Service & Leadership Camp
Kelle Barr |
Monday, December 17, 2012
The LEAGUE Michigan’s yearly Service & Leadership Camp is a weekend bash designed by a committee of young people from all over the state. Students from eighth to 12th grade attend the camp to engage in service learning and philanthropy education, as well as interactive sessions designed to develop leadership skills.
Michigan Nightlight: In your view, what makes your program innovative, effective or remarkable?
The LEAGUE Michigan Director Kari Pardoe: It’s very unique. Our young people develop, execute, and plan the Service & Leadership Camp. They choose the speakers who educate the campers. They develop the camp’s service projects, and they select the topics for each session in the camp: Kids Against Hunger, slam poets, whatever they like.
What was the best lesson learned in the past year?
If you engage young people, they will rise to the challenge. It happens year after year after year. When you ask a high school student speak to a crowd of 500 people and they do a fantastic job, you know you are doing something right.
When you ask a high school student speak to a crowd of 500 people and they do a fantastic job, you know you are doing something right.
What was the hardest lesson learned in the past year?
It takes a step back to figure out your strengths and assets and how they contribute to your project’s successful outcome. It hasn’t been easy, but I am learning to do that. Sometimes we get stuck in a rut and we think things like, “we’ve always done it this way; this is the way it works.” We keep growing and expanding and we have to keep asking ourselves, “Is there a better way that we can do this?”
What really differentiates this program?
It is led by young people -- a committee of 12 students from across the state. When you go to a youth conference and you hear adults speaking about the same things that the young people are talking about, it’s powerful. Kids walk away from the last day of camp -- and we allow plenty of playing time there -- realizing that they are a real part of philanthropic education.
We teach them how to share, how to engage their peers in real-life issues, like hunger, homelessness, fitness and environmental issues.
What are the keys to success for your program?
We give our kids time to plan. They take on service projects that they can integrate into their lives. We teach them how to share, how to engage their peers in real-life issues, like hunger, homelessness, fitness and environmental issues.
Why do you consider it important for middle school and high school students to learn the lessons and to build the skills that the Service and Leadership Camp offers?
It’s important that they can make a difference now, instead of waiting until later. We need to instill these values at a young age, instead of waiting until these kids are adults. It is important now, and it is important for their futures. Some of our kids leave camp as leaders. It’s remarkable to see that transformation happen.