Requirements:

• First-year participant
• Between 15-18 years old

A former NLC participant, Jennifer Mason died of ovarian cancer in September 2014. One of her last requests was to create a scholarship fund to allow a first-year participant to attend NLC each summer.

Requirements:

• Woman of color
• Between 15-18 years old

In 1943, William H. Danforth created a program for young women whom he felt were leaders but were without the opportunity to “test their bent and ability,” calling them the Danny Grads. Even though the program came to an end, these women found that their Danny Grad experience was formative in launching them on their years of service. To continue the Danny Grad legacy and provide new opportunities for life-changing experiences, they created the “Danny Grad” Scholarship Fund. The purpose of this fund is to enable young women of color with financial need, to attend the National Leadership Conference.

Requirements:

• Received the National Leadership Award
• First-year participant
• Between 15-18 years old

If you received the National Leadership Award (for example, through your local service organization, Kiwanis, 4-H or High School) then you are eligible to apply for the I Dare You! Scholarship. National Leadership Award awardees will receive instructions how to complete the process to be considered for the I Dare You! Scholarship to attend the National Leadership Conference. Scholarship winners will be contacted by the AYF.

We also encourage you to seek out individuals in your community willing to assist you in getting to the NLC. There is nothing more powerful than a story of personal growth to inspire a local business person, family, religious organization, or other personal affiliates to contribute toward funding your experience. Here are a few tips that might assist in your fundraising efforts.

• Think locally. Local businesses are typically willing to help out their community more than a large corporation.
• Create a list of potential donors. Think about people at common social activities, religious activities, workplaces of your parent/guardian, businesses you frequently patronize, extended family members. Having a large list from which to pull will only increase your chances of funding.
• Think small. It is much easier for a person to give $10, $20 or $30 rather than feel like they have to shoulder the burden of sponsoring your entire trip.
• Be professional and demonstrate your leadership skills. Make an appointment to meet with the potential funder ahead of time and then be 15 minutes early, dressed appropriately.
• Be gracious. Share with them why you want to come to the NLC and how it can positively impact your life. Thank them for their time, even if they say that they are not interested.
• Report out. Be sure to follow up with any funders with a nice, handwritten note and a phone call to express your gratitude. After NLC, be sure to follow up with them, show them pictures and tell them how their donation helped you.

Please also, do not hesitate to contact us if you would like additional assistance in order to participate in the National Leadership Conference.

Each cabin has bunk beds and can accommodate up to eight people. The cabins are rustic with centralized restrooms and shower houses. There is no electricity in the cabins. Participants are housed according to their gender identity and may not enter living quarters or cabin areas not assigned to them.

We enthusiastically welcome people with diverse backgrounds, experiences and identities. We value each participant’s right to fully experience Miniwanca free from prejudice and harassment. All of our staff members are trained to supervise children and to prevent and address incidents of conflict or bullying based on any aspect of a person’s identity, including, but not limited to: race, ethnicity, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, and religious affiliation.

As a participant, you are empowered to choose the right level of challenge for yourself in any particular activity. Our expectation is that you will participate, but you get to determine how. Conference staff members are trained to help participants assess what will work for them.

It is not unusual for the weather to vary quite a bit during the week of the conference. As a general rule, it is usually warm during the day (75°–95°F), cool in the evenings (50°–60° F), and chilly at night (40°–60° F).

To create a healthy, respectful, inclusive, and supportive community, we challenge you to see and expect the best in yourself and others. Your conference community needs your immediate and constant commitment, trust, and support for living and learning. The community expects you to value, be inclusive, and be accepting of others. We are confident that if you maintain a high standard for yourself, you will have an outstanding conference experience.