YWCA VT Camp Hochelaga

In 2015, with support from the JM Kaplan Foundation, Leaders on the Lake: Getting Down and Dirty with the Environment was born! The first big project for this group of young leaders was to construct raised garden beds at YWCA Vermont Camp Hochelaga. This led to gardening classes and great fresh food for our meals. Our raised bed gardens have grown to six and continue to provide fresh produce for our kitchen during the camping season. Since then, our spring Leaders on the Lake program has focused on inspiring girls to feel empowered to pursue their interests and develop their STEAM skills and step into leadership roles with confidence through team building challenges as a group. Leaders on the Lake participants have planted camp’s garden, built bat houses, built a chicken coop, learned about our camp bees, cooked dinner over the campfire, taken on team challenges, played full camp games, and spent nights in cozy camp cabins! Leaders on the Lake programming is developed annually in partnership with Lake Champlain Basin Program and other community partners associated with providing environmental education opportunities for youth. YWCA Vermont will often choose a specific theme relevant to the current challenges of our local environment to create meaningful projects for young leaders to take part in.

YWCA Vermont’s Leaders on the Rise program began in 2018 as a leadership development opportunity to middle school and high school aged girls through the scope of social justice empowerment. Our two-day, one night program welcomes young leaders to Camp Hochelaga to participate in a variety of projects with the intended purpose to demonstrate the significance and power of self-expression and supporting others in our local community. In a rustic atmosphere, participants will have the chance to appreciate the natural beauty of camp while engaging in thoughtful dialogue to explore how they can make change within their communities. We look forward to partnering with a variety of community organizations to support our efforts in facilitating these meaningful projects of youth empowerment and leadership development.

We take a Stand Against Racism every day by raising awareness about the impact of institutional and structural racism and by building community among those who work for racial justice.