LATEST UPDATE
2020 NYLT Leadership Academy courses postponed to summer 2021
Update: 4/13/20 – 12:30 PM EST
Dear Scouts and Scouters,
I am writing to you today with some sad but important news. After long consideration with the NYLT Leadership Academy taskforce and course directors, we have chosen to cancel all Leadership Academy courses for the summer of 2020. Because our course takes place in multiple locations with significant travel between different areas of the country and because of the uncertainty in the timeline of stopping the spread of COVID-19, we believe that this is the best decision to keep everyone involved in the Leadership Academy safe.
The core of Leadership Academy is the concept of Special Place, a place made safe for everyone; and Servant Leadership, the concept of putting others before ourselves. As a country and as a world we have all been asked to put these concepts to practical use, canceling events and staying indoors to “flatten the curve,” making sure that others stay safe and making personal sacrifices for the good of all. In a time of uncertainty and fear, we are asked as leaders to step up and make hard decisions, and we are hoping for your support as we make this one.
The Leadership Academy was built to give training and expertise to NYLT staff and to train the leaders of tomorrow, and despite the cancellation of courses this year, we will continue to deliver on this important mission. Our team is currently working with Scouts BSA and Scouting U to provide virtual delivery of Trainer’s Edge to NYLT staff across the country. While the virtual delivery model is new for us, the fundamentals of NYLT Leadership Academy have built us for this moment.
Moving forward, we will be in touch with more details about how the new projects we will tackle this year will be developed, and will keep all members of the Leadership Academy community and the scouting training community up to date on how their NYLT staff can receive the highest quality training. We will also continue to communicate about our 2021 courses and the plans for Leadership Academy moving forward.
We hope that you are all safe and well and continue to be so. Know that as part of the Leadership Academy and the Scouting family you are utmost in our thoughts during this time. We look forward to supporting your NYLT staff and the leadership journeys of scouts across the country in 2020 and at our courses in 2021.
Yours in Scouting,
Sam Leitermann
Director of Program and Instruction
NYLT Leadership Academy
2020 NYLT Leadership Academy registered participants notified via email that 2020 courses postponed to 2021
Update: 4/13/20 – 10:15 AM EST
We at the Leadership Academy, as well as everyone in Scouting, have a great deal of concern about the safety of those participating in our courses. The spread of COVID-19 virus is now present in all 50 states and the duration of this pandemic is unknown at this time. Therefore, we must postpone the Leadership Academy courses for 2020 until 2021 to ensure everyone has a safe and rewarding experience. You will be notified when our 2021 courses dates are confirmed and registration is open. We do hope you will be with us in 2021.
For those of you who have paid the registration fee by credit card, a refund will be issued to your credit card within the next few weeks. Those who selected the “bill council” option your council will not receive a bill.
Our website, NYLT-LeadershipAcademy.org, will remain up and running so please check this from time-to-time for updates. Our staff remains available to help you with any questions or other assistance you may need. You can contact us via our website, or by emailing us at .
NYLT Leadership Academy monitoring COVID-19 situation
Update: 3/10/20 – 8:45 PM EST
The safety of our staff and the participants that we serve is of utmost importance to us, however at this time we’re still planning to operate our courses this summer as scheduled.
As the COVID-19 situation continues to evolve our team will be actively monitoring it and we’re committed to making a timely decision about whether or not we’ll cancel our courses this summer.
Everyday Preventive Measures
Even with those important policies in place, it is critical that we all take these everyday preventive actions to help prevent the spread of respiratory diseases:
- Stay home when you feel sick.
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth, and wash your hands before and after doing so.
- Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash. If you don’t have a tissue, cough or sneeze into your upper sleeve/elbow, not your hands.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.
- Do not share personal items such as cups, water bottles, eating utensils, etc.
- Avoid shaking hands.
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing. If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. Always wash hands with soap and water if hands are visibly dirty.
Additional Resources
Center for Disease Control
Communicable Diseases Safety Moment