Youth Leadership Camp [YLC] is an intensive four-week summer camp dubbed as one of “the best” camps to go to for deaf youth who want to become future leaders in their communities. 

It was announced that Camp Taloali in Stayon, Oregon–where YLC’s summer camp is hosted–closed their campgrounds to all rentals and activities for now due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Youth section of the National Association of the Deaf [NAD] has decided to reserve spots for the first session of YLC’s 2021 two camp sessions for all youth who applied this year and were accepted or waitlisted. 

Typically there is only one camp session each summer with 64 youth leaders being accepted per session. NAD Youth, however, wants to provide two separate sessions in Summer 2021 where the 2020 YLC attendees can still have their experience, without impacting the experience for 2021 YLC attendees. Due to having to fit in two camp sessions, both sessions will be slightly shortened by a few days. The first session will be June 22 – July 21, 2021 and the second session will be July 15 – August 4, 2021. 

Interested persons should continue to keep an eye on NAD Youth’s webpage at youth.nad.org/ylc for any further updates:

In response to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, we are not able to host   #YLC2020 — however, we will postpone this year’s camp session to next year! This means we will have TWO camp sessions in 2021. Bookmark our page to stay updated: youth.nad.org/ylc #LongLiveYLC “

(@nadyouthprograms) 

NAD YLC alumni, community leaders, and business members gather together to make this possible, year after year. For over 50 years, YLC has fostered growth and self-discovery within Deaf youth leaders as an extension of the activities and training offered to Junior NAD members. The NAD selects 64 outstanding youth leaders from all over the United States and the world to attend YLC every year. Each selected leader is given direct responsibility to raise funds towards coverage of their application, tuition, and travel expenses. 

Youth leaders must be a high school freshman or sophomore who has been provided opportunities to transition into higher education, meaningful employment, and leadership development. 

Interactive activities offer leaders the opportunity to understand the emphasis on ‘learning by doing,’ adopting the old Chinese proverb: “Tell me, and I’ll forget. Show me, and I’ll remember. Involve me, and I’ll learn.”

(NAD YLC)

YLC boasts 3,000+ alumni, with many of them going on to become successful leaders and advocates for the community in their areas. Several alumni have stated that NAD’s YLC is a “once in a lifetime” opportunity.