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For teens entering grades 10 & 11; ages 15–17
Nature needs the next generation of environmental leaders to be ready. The goal of our Environmental Leadership Program (formerly Leaders-in-Training) is to equip and encourage teens to be effective environmental advocates and conservation leaders in their homes and communities.
This program is perfect for:
During each session, Wildwood staff challenge teens to develop their individual leadership and community-building skills and support them as they develop their own style and voice.
Each teen will be given ample opportunities to practice leadership—through teaching, service, outdoor adventure, and more—among their peers and younger campers. Each group of Environmental Leadership Program participants (ELPs) will also focus on an environmental or conservation topic and how they apply their leadership skills to make a positive impact on the world.
First-year ELPs participate in team-building activities, an environmental service project, and act as leaders and role models for their peers and younger campers. With the support and guidance of Wildwood staff, participants lead their peers in a program of their own creation. Off-site community service provides an opportunity to serve and connect with communities beyond Wildwood.
ELP Year 1 - Session A: June 20–July 3, 2021
ELP Year 1 - Session B: July 4–17, 2021
During their second summer of ELP, participants will dive deeper into the concepts of leadership, putting their skills into practice throughout the Wildwood program and beyond. Teens will leave with knowledge and experience in goal-based leadership and acting as a positive role model in their various communities. This session gives participants skills to build on for years to come—at home, at school, and beyond.
ELP Year 2: July 18–August 7, 2021
Second-year ELPs are selected by application and interview. Contact the Wildwood office at 866-627-2267 or email us for more information.
ELPs practice their skills by helping counselors and camp staff plan and lead camp activities, and serving as role models for the entire camp community. ELPs may also meet members of the Rindge community, visit other Mass Audubon sites, and explore new habitats.
ELPs will make a positive contribution to a natural area of their choosing and gain knowledge needed to identify environmental issues. Past service projects include roadside cleanup, creating interpretive signs along camp trails, and trail maintenance. We are happy to document volunteer service hours as requested for high school graduation requirements. You may bring forms with you to camp, or contact the Wildwood office after camp.
ELPs live in the Goodall Unit, a group of four yurts: two for boys and two for girls. A facilitator lives in each yurt with a group of ELPs. Here they can rest, relax, and share stories in a comfortable environment featuring picnic tables, benches, and a stone fire ring that was designed and built by a previous ELP group.