NAD Youth Leadership Camp

NAD Youth Leadership Camp is a four-week summer program where campers, called Leaders, take part in a Discovery low ropes course and daily workshops on topics such as self-advocacy, peer mentoring, communication, media, career exploration, personal discovery, leadership development, and disability rights. Leaders attend leadership seminars led by Deaf professionals and role models. They also create media content for the camp newsletter, the Daily Drum, and produce social media video content in their media class.

• Ages: 15–17 years old
• Schedule: Four-week summer program, June 28th – July 22nd, 2026
• Price: Leaders are responsible to cover their application fee, tuition, and travel expenses.

The NAD Youth Leadership Camp, established in 1969, is an intensive educational four-week summer program for deaf and hard of hearing high school sophomores and juniors and is an extension of the activities and training offered by the Jr. NAD. Today, the National Association of the Deaf selects 64 deaf and hard of hearing Leaders from all over the United States. The program emphasizes interactive activities and “learning by doing,” promotes scholarship, leadership, and citizenship qualities outdoors, and focuses on Deaf Culture and history as well as disability and civil rights education. The program promotes literacy interest through the camp newsletter Daily Drum and social media video content. Community and business members, including NAD YLC alumni, team builders, and guest presenters, are actively involved in this program, and Leaders receive donations and Vocational Rehabilitation support in order to attend NAD Youth Leadership Camp.

Last updated June 12, 2026.