LEADERSHIP PROGRAMS

While girls hone leadership skills throughout Onaway’s program, we offer two programs specifically designed to build upon their camper summers and prepare them for counselor opportunities at Onaway and for other leadership roles in life.

Onaway Wilderness Leadership Experience (OWLE)

The OWLE program is designed for 16 and 17 year old girls following their last year as campers at Onaway. With the New Hampshire and Maine wilderness as the classroom, the girls learn valuable outdoor skills and essential life lessons.

The emphasis of this program is to help girls realize their leadership potential with their peers and to test it out in a number of wilderness situations. The program helps the girls appreciate the environment, instills in them a spirit of adventure, and promotes teamwork in challenging situations.

The three week trip includes canoeing, sea kayaking, rock climbing and backpacking.

Each girl is assigned as leader of the day, making decisions for the group, several times during the trip. Girls are able to receive constructive feedback and then incorporate what the learned as each girl is leads the group at least two if not three times.

Onaway Aides

An aide is a former camper or other 17 – 18 year old who attends camp for a summer of counselor training. The girls assume responsibility in assisting the counselors with activities, trips, and cabin groups.

As the summer progresses and both skills and confidence increase, aides take the lead role in classes and cabin group activities.

The program includes a three day wilderness experience along with opportunities to earn Red Cross certification in lifeguarding. Aides live together and have two counselors who mentor them during the summer and support the transition from camper to counselor.