ADeeply Rooted Community NATIONAL LE ADERS HIP CONFERENCE
by Sarah Browning
NLC participants in 2019
The largest Pando aspen grove in the world spreads across 100 acres of Fishlake National Forest. Each tree is a unique organism, yet it is rare to find a single Pando aspen in isolation, as they need the support and safety of an extensive communal root system to stay alive and thriving. Like the Pando grove, the National Leadership Conference family stood firm in community this year, adapting to the realities of the coronavirus pandemic when it meant they could not gather in person at Miniwanca. Third-year NLC participant Genevieve Skittone was heartbroken upon hearing the news. “I cried,” she said. “Camp is the one time of year where I am genuinely the happiest. In the moment I got the news, I was really struggling. Camp is what pushes me through the year.” For more than 30 years, NLC has empowered high school and college-aged youth to be confident leaders in their communities and discover and grow into their best selves. Traditionally, NLC participants, mentors, and staff gather for eight days each summer, engaging in community building and leadership training. Chelsea Bernthal, Director of School and Community Programs at Miniwanca, said the AYF immediately began looking for new ways to connect with NLC participants. “By early spring, we were brainstorming with our Merrowvista team and asking ourselves what will bring joy to the NLC youth in this current climate?”
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