McGaw YMCA’s Camp Echo recently hosted the first cohort of Evanston Township High School’s (ETHS) new Evanston/Leadership Academy (E/LEAD) program for six days at camp.
E/LEAD is a four-year, cohort-based program for rising freshmen at ETHS that emphasizes leadership identity development, academic enrichment, and preparation for life beyond high school with a clear post-secondary plan.
"E/LEAD is an opportunity for students to connect with leaders in their school community, broader Evanston community, and the world, and find a pathway that excites them and suits who they are and who they are becoming," said Theresa Collins, Director of Student Academic Leadership Programs at ETHS.
Students in E/LEAD commit to the program for the duration of their time at ETHS. In addition to their regular coursework, students complete a required four-year seminar advisory and take part in off-campus and summer experiences designed to foster leadership development and personal growth.
Camp Echo was one of those experiences, and E/LEAD students took the opportunity to share their thoughts during their time at camp.
"Being at Camp Echo has been a lot of fun," said Nielle Watts, one of the E/LEAD students. "I learned how much I love nature while here. I used to hate nature, but I realized if you have bug spray, you're good. It's all about preparing for anything that comes your way."
E/LEAD students joined other campers at Camp Echo's 500-acre site in Fremont, Michigan, to participate in a wide range of activities, including archery, fishing, sailing, and tubing.
The group also camped out overnight.
Djamal Abdelnassir had been a little skeptical about E/LEAD when he first heard about it. He thought it would just be added work, but after his time at Camp Echo, he is confident the program will be beneficial.
"It's been wonderful paddle boarding, tubing, doing archery, and so many other things for the first time," he said. "Everything here has been a new experience, and it's really building me to be a better person."
That growth is exactly what Collins hopes E/LEAD will bring to the entire student cohort.
"At Camp Echo, youth are exposed to many experiences and there is such a powerful focus on being in a learning zone as much as possible," Collins said. "This week has been an amazing launch to that learning component."
Bernard Rocca, Camp Echo’s Executive Director, highlighted the camp’s unique ability to foster connection and personal growth, making it an ideal environment for E/LEAD participants.
"Camp is a place where young people can feel safe to explore, take risks, and discover who they are," Rocca said. “Programs like E/LEAD are grounded in these transformative experiences, where growth and community go hand in hand.”
"We often ask, ‘What Echoes?’, what leaves a lasting impact when campers return home from Camp Echo," added Rocca. "It’s incredibly rewarding to see campers step into their leadership potential and I’m excited to see how this week at camp continues to echo for the E/LEAD students throughout their high school journey, both individually and as a connected cohort."
To learn more about E/LEAD, visit https://www.eths.k12.il.us/Page/3125.
To learn more about Camp Echo, visit https://ymcacampecho.org/.