A one-time experience or event can not provide the opportunity for growth and success that young people need.  That’s why the C5 program is a year-round, five year program that provides day-in, day-out opportunities for young people to:

• Develop leadership skills 
• Serve the community
• Interact with caring adults
• Stay in touch with their group

Activities planned for each age group are unique and progressive – each one builds on previous experiences and is designed to help the young person grow and succeed.

Eighth Grade - Selection & Orientation, year 1 

Student Selection Process:

• Students are identified by school partners and participate in workshops, preparing for application, essay & interview portions of the process.
• Student recognition programs delivered by school partners
• Student & Parent Orientation and Preparation meetings

Evaluation & Program Preparation

• Our “C5ers” participate in their first challenge, as they focus on the adventure that lies ahead. The two day team building program, utilizing high ropes challenge courses, help them learn about the importance of strong leadership and teamwork.  
• The students are assessed and matched with our wonderful staff members as they prepare for their four week summer experience in Wyoming.

Camp Leadership U — Leading Myself, year 2

Rising ninth graders continue their experience as they travel to Wyoming for a four week stay at summer camp, where they learn more about themselves while participating in outdoor adventure activities designed to teach them essential life and leadership skills. Canoeing, hiking, swimming, archery, and ropes courses keep our teens active outdoors; leadership training, social awareness programs, journaling and public speaking take them far beyond the typical camp activities.  Before they return, each student completes a Leadership Development Plan, outlining his or her goals for the upcoming year.

During the school year, our teens are involved in four to six community group learning experiences reflective of the year’s theme, volunteer 30 or more hours of community service, and carry out their personal Leadership Development Plan for the year.

C5 Bridges — Expanding My Horizons, year 3
During the summer before tenth grade, participants are challenged to demonstrate their leadership skills as they finalize planning and preparation for a 14-day back-country leadership adventure.  The trip — to a wilderness location such as the Big Horn Mountains in Wyoming — provides real challenges and real consequences as campers make decisions, solve problems and learn to work together effectively.  Click here for more details about the Paintrock Leadership Challenge.  On returning, they spend the final days in camp reflecting on the trip and sharing their experiences with younger campers.

Throughout their sophomore year, they will collaborate with other youth to plan a community service project and lay the foundation for their upcoming college campus tour.  Volunteerism requirements increase to 50 hours.

Road to College — Exploring My Future,
year 4
Prior to their junior year in high school, these young adults move away from the outdoor camp experience and explore choices for post-secondary education and career opportunities.  They embark on a 10-day college campus tour that takes them to regional schools and allows them to get a taste of what college life will be like.  Along the way, they engage in a volunteer service project in one of the communities they visit.

During the year, they work with a coach who helps them identify options and navigate systems as they put their plans together for the future.  They visit additional colleges and trade schools and complete 60 hours of volunteer work.

ACT Now Summit — Engaging My Community, year 5
In the final year, participants engage in a week-long community leadership experience designed to help them understand how decisions are made and how needs are met in the communities where they live.  Teens have the opportunity to meet the people who are making a difference in their home communities and think beyond community service to community advocacy.  At the end of the week, they develop a multimedia presentation about their experience and share it with younger students.

During their senior year in high school, teens complete their leadership portfolio, engage in a major volunteer project, and take part in a series of seminars designed to propel them into their future.