Teen Staff Leadership

When we asked Teen Staff and Alumni, we heard the desire for

1) more responsibility and leadership

2) more mentorship and discipleship 

Teen Staff Leaders are provided with more tangible leadership opportunities in the Teen Staff program as well as an introduction and immersion into our Summer Staff (college) community. 

One of the objectives of the Teen Staff Leadership Team is to create more intentional opportunities for students to develop their leadership skills. Examples include:

Leading Spiritual Formations and Group Activities: Teen Staff Leaders will have the opportunity to plan and lead activities either individually or as a team. This could be leading Lectio Divina (one of our worship practices) or another spiritual formation activity of their choice like a prayer walk or small group. It could also include leading a fun activity like yoga or soccer. Teen Staff Leaders will have the opportunity to lead aspects of our Camp programming and develop problem-solving and other skills that will serve them later in life.

Mentoring Underclassmen: Mentorship could range from leading a small group to one-on-one interaction. Teen Staff Leaders will have more responsibility to onboard new students into the program as well as help younger Teen Staff navigate the community.

Overseeing the Teen Staff living quarters : Teen Staff Leaders will assist our full-time Camp Staff in facilitating the social, spiritual, and personal adjustment of being in the Teen Staff community, and enforcing the rules and policies of Camp. They will serve as positive role models to other Teen Staff.

Acting as a liaison between Teen Staff and Youthfront: Teen Staff Leaders have a special role in providing a voice for the Teen Staff community and speaking on behalf of the group. Youthfront Staff will depend on Teen Staff Leaders to communicate issues, challenges and opportunities they see.

Teen Staff alumni and seniors told us they’d like more opportunity to interact with our college Summer Staff community. Many of our Summer Staff are former Teen Staff who have maintained close friendships with their peers who are still serving in the Teen Staff program. The Teen Staff Leadership Team will sustain those established relationships while also giving Teen Staff Leaders a glimpse into what being on Summer Staff is all about. We hope Teen Staff Leaders will be excited to transition to Summer Staff as a result of participating in the following:

Job Shadowing: Work directly with Summer Staff to gain experience in a variety of positions.  Teen Staff Leaders will have the flexibility to shadow multiple Summer Staffers at both Camp Lacygne and Camp West based on the need of the camp and the desire of the student.

Participate in the Scholarship Fundraising Model: As missionaries to youth, all Youthfront leaders and staff fundraise to help further the mission of the ministry. Joining Summer Staff in their scholarship fundraising program provides youth the chance to come to Camp who otherwise could not. Teen Staff Leaders who exceed their scholarship fundraising goals have the opportunity for additional limited compensation.

Work consecutive weeks throughout the Summer: Many of our Teen Staff have a desire to spend most of their summer at Camp and this is a great chance for Teen Staff Leaders to do just that. Teen Staff have limitations on the number of consecutive weeks that they can work, but Teen Staff Leaders are able to commit to multiple sessions of Camp in a row. There are options for working anywhere from 5 to 8 weeks, with no more than 5 of those weeks being consecutive.