DownEast Teen Leadership Camp - Building Leaders, Making Memories
“I felt very disconnected over the past year, DETLC helped me connect to friends, create community and learn more about coping skills.”
As Healthy Acadia celebrates 20 years of building vibrant communities, DownEast Teen Leadership Camp is celebrating 21 years of challenging and empowering teens to make healthy choices and positively impact their lives and those in their communities. This five-day residential summer program for teens entering grades 7-9 is truly life-changing for those who attend.
DownEast Teen Leadership Camp supports positive social development and lifelong resilience by challenging teens to learn and grow in self-awareness. Throughout their week at DETLC, teens experience the value of communicating and collaborating with peers and others to solve problems and to accomplish shared objectives while expanding on their leadership skills and gaining insight around personal responsibility for self and community. While growing and learning, Camp participants are gaining valuable skills, making strong peer connections, and achieving independence essential in making the transition to adulthood.
We were thrilled for the opportunity to host Camp in person this year. DETLC 2021 was held July 26-30, with COVID-19 safety protocols in place, and at a beautiful and new-to-DETLC location: Cobscook Institute in Trescott, Maine. Equally exciting, Healthy Acadia was selected as one of just four sites across Maine to host a group of inspiring youth leaders from their local community through Maine Youth Action Network’s Gateway to Opportunity Program (G20) this summer.
The Gateway to Opportunity Program (G2O) connects low-income young people (both in-school and out-of-school) with paid, work-based learning projects during the summer. These projects help youth develop the 21st century skills required for success in their future careers. MYAN coordinates several host sites in the Portland area each summer and this year expanded G2O statewide.
The G2O model focuses on helping youth be successful in today’s workforce, with tangible outcomes for young people, their communities, and the local economy. This strategy is integral to the G2O model’s principles: youth work in project teams rather than individually. They have the freedom to self-direct their day-to-day tasks with guidance from supportive adults. G20 youth reflect on employability development and learning, take ownership of designing their final work products and are supported by their Team Leader, a near-peer mentor who is an undergraduate college student.
“I have never had the experience of attending a summer camp until now, but I can say with utmost certainty that had I been able to attend DETLC in my youth, it would have changed my life.”
The skills I developed will help me be a better leader.”
Under the energetic and enthusiastic guidance of G20 team leader, Chloe Mankin, DownEast Teen Leadership Camp 2021 was a huge success, providing many local teens with their first residential summer camp experience and much-needed social connection with peers and youth mentors amid the challenges posed by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Mankin, who graduated from from high school in 2020, has been exploring her passions in an effort to hone in on her career goals.
“As a group facilitator, it was so incredible to watch every camper open up, step outside of their comfort zone, and contribute in unique ways to the formation of such a unique and welcoming community,” said Mankin.One of my favorite memories of camp was feeling like we’d made a breakthrough halfway through the week, after two of the campers in my group who typically did not contribute in our discussions took the initiative to respond at length to a prompt about values. I was constantly inspired by the courage, passion, and curiosity shown by the campers as they chose to attend workshops about issues that affected them, started conversations about what is important to them, and asked questions they may not find answers to or feel comfortable asking elsewhere.”
Under Mankin’s guidance and with support from Camp Director Sara McConnell and Corrie Hunkler, Healthy Acadia’s Youth Engagement Coordinator, the G20 youth team - Ellie Claverie, MacKenzie Schors, Ari Spencer, and Edgelynn (Edge) Venuti - worked together as a team to create an incredible learning and bonding experience for the campers. Venuti, who is entering her junior year at Washington Academy in East Machias, got involved with G2O after receiving a link to an article in her school email. “I wish that I had a camp like this to go to when I was in junior high. It’s a safe and welcoming environment where kids learn a lot about themselves, their peers and the world. One moment I’ll remember is watching a group of kids who hadn’t been the best of friends give each other compliments and hugs…Seeing kids grow and be comfortable as themselves while learning how to be change makers and handle important topics and overall better themselves was inspiring and life changing.”
“My favorite part of camp was watching the kids come out of their shells. It was inspiring to see young people become more confident and dare to truly be themselves.”
“My favorite part of camp was everything.”
“This program made me aware of how much I can do for my community if I use my voice and make sure my voice is heard,” said Claverie, who is also entering her junior year at Washington Academy. She applied to the G2O program after learning about the opportunity through her school guidance counselor. “My favorite part of camp was watching the kids come out of their shells. It was inspiring to see young people become more confident and dare to truly be themselves.”
Spencer learned about the G20 program when he contacted Healthy Acadia to inquire about applying to serve as a DETLC staff member. “I’ve always loved attending DETLC as a camper, both years I went it was the highlight of my year and I always look forward to it the entire year. At camp I got to connect with old friends and make new ones. I’ve been to many other summer camps but none have impacted me nearly as much or given me the same sense of community.”
“While working for G2O and DETLC, I learned how to plan events, work well with other people, collaborate on ideas, and work in chaotic environments,” said Schors, a sophomore at Machias Memorial High School. “My overall impression for DETLC 2021 was that it was crazy and a lot of work, but it was one of the most fun things I’ve done this summer!”
“I could never have expected to learn as much as I have through this program,” said Mankin. “I have never had the experience of attending a summer camp until now, but I can say with utmost certainty that had I been able to attend DETLC in my youth, it would have changed my life.” Mankin will continue on with the G20 Program this fall, working with youth leaders in Washington County to help organize fundraising efforts and develop the program for DETLC 2022.
We’re thrilled to share that 100% of campers who participated this year hope to attend DETLC in 2022. Please join us in celebrating and honoring the G20 team for their amazing contributions. Thank you, G20 Team for breathing new life into DETLC and creating such a meaningful and lasting impact for the youth who attended!
“For a number of years, I have helped with DETLC in different capacities and I always knew it was special, but after being at camp for the entire week, I truly saw the magic of DETLC!”
“For a number of years, I have helped with DETLC in different capacities and I always knew it was special, but after being at camp for the entire week, I truly saw the magic of DETLC,” said Sara McConnell, Partnerships for Success Program Coordinator and DETLC Camp Director. “We are so grateful to Terri Woodruff [former DETLC Camp Director who serves as Co-Director for Healthy Acadia’s Maine Alliance for Recovery Coaching] who led the way and kept DETLC going in Washington County for the last two decades!”
“I am so grateful to the G2O and DETLC staff who dove in to help plan a camp that reflects what youth in our community want and need, said Hunkler. “G2O helped add nature-based activities, climate change, self-care, and LGBTQ+ activism workshops, re-envisioned and led ceremonies for campers to reflect, open up and unpack the icky feelings, messages and things that young people pick up from their families, communities and peers. No young person should have to carry these things, and at the very least, not alone.”
We believe that every teen who wishes to participate in the DETLC experience has the opportunity to do so. Though the per-camper cost of running the Camp is over $500, we continue to cap tuition (just $295 per camper in 2021) so as not to deter youth from registering. We also offer significant scholarships based on need. Scholarships and camp costs not covered by camper fees are paid for through local sponsorships and grant funding.
You Can Help a Teen Attend DETLC
Help inspire and impact youth in our community with the DownEast Teen Leadership Camp experience. Your donation in any amount will help to ensure that the program continues to serve all interested teens. Healthy Acadia recognizes the severity of the financial impact of COVID-19 on our community; please only give if you are in a position to do so.
To make a tax-deductible donation to support the DETLC, please click here. Your gift will ensure that DETLC continues to serve as many youth as are interested, regardless of their ability to pay. We are grateful for your support!
For more information about DownEast Teen Leadership Camp, contact Sara McConnell at (207) 255-3741 or Sara@HealthyAcadia.org. For more ways to support the program or other Healthy Acadia initiatives, contact Shoshona Smith at (207) 667-7171 or Shoshona@HealthyAcadia.org, or Sara Willett at Sara.Willett@HealthyAcadia.org.
“I intend to take the skills of listening, patience, and how to have fun out of nothing from the campers to improve my life every day. These kids come from hard backgrounds and are still standing, smiling, and not even letting their past and current traumas define them.”
“I plan to bring what I learned from camp to all the other activities that I have to do in the future”.