Origins

Young Leaders Program is proud to present Origins, a totally new and unique take on our learning model!

What's Different?

A Synopsis on Summer

At the Young Leaders summer program youth are deeply immersed in a "real life" simulation of adulthood in a simulated "United States of Price," a fictitious country that acts as a sandbox to learn and grow.
Young Leaders (YL or YLP) evolved each year as students come and present new challenges for each other to face. New laws and court cases create new precedent, and so the program changes over time.
As YLP goes from year to year, and participants return yearly (youth ages 14-17 may come back each year) the program takes on a very orderly, district reflection of life. This is all very esoteric and abstract, while being very hands-on and engrossing, leading to very high levels of cognitive development.
Additionally, the summer program is residential (meaning students stay over night in dorms) includes indoor and outdoor activities, may involve field trips, etc.

Origins is Different.

In Origins, students simulate colonists landing on an alien planet that they plan to inhabit. Each student "lands" in a spot with specific resources, geography, and tools, and then students must work together to survive, share materials, and build a society that includes a government, economy, community and more. Far more tangible, students occupy a giant map, have actual resource tokens, and construct actual models of buildings and other items they plan to use. This program is very concrete and hands-on. It is also designed to be shorter, whereas YLP is an intensive, week-long experience, Origins may be a single day up to four or five days, depending on need and function.

Whats the Same?

There is a lot the same between the summer program and the Origins program. Here's just a few:

Same Great Staff: the staff that we have running summer run Origins, too.
Learning Model: deep, thoughtful, engaging, hands-on approach
Great Guest Speakers: From the current (or former!) Governors, Mayors, Senators, Representatives, Supreme Court Justices, Judges, TV Personalties and others, YL finds the folks!
Uniforms: All staff and students wear identificatory uniforms, which help level the playing field also between different economic classes of people.
The SimuNation™ Students are "living" in the simulated realty they create and experience the consequences of their every action played out in a fun, yet educational way
Focus on Citizenship: students learn all elements of US Citizenship, including the three branches of government, election law, judicial procedures, and much more.
Focus on Leadership Students are immersed in theory, classes and coursework founded on The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, Getting Things Done (GTD), and much more
Focus on Adulting Students must act for themselves, define themselves, and take care of themselves while at the same time learning to work together with other youth, both independently and as a team.
We Learn by Doing™. Kids are building, doing, exploring, talking, drawing, drafting, writing, speaking, lobbying, campaigning, singing, dancing, filming, constructing, walking, eating, and defining their simulated "reality"
We Build Citizens™ A focus on StatesCraft, constitutionality, law, government, and order. Students who graduate YL have an in-depth, accurate, keen sense of how government works and know how to make a difference in it.

Frequently Asked Questions

What ages are appropriate for YLOrigins vs YLCamp?
YLOrigins may be appropriate for youth as young as 9 or 10 as it is presented in a day-camp format. YLCamp is overnight and significantly higher levels of responsibility are pressed upon youth to manage themselves, so we recommend YLCamp for those in middle school and above.

What is provided?
Students at either program are provided uniforms, backpacks, pins, buttons, and other fun stuff as part of the program. Students are always fed and cared for.

What is the cost?
Both programs are free for youth. We seek sponsorships, grants, and other donors to help cover the costs. Our goal is to have each youth directly sponsored by an organization, school, church or other group, but youth can also come by themselves.

How is the food?
YLOrigins tends to be catered or Door Dashed to our location due to the fact that we can run it at various and different locals. YLCamp is always at a venue with managed food service (Cafeteria) and students eat in the cafeteria.

Can I go to both?
Yes! You can go to any and all programs you can physically arrive at! Just register and tell us you're coming!

From a Young Leaders: Origins program