A four-day overnight camp at USM Gorham with students from all across the state
By Claire Pordon
SANFORD- Walking into an unfamiliar environment crowded with students from every school in Maine. Greeted with chanting, games, and singing while junior counselors swiftly take your bags. Sitting in a small group, knowing no one but the adult who had texted you weeks before. This is the beginning of the Maine Youth Leadership Seminar.
A four-day conference starting on a Thursday and ending on a Sunday allows participants to truly find themselves in a short time. It consists of 9 guest speakers, games, and volunteering in the surrounding community. It is also important to note that the program is free of cost to all attendees.
Guidance counselors will nominate those they think are fit for MYL values and believe should attend. In the past, Jack Van Gieson went for 2025 along with Lydia Treadwell in 2024 from the senior class. For 2026, Oakley Okeefe, Mariah Dunleavy, Jordyn Martin, and Claire Pordon went, and here’s what they had to say:
Jordyn Martin explained how everyone told her MYL would be a “life-changing experience,” and while at first she didn’t believe them, after going, she thinks it “extended my ability to put myself out there and be confident in what I have to say.” As the conference is a no-judgement zone, giving everyone a chance to be their authentic selves.
Oakley Okeefe, another attendant this year, said he learned “You need to be yourself and not put on a mask in front of everybody else.” He also believes that while it may feel like everyone is judging you, others actually value when you are truly yourself.
When looking at how the conference affects students later in life, Jack Van Gieson, who went last year, was told that being a leader is “8% words, 37% tone, and 55% body language.” This sentiment touched him, and he has carried it throughout junior year in order to better lead those around him.
Overall, the conference showed those who went that being yourself is the most freeing occurrence. Hopefully, with their shared knowledge, it will make the Sanford community a better place, full of individuals and their genuine personalities.
