Where Camp Leaders Begin

Once a month, on an afternoon that could easily blur into homework and screens, a group of teens gathers by choice. Not because they have to, not because an adult told them to — but because this is their space. YMCA Camp du Nord’s Leaders Club hums with conversation, planning, laughter, and purpose. It’s a youth-led community built on the belief that leadership isn’t something you wait to be handed; it’s something you learn and practice together. 

Started in 2014, this club is open to youth ages 13-18. The majority of participants have been Leadership Development Campers (LDPs) at camp, but that is not required, and often LDPs recruit non-camper friends to come along. Throughout the months of September through May, the club meets on a monthly basis, averaging 30-50 teens per meeting.  

In addition to meetings, campers gather each month to complete volunteer projects. Andy Sinykin, executive director of du Nord, said, "I’m immensely proud of our teen participants at camp and in Leaders Club. They exhibit not just leadership skills, but inclusivity, the ability to connect, and build community. I’ve witnessed this club since the beginning and seeing young people grow from campers to leaders to staff and then become leaders on staff — the development over time is incredible. They exemplify what it means to be a community member, and they are part of what makes du Nord what it is today.”

Sinykin, more than most, would know. His years on staff at camp go back to 2004 and for the five years before becoming the summer program director, his primary responsibility was facilitating the Leadership Development Program.

Leaders of leaders

What makes Leaders Club especially powerful is its layered leadership model. More experienced members step into the role of “leaders of the leaders,” guiding activities, facilitating discussions, and mentoring peers. They don’t stand at the front with a script. They move through the room, encouraging quieter voices, rallying teams, and proving that leadership is strongest when it’s shared.

In a world where teens are often over-scheduled, and pushed into a hurried pace of life, Leaders Club is intentional in a different way. Hannah Loeffler-Kemp, summer program director, shared, “It is so important to create spaces for kids to come together and create community. Young people are eager to be leaders and build skills and learn from each other.” Leaders Club fosters a welcoming environment for teens to simply be together — to talk, to lead, to fail safely, and to grow. As a result, friendships form across grades and backgrounds, and new intersections of community are cultivated.

Leaders Club isn’t only about preparing teens for future leadership roles; it’s about honoring the leaders they already are — right now — by giving them a place to practice community building, find purpose, and discover the power of leading each other.

Twelfth grader Audrey Sternberg has been a member for four years. She shared, “I used to think that a leader is somebody who’s in the spotlight or telling other people what to do, and I’ve learned that it is so much more than that. It’s being selfless and vulnerable in front of people, but also authentic and putting in the work behind the scenes to serve the people that I’m leading.”

What makes Leaders Club matter isn’t just what they accomplish — it’s the space they create. In a world that pulls teens in a hundred directions, this club is intentional about bringing them together. It’s a place to connect, to be heard, to try something bold, and to grow alongside people who get it. Sylvia Lim, twelfth grader, who has been part of Leaders Club for three years, said, “I think my confidence has really grown throughout my time in Leaders Club. I feel a lot more comfortable speaking in front of large groups, talking to new people, and coming into unfamiliar situations.” 

Audrey added, “My favorite part about Leaders Club is definitely getting together with friends that I don’t get to see every day and being able to count on the space being a silly yet supportive environment where we can have fun, play games, and be weird or have deep conversations about ourselves and our communities.” 

Leaders Club is more than an after-school activity. It’s a launchpad — for ideas, for friendships, and for teens who are learning, together, how to lead with purpose and heart.