Building Effective Leaders: 36 Scouts Graduate from Youth Leadership Course

June 22, 2022 | Erika Dutcher 

			Course Director Sandy Wood, left, stops for a family photo with granddaughter, Adaya, and Neil Imm, who were both on staff. Adaya is a youth staff member and NYLT graduate.

In early June 2022, 34 young men and two young ladies graduated from National Youth Leadership Training (NYLT) at Camp Berry. In addition, new Course Director, Sandy Wood received a special ceremony to receive her “Fourth Bead” indicating multiple years and positions supporting NYLT and Wood Badge courses.

NYLT is a six-day course, nationally developed and offered locally, using active learning and problem solving to teach leadership skills to Scouts and Venturers ages 13-20.

This course is not a classroom training, as it offers more for the participants. Scouts experience games, challenges, presentations, discussions, and hands-on activities that resonate with youth. Best of all, instructors and staff for the course is comprised mainly of youth Scouts who have previously graduated from an NYLT course.

Sessions have up to date content such as the sessions titled “Embracing and Leading Change,” “Servant Leadership” and “Resilience” as well as extensive active learning in team development.  

During the week, Scouts experience the ideal model of the patrol method. A patrol is a small group of Scouts who elect a leader and function like a family, splitting up chores and working together as a group to meet their goals. They develop patrol spirit and take pride in their accomplishments and responsibility for their failures as a group.

Building confidence and learning to understand their own personal development is a clear benefit of the program. Lincoln, from Troop 63, said, “When I first went into NYLT, I felt I didn’t have the skills to be a good leader. After I graduated, I felt more confident in my leadership skills, and I know what I still need to work on.”

Course Director, Sandy Wood, has many stories of Scouts who came to NYLT with almost no confident at all, and were turned around by an experience, an activity, an “ah-ha” moment that turned around their self-reliance and abilities.

Graduates of the course are eligible to apply for a youth staff position on a future NYLT course. The staff development process takes NYLT knowledge and skills and reinforces them as the youth plan the entire course, build presentations, practice their instruction in front of their peers with feedback designed for continuous improvement, and a sense of belonging that comes from being part of the NYLT staff family.

Scouts BSA participants who are at least 13 years old and have attained First-Class rank are eligible to attend NYLT with their unit leader’s approval. Graduates are eligible to apply for youth staff positions. To inquire about a staff position or learn more about NYLT, contact Sandy Wood at bsacnylt@gmail.com.

Scouting in the Black Swamp Area Council began in 1915 when the Scouting program was introduced to the young people of West Central and Northwestern Ohio. More than 5,000 individuals are participating in the local program as a Cub Scouts, Scouts BSA, Venturers, Explorers and adult volunteers. For more information about finding Scouting near you, visit BeAScout.org

If you have a story you'd like to have considered for publication, email Jim Mason at Jim.Mason@Scouting.org