About Junior National Young Leaders Conference

Junior National Young Leaders Conference FAQs

• Is the Junior National Young Leaders Conference right for me?

  The Junior National Young Leaders Conference is for you if you are a mature and responsible middle school student who has demonstrated leadership potential and academic achievement. Many of our students are nominated by educators, leaders from youth organizations, and participating institutions, but open enrollments are welcome and are considered on a case-by-case basis. 

• What is the code of conduct for this program?

  Attending JrNYLC is fun, but it is also an honor. Like all meaningful experiences, you only get out of it what you put in to your time spent at this exciting conference. You are expected to conduct yourself as a mature and responsible leader as you represent your school and community. You must abide by the Student Code of Conduct. You must also abide by and uphold all conference rules. Failure to do this may result in dismissal from the program and forfeiture of tuition.

• What is included in tuition?

  Your tuition for the Junior National Young Leaders Conference includes housing accommodations (residential program only), instruction, program activities and materials, site explorations and supervision by professional program staff. Your meals and snacks during the program are also covered (excluding lunch on arrival and departure days). Private motor coach transportation to all locations during the program is also included in your tuition.
  
  However, your transportation to and from Washington, DC is NOT included in tuition. While attending the program, you will only need money for personal spending on items such as souvenirs, airport shuttle service, additional snacks, and other incidentals. 

• How will I be supervised?

  Your safety and well-being during the program is our highest priority. The program is structured so that you will reside in a safe, controlled environment. You will be closely supervised by our professionally trained Envision team, including advisors who serve as educational facilitators and chaperones, security personnel, operations personnel and program coordinators.

  For nearly 30 years, Envision has achieved a stellar record of safely and successfully enriching the lives of students, providing them with superb educational experiences and professional supervision. Other Envision safety measures include:

  • Greeting students at the designated airport upon their arrival and providing shuttle service directly to the program site, as well as providing shuttle service back to the airport on departure day*
  • Maintaining a student-to-staff ratio of 17-to-1
  • Requiring all students to attend all activities
  • Checking rooms nightly and ensuring that students remain in their rooms
  • Having night monitors in place to support students who may become ill or who have an emergency during the night
  • Equipping all staff members with two-way communication devices

  *There is a $70 nonrefundable roundtrip fee for shuttle service or a $35 fee for one-way shuttle service.

• What is the difference between the residential and day options?

  You have two options when enrolling in JrNYLC: a residential option and a day option.

  Students who choose the residential option will work and stay at the Conference site for the program duration and will participate in additional simulations in the evenings.  Additionally, on the eve of the final day of the program, residential students will travel to Baltimore, MD for dinner and a sleepover adventure at the Maryland Science Center.

  Students who choose the day option will be checked in each morning after breakfast and checked out each evening before dinner. Day students participate in all site visits to Washington, DC; however, the day program ends a day before the residential program, and day students DO NOT travel to Baltimore or sleep over at the Maryland Science Center. It is possible for Day students to add the museum overnight to their experience for a fee when completing their enrollment. The benefit of the day program is flexibility in scheduling. Additionally, some students may not feel comfortable with a residential option, and the day option allows for these students to still participate in the program and awaken their leadership potential.
• Where will I stay?

  For the summer 2018 JrNYLC sessions, 7th and 8th grade students, along with staff, will reside at the National 4-H Youth Conference Center in Chevy Chase, MD. The housing site is located just outside of Washington, DC and is ideally suited for students to enjoy all the program activities that take place in Maryland, West Virginia and our nation’s capital. 

• How many students share a room?

  Each room will house three to four students. You will have your own bed, which may include a roll-away bed. 

• Can my parents attend the program?

  No. Your parents or guardians are not allowed to accompany you during the program. Gaining independence, including experiencing new things on your own, is an essential part of your growth during the program. However, it is perfectly fine for your family to travel with you to the program location and stay in the area while you are attending the program.

• Can I attend if I am a student with special needs?
  Yes. If you are a student with special needs or with disabilities, we encourage you to call our Office of Admissions for more information or to discuss your particular needs prior to enrolling in the program. We may be able to provide you with auxiliary aids and services to assist you. 
  
• Do I need to make my own flight arrangements?

  Yes. Your tuition does not include transportation for arrival to and departure from the program location. We recommend that you make necessary flight arrangements only AFTER you receive confirmation that you are officially enrolled.

• What is the pre-conference assignment, FUEL?

  The first step of your leadership journey includes assessing your strengths and opportunities for growth. To aid in this assessment, you must complete a brief pre-program assignment entitled Feedback for Understanding Emerging Leaders (FUEL).

  The FUEL assignment will be available on your personal MyEnvisionExperience.com web page after you enroll. It simply requires that you choose five mentors—teachers, coaches, youth group leaders or other trusted adults—to complete a short survey about your leadership strengths. You will also complete a short self-assessment as part of the FUEL assignment.
• Can special dietary needs be met?

  At JrNYLC, we make every effort to meet all the dietary needs of all of our students. When you complete the Student Information Form, you will have the opportunity to make special dietary requests.