Held at Camp Glen Spey, near Port Jervis, NY, the long weekend of activities incorporated the PYLI leadership skills-development with the “Uniquely Me” program sponsored by the Girl Scouts. The PYLI training provided a challenging series of lessons and exercises on team building, assessing and understanding community needs, goal setting, project planning, decision making and leadership dynamics. “Uniquely Me” builds self-esteem by helping girls develop the skills necessary to face a myriad of challenges throughout their lives.

Combining the different activities of PYLI and “Uniquely Me” proved to be wonderfully successful, providing a range of fun exercises with the opportunity to learn new skills through role-playing and hands-on experiences. In their evaluations, all of the girls indicated that the skills they learned and the confidence they gained in themselves has helped them develop a road map for their future, one which they hope will help them put their compassion to work in lives that are positive, productive and successful.

An important part of the PYLI training requires that all participants plan and complete a community service project. The Scouts brainstormed ideas during the PYLI training and, since then, have been putting plans to work and developing a variety of projects targeted at helping children with physical and emotional disabilities.

Pony Power Therapies, in Mahwah, in their equine therapy programs for autistic children.

Ridgewood (NJ) Y’s swim therapy program for handicapped children

Tomorrows Children’s Institute at Hackensack University Medical Center, providing peer support to seriously ill children and adolescents

Various community and school programs where they are presenting a puppet and marionette production they created that addresses children with emotional and physical disabilities.

The Seeing Eye Foundation, in Morristown, NJ, to raise awareness of how Seeing Eye dogs help sight-impaired children.

The group of Girl Scouts has worked hard over the past months and will continue to use their compassion and newly-learned skills to benefit the community. They truly are an inspiration to young people everywhere!

If you would like more information about the Points of Light Youth Leadership Institute and how your school or youth organization can be involved, please contact Debbie Emery at the Volunteer Center by calling (201) 489-9454, ext. 18. You can also be in contact by email (just click on Debbie’s email address on the left side of this page).