Join the Movement: Empowering Youth Through Outdoor Play – Why Schools, Churches, and Communities Should Support Our Camp

At Leadership Academy, we believe in the value of unstructured time for exploration and in the benefits of allowing children to engage in imaginative and collaborative play. Our core values are all about getting kids outside and into the beauty of nature, allowing them to be creative, develop independence, and cultivate a lasting connection to the natural world. 

Getting kids outside in the summer is important because it promotes physical activity, socialization, and exposure to nature. Spending too much time on devices can lead to a sedentary lifestyle and can affect their physical and mental health. Encouraging outdoor activities can help them develop important life skills and create memorable experiences.

We design and operate camp programs that help children build confidence, grit, determination, and valuable social skills – all while getting sweaty, muddy, and stronger! The values cultivated at camp will lead children to be more caring, thoughtful, and connected with their community and each other as they grow up. 

All About Our Camps!

Thanks to community support, we have been able to grow to multiple locations over the years. Just like kids, we always want to continue growing with renewed enthusiasm, and this means we are continuously developing new activities for kids to try out a new skill and bond. We’re truly proud of the opportunities each of these camps offers for children to delight in new interests! Our camps included Camp Twigs (multiple locations), Mountain Bike Camp, Nashville Sail Camp, and our Teen Leaders Program. 

Camp Twigs: 

Both Camp Twigs at Bells Bend Beaman and our newest camp, Camp Twigs at Sanders Ferry, open up a world of play for kids 5-12! After spending so much time indoors due to the increasingly online structure of our world, we can’t think of a better way for kids to spend their summer than being outside in incredible parks packed with play! Bells Bend and Sanders Ferry both offer opportunities for hiking adventures under the guidance of our trusted camp counselors, but each camp also has unique aspects, like creeks, lakes, and rock climbing. We are intensely thoughtful when selecting camp locations, and it shows through in the quality adventures kids return home raving about with wide smiles on their faces. At Camp Twigs, kids learn life skills like fire-building, teamwork and build respect for the natural world at the same time! 

Mountain Bike Camp:

We’ve found Mountain Bike Camp to be a perfect camp pathway for adventurous kids that already love biking or want to get involved in an exciting sport. Campers participate in and learn about drill practice, trail etiquette, and bike maintenance from certified instructors. What sets Leadership Academy apart is how we incorporate education through exploration and activities. While campers improve their biking skills, they also increase their awareness of biking safety! We are all about letting kids tap into their energy and fusing it with creativity through sports. Exercise is vital for kids, and Mountain Bike Camp presents opportunities for kids to launch into an exciting activity while being incredibly active! 

Nashville Sail Camp:

All aboard! Nashville Sail Camp offers campers US Sailing Level 1 instruction in week-long sessions. Campers spend days with friends, camp staff, and certified instructors learning about aspects of boat navigation, points of sail, and safety, which translates to problem-solving skills, creative thinking, and teamwork back on land. We believe presenting kids with exciting activities such as sailing expands what they believed they were capable of. That confidence will lend itself to countless other adventures and interactions in life! 

Teen Leaders Program:

Teens today have been given an unfortunate predicament: they had to spend formative time disconnected from one another at an age when building relationships is so vital. Our Teen Leaders Program allows teens to build quality relationships without technology holding them back. Through fun and unique programs, Teen Leaders participate in camp activities while teaching younger children. When teens are put into positions to serve their community, be a role model, and reflect on their experiences, they undergo a personal transformation that radiates with inspiring light. Many of our Teen Leaders started as campers themselves and are back at camp helping to create wonderful camp memories for younger children while making new ones of their own. It has been incredible to see the value that camp has had across adolescence for teens, and this program demonstrates that these teens will have a profound relationship with the outdoors that will span their lifetime.

Time and time again, Leadership Academy has shown our dedication to the development of today’s youth and providing value to our communities. We would like to connect with organizations in the area that offer the same enrichment, such as schools, churches, and other community partners, to help us spread the word about our new camp and get more children outside this summer! You can do so in two ways: by distributing the flyer attached to this email to families and by posting information about our camp on your social media pages. I would be happy to speak with you further to discuss the best ways for me to share this information and the best practices to partner with your organization. 

Please feel free to reach out with any questions or comments you may have. You can reach us at 833-244-3288 or email [email protected] 

Thank you. 

Sincerely,

Laura “Twigs” Johnson 

CEO/Founder Leadership Academy Camps