You read it right! NTLP is excited to host TWO programs in 2010. They are:

July 9 – 11, 2010 – Chapman University, Southern California and
July 23 – 25, 2010 – UC Davis, Northern California.

NTLP has been to both prestigious universities in the past and both were alumni favorites. Click HERE for a link to each university.

EARLY BIRD Special is on NOW.

We know it seems like next summer is a long time away, but NOW is a good time to get your reservation in and save $50 or more on 2010 prices. Click HERE to pay only $350 and guarantee that price for 2010. Your fee is fully refundable through March 31, 2010 and a sliding scale applies after that. This is a limited time offer! Visit our website at: www.teenleader.org for more information.

NTLP announces a one-day Diversity and Leadership Retreat!

We are thrilled to co-host this very special day with our favorite purveyor of peace and justice, Mr. Calvin Terrell and the Urban & Environmental Policy Institute at Occidental College.

Calvin is one of the highest rated speakers in NTLP History, scoring a 98% excellent rating from our participants at both our 2008 & 2009 programs. His message is timely, powerful, impactful and life-changing. He will be with us ALL day, along with NTLP staff, to bring out your inner warrior through keynote and workshop presentations. Read more about Calvin HERE.

The Urban & Environmental Policy Institute (UEPI) at Occidental College has generously donated campus space for this event!

LOCATION: OCCIDENTAL COLLEGE, Los Angeles, California
DATE: FEBRUARY 27, 2010 (Saturday)
COST: Only $29 (includes lunch)
TIME: TBA – but plan for a full day of at least 9am – 5pm
WHO CAN ATTEND? Any high school student in grades 9 – 12. We may add a separate parent component – details to come!

Space is LIMITED! NTLP alumni are receiving this information FIRST, before we actively market to LA Area schools and organizations so reserve your space NOW.

More information will be sent to registered participants. Click HERE to reserve your space at this inspiring event!

Would your agency, corporation or organization like to sponsor students to attend NTLP’s Diversity and Leadership Retreat? Corporate and Individual Sponsorships needed! Help a student attend or make a donation HERE.

198 participants and 41 alumni staff came together for a weekend of fun, motivation, inspiration, great speakers, team-building, team-bonding and so much more! 52 alumni returned for the experience and 20 traveled from out of state (plus Canada and Germany!)

The weekend kicked off with funnyman, Ryan Moran who talked about reacting to new situations in a positive manner and challenged students to have the courage to be open to new ideas, thoughts, events and people.

Our friends at the California National Guard came onsite to coach students through teambuilding exercises with their ever-popular ROPES course and several group sessions helped students get to know each other, share commonalities and work on communication skills. Teambuilding games demonstrated how assumptions create suspicion and the importance of building trust.

The evening closed with NTLP’s ever-popular Hypnotist Show and featured entertainer, Paul Parsons.

Saturday took a more solemn turn with our morning speaker, the phenomenal Calvin Terrell. Students sat spellbound for an hour and half as Calvin took them on a journey through our world’s prejudices and challenged them to be warriors for peace and justice. Workshops continued the message of tolerance with our sobering, ‘Walk Across,’ taught by alumni Edgar Chen, and alumni Chris Hadlock and Paul Parsons (stepping out of his entertainment role) taught workshops on Goal Setting and communication skills.

Later in the day students participated in one-on-one interviews with 22 community volunteers, browsed through our college/career fair, shared their feelings in the emotional Prejudice Gallery and relaxed at our evening Dance and Pizza Party. All in all, a very eventful day!

Sunday always seems like it comes in a hurry. The nervousness of the unknown and meeting new people has vanished; replaced by a camaraderie that’s hard to comprehend after only two days. Students practiced their dance for the closing program, shared final thoughts with their new-found friends and attended NTLP’s closing program, along with parents and friends. Presidential Volunteer Awards for life-time volunteer work were given to: Joanne Iwata, Ojai Valley Youth Foundation, Jill Roberts, D.A.R.E America Dance Program, Betty Cunningham, Chemical People, Partners for a drug-free community and Dr. Marlena Uhrik, Kids Breakfast Club and consultant to the Department of Education.

Our Inspirational Award Honorees were also proud to present Presidential Volunteer Service awards and NTLP honors to these fine individuals:

Silver Award Honors
Emily Biller, Shepton High, TX
Eunice Shih, Lynbrook High
Katie Cone, Brookings Harbor High, OR
Robert Cotter, St. Sebastians High, MA
Carissa Kerr, Elk Grove High
Arianna Russo, West Hills High

Gold Award Honors
Anneleise Graf, Ponderosa High
Brandon Nazari, Chaminade College Prep
Samantha McCrea, Casa Grande High
Sureyma Gonzalez, Berkeley High
Taryn Baer, Union Mine High
Erika Sims, Sacramento Charter

Silver Group Award
Operation 141, Project Success - Analy High, under the direction and inspiration of Mr. Michael McCracken

The NTLP Over-All Achievement Award was given to:
Olivia Flynn, Flintridge Sacred Heart High
Breanne Yamamoto, Aliso Niguel

A special Athletic Award was given to:
Kenzie Crist, Holy Names, WA

Our Ambassador Award Winners
(voted by the participants) were:
Abraham Teffera, Cupertino High
Casey Van Attenhoven, Folsom High
Sammie Moreno, Tracy High

We also want to acknowledge Ms. Chantal Williams (Independence High) who attended NTLP for her SIXTH year in a row, finally graduated and is now eligible to staff.

Congratulations to everyone for their fine work!

Finally, everyone was treated to our final Keynote Speaker, Mr. Brett Eastburn, whose inspiring message showed everyone that “you’re only handicapped if you allow yourself to be.”

This recap could not be complete without a special acknowledgement to the 41 alumni staff who paid their own room/board and transportation for the privilege of motivating and inspiring our attendees. 15 first-time staff mixed with our senior staff to provide an unparalleled experience. NTLP could not be more proud of this fine group of individuals.

We also want to acknowledge our major sponsors, without whom, so many students would not have been able to attend: California National Guard, TriWest Healthcare Alliance, GAP Inc., Wells Fargo Bank – Thank you so much for your support!

As you’ve seen from the beginning of this newsletter, 2010 is already in the works and we’re excited to invite you back again for another amazing NTLP experience!

We recently hooked up with NTLP 2000 & 2001 Washington Alumni, Josh Estes.

Josh attended Mariner High and currently works for Kimberly Clark. He has returned to staff NTLP twice and has continued to support NTLP over the years with matching funds through his employer, Kimberly Clark. This is his story.

Since attending NTLP for the first time in 2000 as a new unsure leader, I think I have come along way. I may have been unsure when I walked up to check in at PLU in Tacoma, Washington, but when I left I was changed forever. I was able to come back in 2001 and 2006 to Staff and since then have been more than busy. In the short time since I last saw any of my NTLP family, I have started a family of my own. On New Years Eve 2006 I married the woman of my dreams (Kelly) and in April of this year we gave birth to a beautiful future leader, Ella Christine. All of the stories people tell you about how much a joy children are, they can¹t even come close to explaining the way I feel when I rock her to sleep at night.

As far as other accomplishments, last year I was elected the Local Union President for the Association of Western Pulp and Paper Workers. I oversee a membership of 340+ incredible people with all kinds of different talents to offer, but as with any leadership position, it comes with its share of hardships. My experience as a student at NTLP has helped me understand that as long as I put my best foot forward, I can¹t fail. This proved to be true on Nov. 5th of this year when I found out that I was running unopposed for a second term, a feat which has only happened maybe a handful of times in the history of the Local. I think this a great accomplishment, considering at 26, I am also the youngest President of Local 183 on record.

I was also elected the President of my 200+ Home Owners Association last year. (What a Nightmare!) I won't be running again come next election!

I have been able to be successful at everything I do because I have the confidence to look beyond what I have to offer, and reach out and involve others. That I owe to NTLP.

Thanks NTLP for making me a better leader, but most importantly, thanks for giving me the courage I need to succeed!

View more "Where are they now" here