Spotlight On: Beacon Leadership Camp

Did you know that the Sunset Neighborhood Beacon Center is one of eight Beacon Centers providing services to San Francisco communities? Yes, we are! And did you know that SNBC is part of a national Beacon movement and that there are Beacons in Minneapolis, Denver, Philadelphia, and New York? Well, here’s a treat for you.

Recently, two of SNBC’s youth participants had the chance to meet other students from Beacons across the country at a youth conference -- the Beacon Leadership Camp -- in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Two students from SNBC joined youth from San Francisco’s 7 other Beacon sites across the city in attending the conference; the students were selected through an application and interview process.

These students are part of the citywide Beacon Leadership Team, which is a council of students from each of the 8 Beacon sites in San Francisco, including SNBC. Each site sends 3-4 youth representatives to meet regularly to share their experiences in the program and gain knowledge to take back with their own Beacon community.

For the past 5 years, the Minneapolis Beacon Leadership Team (BLT) has held a youth leadership camp to offer workshops, leadership trainings, goal-setting exercises, and team-building activities. This year, youth from other Beacons across the nation joined the Minneapolis BLT at their fall Beacon Leadership Camp. Beacons were represented from Minneapolis, New York, Denver, and San Francisco!

7th graders Olivia Flores and Saleen Lee and 8th graders Carlos Flores and Luke Cheng-Kenezevich are participants in SNBC’s West Sunset Rec Connect program and they represent SNBC on the San Francisco BLT. All four representatives attended BLT meetings in which they interacted with other youth from around the city, designed goals for the Beacon Leadership Team, and planned the recent trip to Minneapolis.

Unfortunately, each Beacon Center can only send 2 students on the trip, so the group decided that Carlos and Luke, the older youth, would attend in 2012 with the hope that Olivia and Saleen could attend in 2013.

A few weeks ago, Carlos, Luke, and West Sunset Rec Connect Program Coordinator Mandy McGowen bid San Francisco adieu and took a red-eye flight to Minneapolis alongside other San Francisco Beacon Leadership Team members. Students and instructors visited the Bloomington Mall of America and rode some roller coasters before the conference.

A bus took the BLT ambassadors to a YMCA camp outside of Minneapolis, the site of the Beacon Leadership Camp. Students attended workshops about bullying and transitioning into high school as well as sessions addressing other national youth issues. During “choice time,” Luke and Carlos learned a new game – gaga – which is similar to dodge-ball but with its own court. They also engaged in team building and trust activities on the ropes course. As Luke and Carlos said, “It was an amazing weekend of making new friends and learning how to be better leaders!” After a great 3 days, Carlos, Luke, and Mandy flew home Sunday afternoon, exhausted but happy.

Looking forward to next year, stay tuned for more details.
Hosted by Minneapolis Beacon Youth at Camp Iduhapi, a YMCA camp in Independence, Minnesota.