Nearly 200 high schoolers descended on Miniwanca this month for the National Leadership Conference, a week of leadership development through community, discussion, and play. “I look forward to this week...

The National Leadership Conference community once again proved that not only could they rise to the challenge, but they could also exceed it. In total, 114 people raised $15,087 in...

The National Leadership Conference community is a prime example of serving humbly. Each summer, dozens of dedicated volunteers staff the American Youth Foundation’s longest running program. Hundreds more support through...

If you’ve ever attended National Leadership Conference, you’ve likely met the Mayor of Miniwanca, Todd Bundy. The NLC community bestowed this honorary title on him in 1995, one he still...

On a clear summer evening, a group of Four Trails campers gather around a fire. They’ve just eaten a meal they prepared after a day of kayaking and have finally...

Michael Robinson first encountered the mission of the American Youth Foundation as a National Leadership Conference participant from 2008 to 2011. As a member of the class Deeply Rooted, NLC...

More than 150 teens gathered on the sand dunes of Miniwanca for National Leadership Conference. The American Youth Foundation’s oldest program, NLC is a transformative week of community building and...

The American Youth Foundation continues to connect with new communities across the country. Recently, nearly 50 teenagers in Iowa experienced a taste of the AYF’s mission and values at Purina...

National Leadership Conference classes form strong bonds during this transformative four-year program – bonds that hold tight long after their last fire circle together. In late 2022, NLC Co-Directors Erin...

The National Leadership Conference roared back to life this summer after two years of virtual and abbreviated gatherings. NLC Co-Director Erin O’Brien said it was emotional to reconnect with youth...

Thank you to all who joined us Tuesday evening at Advancing Toward Our Best! We recorded the webinar for those who weren’t able to make it. We hope it provides...

by Dana Rieck High school physics teacher Robert Pike works hard to learn his students’ names within the first three days of each semester, so they feel valued and appreciated...

Michael Harter’s career has always found him at the intersection of youth empowerment and mental health, a passion he credits to his own foundational experiences as an AYF participant. He’s...

by Dana Rieck National Leadership Conference participants were finally able to gather on the dunes of Miniwanca once again in 2021, albeit in a new, more intimate way. While the...

The future of the National Leadership Conference looks bright in 2022.The American Youth Foundation is pleased to return to the full eight-day conference, welcoming first-year participants once again and offering...

Dear NLC staff, participants, and families, I hope this finds you well despite the very real challenges posed by the pandemic. If only COVID-19 were merely a hypothetical leadership scenario...

by Karen Reimer and Jan Strube The origins of the National Leadership Conference are rooted in the earliest days of the American Youth Foundation. Learn about the evolution of this...

In mid-June, participants from NLC convened online for this year’s National Leadership Conference on Zoom. They engaged in programming that connected them with their community, developed leadership skills, and discussed...