“I trusted people in one day. I opened up more and became comfortable like it was a second family. My mind grew while working with others.” – 2018 Teen Participant

Our 26th Annual National Teen Leadership Program summer camp in 2018 was nothing short of amazing! The weekend was blazing hot – it capped off at 113 degrees. Even through the hot weather, the energy was still high among our participants and alumni staff!

Scroll through the photo gallery above to check out our photos from camp.

• Participants heard from three amazing speakers. Alexa Score spoke on living her life vibrantly despite having cancer, fighting excuses, and encouraging teens to know their mission and live by it.
• Calvin Terrell challenged participants to think beyond the prison of the self, bringing in new visuals to help the youth start a conversation within their community circles, and presented a moment for staff and students to remember the late NTLP Advisory Board member, Mark Miller.
• Scott Backovich inspired participants and parents to be a catalyst of change for others outside of NTLP and be earnest in their leadership to benefit others in their communities.
• We welcomed participants from California, Nevada, Ohio, Texas, Massachusetts, Illinois, Virginia, Colorado, Michigan, Utah, Hawaii, and even Vietnam! We were pleased to have 34 alumni return, including an eight-camp attending alumni!
• Paul Parsons thrilled us with his fantastic hypnotist show, and we had an awesome dance party that joined everyone together, via DJ Showtyme (Alumnus Jeremy Chafatinos)!
• Every aspect of camp’s curriculum strategically strove to build social and emotional leadership skills and positive character in self awareness, self management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision making. Small group sessions provided deep discussion on peace, violence, ethics, teamwork, the growth mindset of developing into a leader, and other topics.
• The California National Guard Counterdrug Task Force supported NTLP again in 2018.