looking to new partnerships with individuals, family foundations, and corporate organizations that can invest in and help fund existing and new program initiatives.

“This is why it’s so important to undertake the strategic planning process before the centennial campaign,” Marshall said. “It will help us understand where we want to grow organizationally and to be intentional in the work of rebuilding after the pandemic.”

Ultimately, the strategic plan illustrates the AYF’s continuing commitment to investing in youth.

“Our first and most important value supports youth through powerful programming in community,” Vorsteg said. “The AYF is doing the vital groundwork necessary to meet the needs of kids today and the next century through outdoor adventures. We will continue to empower them to connect with their own ideas and values, so they can act with purpose and integrity to improve their communities and the larger world, now and for decades to come.”

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Please RSVP below. These events take place at private homes, and the AYF will email the exact address to guests closer to the event date.

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“These Meet the President events give me the opportunity to personally connect with our supporters across the country, some of whom haven’t been back to Miniwanca or Merrowvista in years,” she said.

Marshall said she looks forward to sharing more about how the transformative youth development programs in Michigan and New Hampshire have grown and what exciting plans lay ahead for the AYF’s centennial in 2025. It also gives her the chance to hear how the AYF has guided so many throughout their adult lives.

“I’m struck by the passion of our alums who were so moved by the power of their AYF experiences that even decades later, they can recall the people and programs that had a lasting effect on their lives,” she said. “Meeting this diverse group – some with a long history at Miniwanca and Merrowvista, others with a single impactful encounter – is inspiring. I love hearing the stories of how our camps and conferences have shaped their values, given direction to their choices, and enriched their lives.”

In early 2024, Marshall had the chance to gather with supporters in Cincinnati, Ohio and New York City and said she was thrilled to hear how eager people are to celebrate and plan for the AYF’s next 100 years.

“It’s an honor for me to meet such wonderful, supportive people who want to invest in this work and pay it forward to a whole new generation of AYF campers as we prepare to enter AYF’s next century,” she said.

The next cities Marshall will visit are:

• St. Petersburg, Florida: Thursday, April 14 from 3 to 5 p.m.

• Lexington, Massachusetts: Sunday, April. 28 from 3 to 5 p.m.

• Oak Park, Illinois: Sunday, May 19 from 3 to 5 p.m.

• Chicago, Illinois: Tuesday, May 21 from 6 to 8 p.m.

• Los Angeles, California: September 2024 (more information to come)

• San Francisco, California: September 2024 (more information to come)

• Bloomfield, Michigan: Fall 2024 (more information to come)

Denver, Colorado: Fall 2024 (more information to come)

• Washington, D.C.: Fall 2024 (more information to come)

To join, please RSVP below. These events take place at private homes, and the AYF will email the exact address to guests closer to the event date.

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As the AYF announced in October 2023, former president Anna Kay Vorsteg announced that she would pass the torch to Marshall, who most recently served as vice president beginning in 2021.

AYF values run deep in Marshall. She grew up on the dunes of Miniwanca as a young camper and seasonal staffer, eventually leading Girls Camp as Director before transitioning to Director of Advancement and then Vice President. She’s also a camper parent; both her daughters attended Miniwanca Girls Camp when they were younger.

Marshall said the AYF has shaped her passion for inclusive leadership. 

“I’m honored to lead an organization that empowers thousands of kids each year through life-changing outdoor experiences at Miniwanca and Merrowvista,” she said. “This isn’t just a job change; it’s a commitment to nurturing future leaders and creating a more welcoming, inclusive world. As AYF strides into its next century, I’m eager to uphold its legacy and take on the challenge of guiding us toward a brighter future.”

Board Chair DD Danforth Burlin said in October that Marshall has the full support of the AYF Board as she transitions into her new role.

“Liz brings seasoned professional experience from inside and outside the AYF, a deep appreciation for the power of our programs in the lives of our participants, and a firsthand understanding of the context we are now operating in,” she said. “As Board Chair, I am thrilled that Liz is grabbing the torch. As someone who has known and worked with Liz for years, I know that the organization will be in great hands.”

In preparation for the AYF’s centennial, Marshall is embarking on a nationwide tour, visiting several cities in early 2024 to meet with Founder Friends and hear their thoughts on the future of the organization.

The AYF will also gather online for a virtual townhall to hear more from Liz and other AYF leadership. More information and dates will be announced soon via the AYF email list.

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The mood shifts as the sun sets. Campers’ voices fade with the twilight as stars blanket the night sky. They reflect on what they’ve accomplished that day, both as individuals and as a community, and where the water may take them tomorrow.

It’s more than just an idyllic summer camp memory in the making. This moment is the result of countless hours developing programs designed to help campers discover and embrace their authentic selves and become more independent, confident leaders at camp and in their home communities.

American Youth Foundation programs go so much deeper than outdoor fun. The dedicated program teams work year-round to create outdoor adventures that place kids in their growth zone – that sweet spot between their comfort zone and their danger zone – to develop their personal best.

On its surface, a flash mob is a spontaneous, wacky group dance that sparks joy and ramps up the volume a few decibels in the Eating Lodge. But, Vice President Liz Marshall explained, there is intentional developmental work at play.

“Teaching people to move in a common rhythm to a song brings people out of their comfort zone, expands their physical exercise, encourages them to be vulnerable in front of others, and helps them to regulate their emotions,” she said. “It takes them through the stages of group development. You don’t know the moves at the start of camp. Staff and fellow campers teach it to you step by step until by the end of camp, everyone knows the dance and is excited to take it home and share it with other people.”

In short, it’s a metaphor in action that happens through the program.

The AYF regularly hears from participants and alumni that their program experiences are among the most important in their lives. But how are these transformational effects measured and improved? That’s what Director of Special Projects Sandra George’s role is all about.

George joined the AYF in early 2023 and began sifting through family survey data to see how AYF programs are meeting the social and emotional needs of youth today, then aligning those outcomes with larger education and public health models.

“The AYF recognizes we have always been doing this work of ‘fun with a purpose’,” said George. “The learning that happens in program communities is social and emotional learning. Fine-tuning our curriculum allows us to tap into greater intentional learning outcomes.”

Social and emotional learning, she explained, is honing what are traditionally classified as soft skills: identifying and self-regulating one’s emotions, social awareness, and relationship skills.

“In the last decade, well-respected education foundations have conducted extensive research about how young people thrive when they develop their emotional, social, and cognitive identities,” she said. “You can see threads of four-fold balanced living in these skills, as well as our new organizational values.”

George spent extensive time revising and updating the AYF summer camp survey and evaluation process to better evaluate metrics like participant growth and satisfaction.

“Summer 2023 set some promising baselines,” she said. “We will continue to repeat the evaluation process in the next few years to share clear data about the short-term and long-term program impacts.”

It seems a lot to ask of a simple interest group, but early results show these activities build identity, community, and resiliency.  In 2023:

• 90% of campers found it easy to “know what their strengths are” after their camp experience.
• 94% of campers learned by trying new activities, not just listening.
• 97% of National Leadership Conference participants said new ideas and lessons learned from NLC activities can be applied in their home and school communities.

“The goal is not to become experts in the skills. The goal is to try new things they aren’t necessarily good at and figure out how to work through challenges and discover new interests,” George said. “Learning new skills and building social connections and community with people of different backgrounds ultimately leads to greater self-understanding and transformational growth.”

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As the AYF announced in October, Anna Kay has decided the end of 2023 is the right moment to pass the torch of leadership. The Board of Directors has selected current Vice President, Liz Marshall to assume the presidency beginning January 1, 2024.

“The AYF grew with me through the decades as I worked hard to shape and evolve it as a values-driven organization, offering youth and adults empowering programs that inspired their best,” Anna Kay wrote in a recent letter. “I am deeply grateful to have served the mission so long and am thankful for all this loving, learning community has gifted my family and me.”

Board Chair DD Danforth Burlin said this is a graceful transition to a new chapter after a lifetime of professional service to the AYF. “Throughout the years, Anna Kay has brought strong leadership focused on youth empowerment, a commitment to holding our organization to the highest standards, a robust and joy-filled laugh with thoughtfulness to everything she does, and a steady hand at the tiller,” Danforth Burlin wrote in October. “Anna Kay has been the AYF’s greatest advocate.”

Liz said Anna Kay has been a transformative leader, adapting the work of the AYF to best support today’s youth while adhering to the organization’s original vision of best self and balanced living.

“From her earliest days as a cabin leader through the many leadership roles she filled, her vision has been a true north star for the AYF and for me as a mentor,” Liz said. “Her genuine love for this work and commitment to expanding our reach has been an inspiration. Her steady guidance has prepared me to step into the role with incredible enthusiasm and excitement.”

This transition is the culmination of a carefully crafted succession plan developed by the Board of Directors and Anna Kay. Liz has a lifetime of experience with the AYF, from her earliest days as a camper to 14 years as Girls Camp Director of Miniwanca and then Director of Advancement for the organization. She became Vice President in 2021.

“Liz has the full support of the Board as we begin this new chapter of leadership at the American Youth Foundation. We have seen Liz shine in her role and are confident that she is ready to carry the organization into the future,” Danforth Burlin said. “Liz is a dynamic thinker, a respected leader, and a deep believer in the Four-Fold way of life. As Board Chair, I am thrilled that Liz is grabbing the torch.”

Liz said she is honored to take on the mantle of leadership and thrilled to guide the AYF into its next century.

“I am ready to carry the torch of leadership for this organization that has shaped me and so many others,” she said. “It’s such an honor to work on behalf of the kids we serve and make an even greater impact in our vibrant, positive program communities. Now more than ever, we must heed the call of our timeless mission to live at our best and to make our world a better place. I can’t wait for the journey into the AYF’s next era.”

As for Anna Kay, she is confident that whatever comes next in her life, the AYF will continue to be part of it. “I have every intention of maintaining a connection to this community and the values we share, and pledge to do all I can to fuel this organization I love, as it enters an exciting and necessary next chapter.”

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Summer Seminars for Women took place Aug. 4 through 8. This annual event went virtual in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and staff and participants were thrilled to gather in person on the dunes again.

“It was wonderful to see so many women making real connections and learning more about themselves and each other,” said Holley Young, AYF Adult Program Lead.

Participants spend the long weekend discussing how this year’s theme, Finding Balance, applied to their lives. Presenters Kelly Patterson, Tucker Branham, and Griffin Vogler also shared their insights around this important topic.

“Balanced living is foundational to all AYF programming, and it’s so important to stop and reflect on how we can assess and, if necessary, regain that balance,” said AYF Vice President Liz Marshall. “SSW provided a welcoming, supportive space for participants to reflect and grow as they do this work.”

The following weekend, dozens of Miniwanca Girls Camp alumni returned to their beloved camp for a weekend of fun, nostalgia, and connection.

Former Girls Campers of all ages felt like kids again as they rushed into Lake Michigan for Polar Bear, tried new Interest Groups, played rounds of Deck Tennis and Captainball, enjoyed delicious meals in the Eating Lodge, and reflected together during Candlelight Sing and Something Sacred.

“We have such a dedicated and supportive alumni base. It was a pleasure to welcome them back to camp after having to delay the reunion for two years,” said Molly Mulcahy, Director of Alumni and Community Relations.

Summer Seminars for Women will return in 2023 and Girls Camp Reunion will return in 2025. Sign up for the free Founder Sparks newsletter and be among the first to know when registration opens.

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Marshall most recently served as Senior Director of Advancement, and before that was the Miniwanca Girls Camp Director starting in 2004. In her new role, she will continue her oversight of the Advancement Department, focusing on the 2025 centennial celebration, as well as AYF strategic initiatives.

“Liz has worn so many hats that the title and responsibility of AYF Vice President seemed more appropriate to the skills she brings,” said AYF board chair DD Danforth-Burlin.

Marshall said she looks forward to the challenges and opportunities her new role will bring. “I’m deeply honored to serve AYF in this new role,” she said. “I look forward to AYF’s upcoming centennial celebration and helping lead this incredible organization as we head into the next 100 years.”

Marshall has a lifelong history with the AYF that goes back to her earliest days at Miniwanca.

“Liz is a legacy AYF-er,” Danforth-Burlin said. “I have had the pleasure of knowing her since she was too young to even be a camper when her mother, Suzy, was Miniwanca Girls Camp Director, and her grandmother, Wink, served a number of roles in the camp, as well. While she is steeped in our traditions, Liz has also had a laudable professional career outside the AYF.”

Marshall received her bachelor’s in American Studies from Yale University and a master’s in education from Harvard University. She served as a year-round member of the leadership team at the Hole in the Wall Gang Camp in Ashford, Connecticut for six years. She also taught English at the Dana Hall School in Wellesley, Massachusetts and led their service learning programs.

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