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...

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...

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 National Leadership Conference roared back to life in summer 2022 after two years of virtual and abbreviated gatherings and brought with it a fresh outlook supported by a strong...

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...

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...

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...

Lexie has grown up at Miniwanca Girls Camp and the National Leadership Conference, returning each summer and completing the Odyssey cycling trip from Michigan to New Hampshire. She has been...

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...

The American Youth Foundation’s longstanding partner, Kids4Peace Boston, is offering a free online training for preteens and teenagers who want to learn more about anti-racism work and how they can enact these practices in their lives. This...

The American Youth Foundation stands in solidarity with communities of color who continue to bear the weight of longtime, systemic injustice and who have suffered disproportionately through the COVID-19 crisis....

Members of the National Leadership Conference Second Year class sat in small groups, listening intently as Dr. Andrew Cullison, Director of the Prindle Institute for Ethics at Depauw University, explained...