With the Barrett Youth Enrichment Summer Camp already established as a fixture for youth to continue learning and growing over the summer months, Barrett Station and Crosby area leaders sought opportunities to get more involved in their communities and empower additional young students.

The result is the Leadership Academy, which debuted this year in conjunction with the summer camp. The initiative trains high school students to serve as interns for the camp, working with youth, developing leadership and management skills, and continuing to use that newfound knowledge down the road in either higher education or the workforce.

Hosted by the Barrett Economic & Community Development Organization (BECDO), the camp and paid internship program are made possible with funding through Harris County Department of Education’s (HCDE) Center for Afterschool, Summer and Enrichment (CASE) for Kids division and the County Connections program. The partnership grants funding to support nonprofit organizations that offer youth summer enrichment programs and camps across Harris County.

“The Leadership Academy is a great example of how CASE leverages resources to invest in youth in the community,” said Lisa Caruthers, CASE for Kids senior director. “In Barrett, we have a fabulous community-based organization, we have a school district, we have a county commissioner interesting in investing, and we have our superintendent, who decided to invest in this community through CASE.”

After receiving requests totaling more than $2.4 million, County Connections awarded nearly 90% of requesting organizations (more than 70) over $1.4 million across Harris County’s four precincts. Activities include fine arts, academic enrichment, college readiness and exploration and youth mentoring.

BECDO received the maximum funding for its camp and internship programs.

“In our community, there’s always limited resources, so this opportunity is such a good thing,” BECDO and camp staff member Pandy Hardeway said. “We’re working on a waiting list for those who registered and maybe didn’t show up so we can take more.”

Added fellow staffer Pam Norman: “It’s a gamechanger.”

The camp began June 9 and operates Monday-Friday through July 25 with closures for Juneteenth and Independence Day. Routinely, more than 90 campers will attend daily to participate in activities, games and field trips.

Growing numbers made adding the interns a necessary and practical idea. Working with Crosby Independent School District teachers and counselors, the interns have proven vital in allowing smaller class sizes and more individualized connections with camp participants.

Leadership Academy empowers its participants in leading youth and gives them on-the-job skills training.

“This is really good experience,” said Brooke McDaniel, an intern and Crosby High School student. “It’s something I can put on my resume. I was nervous at first but once the kids were there, I told myself, ‘Yeah, I got this.’”

Added Hardeway : “They come in, they prepare and they teach groups every day.”

To prepare the interns, the more than two dozen high school students met the week before camp opened for training. Daily lessons included building relationships with camp attendees, managing the classroom and engaging with resistant or quiet students. Small group activities helped build team unity, while interns went through camp scenarios and reporting practices.

Interns also participated in CPR and active shooter training as part of safety and emergency preparedness.

Once the camp began, staff members made adjustments to best suit the interns and camp attendees. As interns showed interest in certain areas of the curriculum, they were navigated more toward helping teachers in those areas, be it music, drama or a core subject.

Additionally – after losing two camp days early due to inclement weather – the interns stayed behind while elementary students attended a field trip and worked on new activities for the following day.

“It’s a fun experience and you will learn a lot about yourself,” said Brianna Lumbreras, an intern and Crosby High School student. “The kids are all sweet and this is for a really good cause. You don’t know what they’re going through and you can make their day feel better.”