15-18 Year-old Program: Adirondack Leadership
Adirondack Leadership Program (ALP)
Dates: July 11–21, 2012
$750
The Adirondack Leadership Program (ALP) is an exciting opportunity for 15–18 year-old high school students to develop their leadership potential through adventure. It is a time of fun and a time of learning. It's rappelling the face of a vertical granite wall, and backpacking beautiful mountains or canoeing through a 30,000-acre wilderness preserve. It's experiencing breathtaking beauty and discussing aspects of life with peers. It's spending time along a stream with a journal finding out who you really are. It's all of this and so much more.
Adirondack Leadership Program Components
Leadership Development
Participants have the incredible opportunity to learn about leadership through experience. Taking responsibility, working with a team of people, making decisions, serving, stepping up to the challenge, and guiding others are all leadership skills that participants will experience during the program. La Vida staff will also promote discussions, journaling, and reflection to learn from the expedition and from leaders throughout history.
Team Training: Day 1–3
The first part of the program will build up the participant team using low and high ropes course elements, prepare campers for the expedition with trip preparation, and develop personal skills with rock climbing and rappelling. The ALP group will travel to the La Vida base camp in Lake Clear, NY to get outfitted for their expedition and learn skills in their training phase.
Group Expedition: Day 4–8
Using skills acquired during the training period, the team will explore the Adirondack waterways or the Adirondack mountains as they embark on a canoeing or backpacking expedition. During this time, each participant will have the opportunity to develop their leadership skills in an exciting adventure setting.
Solo Reflection: Day 9
The solo is time set apart that is free from distractions, worry, and responsibilities. It is a chance to reflect over the trip, think more about leadership, write in a journal-reader, and plan future goals without life's usual distractions and interruptions. It is a chance to read about other great leaders, learn from them, and to consider how faith plays a part in the life of a leader.
Celebration: Day 10–11
One or two final challenges fill out the final days of the program, including a celebration run/walk. Time will be given to contemplate and celebrate the events of this powerful experience and how it applies to life. The team will join with other La Vida groups to share their experiences and accomplishments.
Adirondack State Park
ALP will take place in the Adirondack State Park near Lake Placid. It is a beautiful park system that includes lakes and ponds, winding rivers, and several mountain ranges. La Vida has been leading trips through the Adirondacks for over 40 years and has a base camp in Lake Clear, NY.
Adirondack Leadership Program Staff
ALP is run by trained wilderness trip staff based in NY with La Vida Adirondack Expeditions. ALP staff (called Sherpas) receive several weeks of training and are invested in helping participants grow personally in and leadership. La Vida Adirondack Expeditions has an excellent safety record and is a registered camp under the New York State Board of Health.