NCCJSTL's Anytown Youth Leadership Institute

Start your 2009 Applications here!

Participant Applications:

Anytown Application 2009 (287K PDF)

2009 Participant Application: Call 314-865-3042 x114

Join the staff of Anytown! Applications:

Anytown Staff Application 2009

2009 Staff Application: Call 314-865-3042 x114

Evaluation of Anytown

Evaluation of The National Conference for Community and Justice of Metropolitan St. Louis (NCCJSTL) Anytown Youth Leadership Institute by Philliber Research Associates:

Anytown Evaluation in PDF Format

NCCJSTL's Anytown Youth Leadership Institute is an eight-day residential “depth awareness” program for high-school students. You may download staff and delegate applications here. If you would like an application sent to you, please contact the NCCJSTL office and talk with June Christian at 314-865-3042 x114. NCCJSTL's Anytown challenges and prepares youth to make meaningful and informed decisions affecting their futures, and the futures of their schools and communities.

MORE INFORMATION:

Anytown Youth Leadership Institute
A Social Justice Focused, Depth Awareness, Leadership Program for High School Students
Sponsored by The National Conference for Community and Justice of Metropolitan St. Louis

What is Anytown Youth Leadership Institute?

The Anytown Youth Leadership Institute, a program of The National Conference for Community and Justice of Metropolitan St. Louis (NCCJSTL), is a unique residential program for high-school-aged youth. Anytown's goal is to prepare youth to be effective leaders and change agents who are dedicated to fighting bias, bigotry, and oppression. Youth participate in experiential learning activities and dialogue sessions designed to increase their understanding of human relations, social justice issues and of their own responsibility to create a community based on inclusion, trust, and mutual respect.

Who can apply, how much does Anytown cost, and what is included?
Any high school student who is currently in the 9th, 10th or 11th grade or who is 15-18 years of age and currently pursuing a G.E.D. is eligible to apply. Students should be physically and emotionally capable of participating in an intense program that challenges them to discuss their experiences with, and attitudes about, human relations and social justice issues. NCCJSTL encourages youth of all religions, genders, sexual orientations, races, ethnicities, socio-economic classes, cultures, physical abilities, and other identity groups to apply.

• Tuition for the 8-day Institute is $975 per student. The tuition includes transportation, meals, lodging, snacks, Institute program, follow-up activities, T-shirt, and more. There is a $200 deposit that reserves a place at the Institute. The $200 deposit MUST be sent with the application. It can be paid by check or money order made out to: "NCCJSTL-Anytown Institute." The deposit will be returned if you are not accepted to the Institute. Refunds of the deposit will not be given for cancellation. Please check this website for institute dates and application deadline.

Why Anytown?

The Anytown Youth Leadership Institute is recognized as one of the premier human relations and leadership programs for youth in the United States. It is a time-tested, award winning, leadership program that nearly 40,000 young people in 25 states have attended. For eight days, participants will share their diverse cultural, ethnic, religious and economic backgrounds, develop valuable interpersonal skills, and build upon their leadership capabilities. They will have the chance to create a new community - one based on inclusion, respect and understanding.

Colleges and workplaces are increasingly looking for individuals who can work in and manage diverse settings. Anytown prepares its graduates to enter diverse educational, work and living environments and not only succeed, but excel and take on leadership roles. Anytown Youth Leadership Institute is an asset on resumes and college applications.

Is Anytown like other summer camps?

No. Anytown is more of a personal growth experience than a traditional summer camp. Activities include discussion groups, role plays, experiential exercises, and presentations on human relations and social justice issues such as stereotyping, prejudice, discrimination, gender identity, ethnic and racial identity, sexual orientation, socioeconomic class, communication, and more. While there is some recreational time each day (with traditional camp activities such as volleyball, basketball, and swimming), most of the time at Anytown is spent exploring social justice issues in various large and small discussion groups.

Anytown exposes young people to an intense "depth awareness" process with those like them and those different from them. It empowers them to become leaders that are equipped to create personal change as well as institutional change that can transform their schools and youth organizations to be just and inclusive places. Anytown challenges and prepares youth to make meaningful and informed decisions affecting their futures, as well as the futures of their organizations and communities. Anytown participants leave with useful information and skills around being agents for change around social justice issues making them leaders in a new and increasingly diverse St. Louis and United States.

What Are The Expected Outcomes Of Anytown?

When students leave Anytown they should:

• Recognize and acknowledge their own biases, stereotypes, prejudices
• Engage in ongoing work to manage and reduce their biases, stereotypes, and prejudices.
• Practice specific communication, leadership, and change agent skills.
• Understand oppression theories and conepts, how oppression works, and the internal and external manifestations of oppression.
• Leave with a sense of urgency and passion around issues of oppression, be strong allies for all targeted groups, and becoming visible advocates for inclusion.
• Be able to identify formal and informal policies and practices that create exclusion and will promote inclusion making them leaders in a new and increasingly diverse St. Louis and United States.
• Become part of a network of fellow change agents.

How many participants attend and what about the staff, Institute facility, housing and meals?

Approximately 35-45 participants attend each Anytown session. Participants are supported throughout the week by a diverse group of 18-22 staff members, allowing for a low participant to staff ratio. Anytown Institutes are held on the campus of McKendree College in Lebanon, IL. Participant lodging occurs in college dormitory style setting. Sleeping and meeting rooms are comfortably air-conditioned. . Meals are served three times a day, with snacks and water being available 24 hours per day. Vegetarian meals are also available and can be requested on the application. Staff will handle basic medical needs. Medical emergencies are handled by a nearby hospital.

How do I apply?

Please complete the application found on this website under programs. If you need us to mail a copy of the application to you, please call (314) 865-3042 ext. 114. Once all sections are complete, including all signatures, make a copy of the application for your own records and return the original by mail, fax (see below), or by e-mail to june@nccjstl.org. (Don't forget to mail your $200 deposit to the office)

Mailing address for your application:

NCCJSTL - Anytown Youth Leadership Institute
4609 Shaw Blvd. Suite 142
St. Louis, MO 63110
or
fax-(314) 856-3052

Young leaders speak out about their Anytown experience:

Katharine Cristiani: Profile of Empowered Leadership in Business

Megan Renee Gamble: Profile of Empowered Leadership

Mark C. Smith: Profile of Empowered Leadership

Ben James: Profile of Empowered Leadership