YOUTH LEADERSHIP TRAINING
Once boys and girls reach high school a whole series of options open up for them to develop their leadership skills. Training youth people to be leaders and apostles is the "crowning jewel" of the summer camps and retreats at River Ridge, since our goal is to awaken, form and launch Catholic youth apostles.
Our leadership opportunities teach high school students (and alumni) the skills they need to lead their younger peers to an encounter with Christ. They are taught to lead Gospel reflections, testimonies, fun and formative activities, and more. They learn to set up for Mass and adoration, to lead a team of younger peers, and just about the million and one errands and duties a camp requires!
Through these experiences, these high school students grow in their self-confidence, develop leadership, and learn to hand on the faith through their example, words, and actions. And they are able to give back after so many years of wonderful camp experiences!
See below for the various leadership opportunities for your high school students.
Our leadership opportunities teach high school students (and alumni) the skills they need to lead their younger peers to an encounter with Christ. They are taught to lead Gospel reflections, testimonies, fun and formative activities, and more. They learn to set up for Mass and adoration, to lead a team of younger peers, and just about the million and one errands and duties a camp requires!
Through these experiences, these high school students grow in their self-confidence, develop leadership, and learn to hand on the faith through their example, words, and actions. And they are able to give back after so many years of wonderful camp experiences!
See below for the various leadership opportunities for your high school students.
Team Leader:
(year round)
This is the most basic form of leadership and usually the first step for other roles that require responsibility.
The team leader is either an 8th grader or a high school student that steps up to lead a small group of boys or girls during summer camp or weekend retreat. They participate in all or most of the activities of the youth in their team, leading by example and through motivation. Usually, team leaders have experience at camp as a camper. Team leaders are offered leadership training from an adult mentor before, during, and even after the event. Team leaders are needed for all summer camps and for most weekend retreats.
If you would like your son or daughter to be a team leader, please email the camp director at campriverridge@gmail.com.
The team leader is either an 8th grader or a high school student that steps up to lead a small group of boys or girls during summer camp or weekend retreat. They participate in all or most of the activities of the youth in their team, leading by example and through motivation. Usually, team leaders have experience at camp as a camper. Team leaders are offered leadership training from an adult mentor before, during, and even after the event. Team leaders are needed for all summer camps and for most weekend retreats.
If you would like your son or daughter to be a team leader, please email the camp director at campriverridge@gmail.com.
Retreat Counselor:
(school year)
By a "counselor", we refer to a high school student that steps up to lead activities during weekend retreats designed for younger peers. Counselors help by organizing outside games in the fields and lake, by prepping the chapel for Mass and adoration, by leading prayers, testimonies, and talks. They get to participate in all or most of the activities of camp, though from an organizational perspective.
Counselors also often get to dress up and reenact the various significant moments in the life of a saint, or they may dress up in costume and act as the "bad guys" in a battle reenactments.
Counselors should have experience at camp as a camper and should have been trained to be a team leader. Counselors are offered leadership training from an adult mentor before, during, and even after the event. Counselors are needed for all summer camps (the ECYD Missionaries are summer counselors) and for most weekend retreats.
If your son or daughter would like to be a counselor for upcoming retreats, please email the camp director at campriverridge@gmail.com.
Counselors also often get to dress up and reenact the various significant moments in the life of a saint, or they may dress up in costume and act as the "bad guys" in a battle reenactments.
Counselors should have experience at camp as a camper and should have been trained to be a team leader. Counselors are offered leadership training from an adult mentor before, during, and even after the event. Counselors are needed for all summer camps (the ECYD Missionaries are summer counselors) and for most weekend retreats.
If your son or daughter would like to be a counselor for upcoming retreats, please email the camp director at campriverridge@gmail.com.
ECYD Leadership Training Weekend:
(Fall)
ECYD is an international Catholic association of adolescents who make a pledge of friendship with Christ and with each other to build up a new world according to the Gospel. It is part of the Regnum Christi family. So ECYD team leaders (see above) are called to lead a team of younger peers at ECYD programs, retreats, and summer camps. This weekend training helps team leaders understand ECYD better and make their teams a place of true friendship where boys and girls will grow in faith. Team leaders have fun using the camp's facilities and participating in the activities.
This is one of the few coed events we have at camp. The weekend is for high school boys and girls that want and need ongoing training and support to lead a team of younger peers at either retreats, summer camps, or youth ministry programs like Challenge or Conquest. The weekend is also open to high school boys and girls that want to develop their leadership skills and become apostles in some way.
If your son or daughter would like to participate in this weekend retreat, please hover over "Register" in the Menu and create an account and/or log in to register for the ECYD Team Leader Training. Thank you! (Note this retreat is in the Fall)
This is one of the few coed events we have at camp. The weekend is for high school boys and girls that want and need ongoing training and support to lead a team of younger peers at either retreats, summer camps, or youth ministry programs like Challenge or Conquest. The weekend is also open to high school boys and girls that want to develop their leadership skills and become apostles in some way.
If your son or daughter would like to participate in this weekend retreat, please hover over "Register" in the Menu and create an account and/or log in to register for the ECYD Team Leader Training. Thank you! (Note this retreat is in the Fall)
Camp Missionary:
(Summertime)
The Camp Missionary program is an awesome and intense summer experience of leadership! Boys and girls that join the program lead summer camps, missions, and other activities during a period of 2 - 8 weeks of their summer!
The program is for incoming High School boys and girls and is usually open to a select few (5-15) at a time. It's expected that these boys and girls have had experience as campers and as team leaders beforehand, though it's not always exclusively the case.
Because it's a longer period of time serving as leaders and counselors of summer camps, these high school boys and girls have a very unique time of their lives, and their personality matures according to the level of challenge and commitment they put into their summer mission corps experience.
There are also different missionary programs throughout the country, so it is possible to serve in a different city. It is also possible to serve more than once.
If your son or daughter is interested in the Camp Missionary program for River Ridge, please contact the camp director at campriverridge@gmail.com to obtain an informational packet, an application form, and registration details.
The program is for incoming High School boys and girls and is usually open to a select few (5-15) at a time. It's expected that these boys and girls have had experience as campers and as team leaders beforehand, though it's not always exclusively the case.
Because it's a longer period of time serving as leaders and counselors of summer camps, these high school boys and girls have a very unique time of their lives, and their personality matures according to the level of challenge and commitment they put into their summer mission corps experience.
There are also different missionary programs throughout the country, so it is possible to serve in a different city. It is also possible to serve more than once.
If your son or daughter is interested in the Camp Missionary program for River Ridge, please contact the camp director at campriverridge@gmail.com to obtain an informational packet, an application form, and registration details.
Regnum Christi Mission Corps:
(One year commitment)
The Mission Corps is a Regnum Christi program through which a young person (High School graduate or college student) volunteers for one or two years to work exclusively for the Catholic Church. It is a once in a lifetime opportunity to serve the local Church through active apostolate and to help other young people find the meaning of their lives in Christ.
The RC Missionary boys and girls serve as camp staff during their year, which usually runs August thru summer. They help prepare retreats and summer camps, they take a much greater level of responsibility, and they help form high school boys and girls in leadership positions. They also lead day retreats for parishes during the week. They also help with the development of the camp with small maintenance and improvement duties.
Note, however, that RC Missionaries can serve in several ministries throughout the country, and not just Camp River Ridge.
RC Mission Corps is a program of formation and accompaniment designed for young people to have a real experience of Christ’s love, to be formed as apostles, to live selflessly and in constant self-giving in service of their neighbor, and to experience a journey towards vocational fulfillment.
Four Dimensions of Mission Corps
You can find more information at the RC Mission Corps program website: http://rcmissioncorps.org.
If your son or daughter is interested in this program, please contact the camp director at campriverridge@gmail.com.
The RC Missionary boys and girls serve as camp staff during their year, which usually runs August thru summer. They help prepare retreats and summer camps, they take a much greater level of responsibility, and they help form high school boys and girls in leadership positions. They also lead day retreats for parishes during the week. They also help with the development of the camp with small maintenance and improvement duties.
Note, however, that RC Missionaries can serve in several ministries throughout the country, and not just Camp River Ridge.
RC Mission Corps is a program of formation and accompaniment designed for young people to have a real experience of Christ’s love, to be formed as apostles, to live selflessly and in constant self-giving in service of their neighbor, and to experience a journey towards vocational fulfillment.
Four Dimensions of Mission Corps
- Spiritual – During this year, a missionary is given an opportunity to grown in personal relationship with Christ through prayer, sacramental life, and spiritual direction.
- Human – During this year, a missionary works on a personal program of human formation to build a rich and balanced personality and develop qualities such as: self-knowledge, a mature and upright conscience, responsibility, trustworthiness, and self-control.
- Intellectual – The year begins with a formation course in the summer to prepare a missionary for his or her mission year with a series of important workshops and seminars. This formation program is continued throughout the year.
- Apostolic – An RC Missionary serves in various ministries throughout the country. Camp River Ridge is one such ministry, for example. This work may take many forms, (retreats, youth groups, mission trips, assist in schools, parishes, etc…), through which an RC Missionary works to build up Christ’s Church. He or She is Christ’s hands and feet and voice to bring Him and His Word wherever they go.
You can find more information at the RC Mission Corps program website: http://rcmissioncorps.org.
If your son or daughter is interested in this program, please contact the camp director at campriverridge@gmail.com.