New group keeps nonprofit’s annual leadership camp alive

When the summer camp they attended and loved was about to close because the founder, Jim Shoop, was retiring, a group of former campers and current adult staff members got together with Shoop to keep it alive.

Nine years later, the nonprofit ICAN, Issues Concerning Adolescents of Nevada, is set to host another Leadership Camp at Camp Lee Canyon.

“We thought it would be unfair not to give back to the next generation what was so generously given to us,” said Jamie Ross, CEO of ICAN and camp director. “I had lunch with Jim Shoop and told him that about 10 of us would be willing to keep it going if he would stick it out another year. He did and still comes up and hangs out and relaxes and enjoys the fruits of his labor.”

The camp is now organized and operated by the nonprofit.

Ross said Shoop had been running the program through the Clark County School District for about 20 years when he retired. The program has adult staff members, but the counselors are teens. They are drawn from former campers, and most of the programs are designed and implemented by the teens.

“We think that has more impact, rather than having some 40-year-old come in and say, ‘Drugs are bad. Don’t do them.’ They get that same message from peers,” said Ross, an east valley resident. “We aren’t a treatment camp. There aren’t any licensed drug and alcohol counselors. Our goal is to keep people from using them to start with.”

Youth counselors go through 50 hours of training over nine months, and Ross hopes to expand that time. They learn leadership development, group dynamics and problem solving.

“We call it a summer camp, but really, it’s more of a leadership retreat,” Ross said. “We focus on leadership development and drug prevention. Our goal is happy, healthy and well-adjusted youth.”

Camper Sydney Moody, who will be a junior at Northwest Career and Technical Academy this fall, said the camp is a nice escape from negativity in Las Vegas.

“You are put into a family group and do activities with the group,” Moody said. “The activities start out simple, with things like learning everyone in the group’s names, and they get more in-depth as the week goes on. By the end, you’re exchanging phone numbers, and everyone is crying because they don’t get to go to camp for another year.”

The deadline for camp registration is July 15. Camp is set to take place Aug. 11-16. The cost is $275, and there is a scholarship program for less affluent students. For more information, visit icanlv.org or call 702-451-4226.

To reach East Valley View reporter F. Andrew Taylor, email ataylor@viewnews.com or call 702-380-4532.