In July, our Leaders in Training (LITs) supported our summer hiking programs that tested both their stamina and their growing leadership skills. Under the summer sun, the team pushed through the heat together, finding their rhythm as a group along the way.

The day was hot and sweaty, but a cool breeze through the forest offered welcome relief, and nothing beat the reward of cooling off at the river once the hike was done. Managing lunch and extra water for the group proved to be a bigger logistical task than usual, and the LITs coordinated with campers, camp staff and sponsors to help carry supplies along the trail.

Leading the reflection activity, now a regular part of the LIT role, continued to be an area of steady growth. Each time, the LITs draw on lessons from previous programs, refining how they guide the group through reflection time and making small improvements along the way.

This program also brought many opportunities to connect with sponsors, and several LITs made the most of it, engaging in real conversation and building connections beyond the trail with both new and returning sponsor volunteers. Additionally, securing time on Saturday evening to speak one-on-one with camp staff has become a key part of the program rhythm, and this time it led to new discoveries for the LITs, particularly around the many different directions their personal LIT projects could take.

Our hope is that they continue to seek out these kinds of conversations, engaging with a wide variety of adults and opportunities, and learning how to channel their energy toward what matters most to them.

As the LITs keep building on each program, we look forward to seeing how these growing connections and reflections shape the paths they choose to take next.