Rye Y Teens Focus on Leadership and Social Responsibility 
Rye, NY [December 12] Last month, the Rye Y Teen Leaders Club gathered with 250 other leaders at YMCA Camp Greenkill in Huguenot, New York. “Conference is most definitely the wrong way to describe this adventure!” said Scott Umbel, Rye Y Senior Program Director. “It was a 3 day rally filled with activities, values workshops, climbing towers, dances and a ton of energy.” Elizabeth Lugones, a junior at Rye High, was one of 13 young leaders honored as an “Emerging Leader.” In addition to her participation in the Rye Y Teen Leaders Club, Elizabeth has been involved with the Rye Y Camp as a Role Model for the past three years.
Leaders Club is a self-governed group of high school students that meet at the Y weekly with their advisors, Scott Umbel, Lou Caratelli and Danielle Ybarra, They are united under a common goal of developing themselves and each other through teamwork and challenging work. The Leaders work both within the Y and outside its walls in various service projects and leadership roles. They serve as mentors in the Y’s after school program, volunteer at the Hunger Task Force and assist in a number of projects throughout the community. The Leaders also participate in weekly “values” workshops that focus primarily on themselves; growing both as leaders and as young adults.
The YMCA Leaders Club is one of the oldest and longest running teen programs in the YMCA movement, originating in the early 1900’s and still flourishing today. For more information or to join the Rye Y Leader’s Club, please contact the Rye Y Teen department at 914-967-6363. The club is open to any high school students and meets Wednesday at 5:30pm at the Y.
