Camp Cadet Leadership Development
Topic: learning service design for youth character development
Setting: in coordination with the Pennsylvania State Police
Opportunity
Engaged by Troop D Camp Cadet, I was given the prompt of finding a way to meaningfully engage and develop graduates of their program. In my initial interviews with stakeholders, it became evident that the best-suited solution would be a newly designed youth program. Having served as a counselor for Troop D Camp Cadet for several years and having mentored the participants, I knew that whatever this new youth program might be – it would have to be a well-designed meaningful challenge.
Discovery
In order to know how to meet that demand for challenge, I further sought the insights of stakeholders and experts. Interviewing various youth mentors, program counselors, past participants, and educators, I gained not only perspectives on decades-worth of youth engagement but also began to formulate what this service would look like.
During this discovery phase, I also reflected on my own character-development experiences. Whether it was with the University of Pittsburgh or the American Legion, I participated in numerous programs with similar purposes.
Ideation
Finding the intersection of stakeholder feedback and my own experiences, a curriculum began to develop.
Founded on the principle of cultivating leadership potential through hands-on activities and facilitated discussion, Camp Cadet Leadership Development took shape. A core tenet of curriculum based around respecting that participants would have already proved their discipline and character through their experiences with either a Camp Cadet program or a Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps program.
In the recruitment of volunteer counselors and guest speakers, the schedule and classes were based off of their best experiences in training with the Marine Corps, Army, State Police, the university programs.
The result was a week long program in which participants not only engage in discussions about communication, teamwork, and other leadership aspects, but also get the opportunity to apply much of the learning through team-building challenges. Camp Cadet Leadership Development would run parallel to Troop D Camp Cadet. This unique structure provided the cadets an additional opportunity to apply the skills they are learning and most importantly, set the example.
Implementation, Reiteration, and Expansion
Having the privilege to serve as the Program Director for three iterations of the camp, the quality of the program reflected not only my own efforts, but also the efforts of all the volunteer staff throughout the years. Each year the service was refined and improved upon as we took participant feedback with gravitas and also continued our own journeys of growth.
With proof of concept for this leadership development program, I expanded my efforts to take the program statewide so that it could be offered to youth across Pennsylvania. My first proposal failed at the start because I didn’t consider all the stakeholder interests. The model was too dependent upon the expectation that Troopers across the state would send youth to the location of Troop D Camp Cadet and that Troop D Camp Cadet would be willing to take on the extra demand.
I rebuilt my proposal around to notion of taking the program on the road, to meet the different Troopers where they are located in Pennsylvania. However, as these plans were coming together, I was accepted into the MA/MBA program with Johns Hopkins University and Maryland Institute College of Art. Resultantly, my plans of expansion turned into plans of transition.
Below you can find the Service Design Outline document. Demonstrating the iterative nature of the program, the curriculum gradually builds on all our learnings.
Insights
A few excerpts of participant feedback…
- “I believe that this camp has helped me grow as an individual not only on a small scale – attitude, discipline, motivation – but on a large scale such as character, leadership, and how I carry myself”
- “For me I learned how to put others before myself. I used to really only care about my goals, but now I strive to help others. By always being expected to “set the example” for Phase 1 (Troop D Camp Cadet), I learned more about myself. I learned how to be a mentor and that I want to conduct myself in such a way that other kids will use me as a role model.”
Much was learned not only about service design and experiential learning, but also about my own capabilities as I facilitated the growth of this program. The demand for meaningful challenges for youth continues to this day and is a space that I am passionate about.
Camp Cadet Leadership Development continues to this day with Troop D Camp Cadet.
As the program continues to grow, the purpose remains the same – to cultivate the character and leadership potential of youth through discussion and application in order to build future generations of values-driven leaders
