Lowell Youth Leadership Program's (LYLP) mission is to provide access and opportunity to under-served Lowell youth. Through our program we plan to provide exposure to a slate of courses and activities that are unavailable to our participants for reasons of cost or local offering. The curriculum is structured to engender a sense of empowerment and a connection to the community. Our objective is to try and lessen the effect of the participants environment as an impediment to their success. By emphasizing leadership skills and civic engagement we hope to create an environment that fosters a desire to give back to the community and creates a legacy of leadership.
Our 8 Guiding Principles
LYLP is guided by principles that nurture the whole child. We create a respectful and inclusive environment where every camper feels valued and heard. Through intentional activities and teamwork, campers are encouraged to develop leadership skills, build confidence, and recognize their own strengths. We encourage positive connections with staff, instructors, speakers and other campers, empowering young people to grow into confident, compassionate leaders both at camp and beyond.
Check out this video to learn more about the
Lowell Youth Leadership Program and the impact we strive to make each year for our campers.
Leadership
Lisa Ansara
Executive Director
Larry Wilson
President
Sam Hor
Vice President
Andy Lopez
Vice President
Helen Blaschke
Roeun Chan
Jim McCusker
Kah Ndi
Christina Nikitopoulos
Barb Scollan
Ed Scollan
Sochenda Uch
From NYSP to LYLP: Our Journey
LYLP was born from our own experiences growing up in the projects of Lowell, where access to resources, opportunities, and consistent support was limited. As youth, we were fortunate to participate in the National Youth Sports Program (NYSP) at UMass Lowell—a summer program that introduced us not only to a college campus, but to sports and experiences we had never imagined, like tennis, golf, and track and field.
Through NYSP, we found lifelong friendships, strong adult mentors, and a sense of belonging that helped guide us through our teenage years. Many of us grew within the program, first as campers, then junior counselors, counselors, and even instructors.
When the program eventually lost funding and disappeared, its absence was deeply felt. As adults, we often reflected on the profound impact NYSP had on our lives and the need for something similar for the next generation.
In 2021, those conversations turned into action, as we reunited former participants and trusted community members to create the Lowell Youth Leadership Program. LYLP now provides Lowell youth with access to high-quality sports instruction, leadership development, and a strong support system, offering experiences such as daily swimming, golf, basketball, tennis, adventure courses, rock climbing, mental health education, civics day, financial literacy in partnership with JDCU, and more—continuing the legacy of opportunity that once shaped our own lives.
— Written by Sam Hor and Larry Willson
