2024 EMPIRE PROMISE YOUTH SUMMIT

Survivor Jungle: Lessons in Leadership

The recent Empire Promise Youth Summit, "Survivor Jungle: Lessons in Leadership," was an absolute blast, bringing together young leaders to uncover their true potential. This year’s summit was a perfect mix of fun, learning, and personal growth, all wrapped up in a thrilling Survivor-themed experience.

Over 200 enthusiastic LPP students from across New York State joined in the jungle-themed fun, tackling a variety of exciting challenges. The summit was all about teaching key leadership skills through the wild and wonderful trials of jungle survival. Students faced both physical and mental challenges that put their teamwork, resilience, and problem-solving skills to the test.

The workshops were a huge hit, focusing on essential leadership skills like effective communication, strategic thinking, and emotional intelligence. Students discovered how to navigate tough situations, lead with empathy, and inspire their peers, all while collecting Tribal beads for their achievements.

One of the standout moments was the Tribal Council, where students got to share their experiences and show off their new leadership skills. The sense of camaraderie and personal growth was truly inspiring, highlighting the incredible impact of hands-on learning.

There were also awards for students, and New York State Senator Lea Webb was a guest speaker at the awards dinner.

The students had fun while honing their leadership skills.  When asked what leadership skills they felt they improved on (or what they learned), the responses were illuminating!

One student wrote “I think I learned you don’t have to be the loudest and the most energetic to lead”, while another wrote “I feel that I came away from the summit with a stronger sense of accountability, relationship building, and problem solving skills. My peers were very insightful and provided me with constructive feedback about the challenges I expressed I was facing.”

Other responses showed that the students felt they learned to be patient with others, and communication and cooperation were strongly emphasized.  Every student demonstrated growth in their leadership skills.

Stay tuned for the upcoming 21st Annual Empire Promise Youth Summit!