Nearly 200 high schoolers descended on Miniwanca this month for the National Leadership Conference, a week of leadership development through community, discussion, and play.<\/p>\n
\u201cI look forward to this week every year,\u201d said NLC co-director Erin O\u2019Brien. \u201cWe love seeing our community return to the dunes and experience powerful growth and development in such a short time.\u201d<\/p>\n
NLC is the American Youth Foundation\u2019s longest-running program. It has evolved through the decades to meet the changing needs of youth today. This four-year progressive leadership development program encourages teens and young adults to discover their own values and to use their voice to advocate for themselves and others in their communities.<\/p>\n
There was no graduating fourth-year class this year (NLC was canceled in 2020 due to the pandemic), but Miniwanca welcomed nearly 100 new participants who joined the first-year class.<\/p>\n
One highlight of each summer is when the first-year class reveals its banner and songs to the NLC community. The class creates its banner after several days of careful discussion and reflection. This year, the first-year class, Charged with Purpose, unveiled their unique, lightning bolt-shaped banner during an evening fire circle.<\/p>\n
\u201cI feel like I\u2019ve grown a lot in my leadership skills, through the workshops and good discussions,\u201d said one first-year participant. \u201cI\u2019ve identified what type of leader I am, and steps I can further take to grow in confidence as a leader.\u201d<\/p>\n
NLC co-director Michael Harter said NLC empowers young people by providing them the leadership skills and tools they need to create positive change in their home communities.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s really what it\u2019s all about,\u201d Harter said. \u201cWe want the transformative power of this conference to extend far beyond the boundaries of Miniwanca. These teens leave here inspired and confident that their voice not only matters, but that it is also so important and necessary in the world.\u201d<\/p>\n
One member of the third-year class summed conference up best: \u201cI was never able to see myself the way others did. NLC helped me see my spark.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Nearly 200 high schoolers descended on Miniwanca this month for the National Leadership Conference, a week of leadership development through community, discussion, and play. \u201cI look forward to this week every year,\u201d said NLC co-director Erin O\u2019Brien. \u201cWe love seeing our community return to the dunes and experience powerful growth and development in such a short time.\u201d NLC is the … <\/p>\n