Recognizing the connection between strong students, strong schools and successful principals, the Association of Washington School Principals (AWSP) has invested in student leadership programs for more than 50 years. These nationally-recognized programs now serve more than 10,000 students through summer leadership camps, conferences, workshops and special events.

In 2003, Cispus Learning Center staff member Vincent Perez suggested that AWSP develop a leadership camp primarily to serve Latino youth. Perez, himself a former leadership camp delegate, helped establish the program as a way to build the skills of Latino students while also improving school climates. La Cima began with 14 students at the first bilingual leadership camp. This last June, La Cima Washington served 103 delegates. Future camps are scheduled as follows: June 22-26, 2009, June 21-25, 2010, June 20-24, 2011, June 25-29, 2012.

La Cima is one of 15 leadership camps sponsored by Washington Student Leadership (WSL). Like other camps, La Cima is staffed independently to best serve its particular mission. In addition to Latino outreach, WSL created Deaf Teen Leadership Camp in 2004. La Cima is rooted in a long tradition of experiential education and student-centered leadership.

Con el reconocimiento de la conexión entre estudiantes fuertes, colegios fuertes y directores exitosos, la Asociación de los Directores de las Escuelas de Washington (AWSP) ha invertido en programas de liderazgo estudiantil por más de 50 años.  Estos programas bien reconocidos nacionalmente sirven más de 10,000 estudiantes durante campamentos del liderazgo en el verano, conferencias  y eventos especiales.

En 2003, un empleado del Centro de Liderazgo de Cispus y un participante de los campamentos hace unos años, Vincent Perez sugirió que AWSP desarrollara un campamento de liderazgo para servir a la juventud latina.  Perez ayudó a establecer el programa como una manera para desarrollar las habilidades de estudiantes latinos a la vez mejorar el clima escolar.  La Cima empezó con 14 estudiantes en el primer campamento bilingüe de liderazgo.  El junio pasado, La Cima Washington sirvió a 103 delegados.  Los campamentos del futuro serán así: 21-25 de junio, 2010, 20 – 24 de junio, 2011, 25-29 de junio, 2012.

La Cima es uno de 15 campamentos de liderazgo patrocinado por Liderazgo Estudiantil de Washington (WSL).  Los empleados de La Cima son escogidos específicamente para servir a la población latina.  Además del programa latino, WSL ha creado el Campamento de Liderazgo para Jóvenes Sordos en 2004.  La Cima está basada en una tradición larga de educación activa basada en hacer y no solo hablar ni escuchar.

Hello Friends of La Cima!
Thanks for your help in sending students to La Cima Bilingual Leadership Camp over the past few years. The La Cima staff met at a planning meeting over January 8 & 9 to fine tune an already excellent experience for Latino student leaders. We are excited about June 21-25 and look forward to working with you as you help students get to La Cima. (All of the below information can also be accessed at www.awsp.org/lacimacamp)

Emerging Leaders Scholarships
Once again PEMCO and the School Employees Credit Union of Washington are offering 37 scholarships to emerging leaders. Each year 6-8 of these scholarships are set aside for La Cima…so find a kid and send in an application. Deadline is March 18  
(but if you run into a time crunch…e-mail me to let me know you have an application on the way!)

Nomination Application
http://www.awsp.org/Content/awsp/StudentLeadership/SummerCamps/PemcoComplete.pdf

Registration Information
To reserve school slots at La Cima…complete the school /sponsoring agency form. You can get us the names of students at a later date. School reservations are not guaranteed after May 31st without a Delegate Medical Form.

School or Sponsoring Agency Registration/Information Forms (WORD)

Delegate Registration/Medical Form in English (WORD)

Matricula Delegada y Formulario Medico en Espanol (WORD)

School or Sponsoring Agency Registration/Information Forms AND
Delegate Registration/Medical Form and Matricula Delegada y Formulario Medico en Espanol (pdf)

Returning Students to La Cima
Based on our successful pilot of a second year experience for returning delegates, we are again offering schools a chance to send 2 returning students to La Cima from your total maximum delegation of 8. (Schools can send 8 “newbies” or 6 “newbies” and 2 “returners.”).

Junior Counselors (JC) at La Cima
If you have an outstanding senior graduating this year from your school program that attended La Cima, encourage him/her to apply for a Junior Counselor position. The deadline for a JC application is May 1.

Junior Counselor (JC) Application for Summer 2010

Wal-Mart Community Grants
We have visited more than 20 Wal-Marts over the last month applying for Community Grants to support La Cima. We have visited Wal-Marts in areas where a concentration of schools have been sending students to La Cima. We will contact you if we receive a grant that can serve students in your area. Our goal is to use these grants to help schools send students to La Cima.

Thanks again for your willingness to work within the school systems to get students to camp. We look forward to filling La Cima to capacity (100 plus delegates) for the 3rd year in a row!

Please contact me if there is any way you think I can assist you in helping students get to La Cima.