Nearly 50 students from Folsom to South Lake Tahoe spend part of summer preparing to lead service projects in their schools and communities
FOLSOM — While many students were taking a break from school this summer, nearly 50 young people from across the region spent part of their vacation developing leadership skills they will put to work in their schools and communities during the coming year.
Participants in Hands4Hope – Youth Making A Difference gathered for the nonprofit organization’s three-day Middle and High School Leadership Camps, where students prepared to lead Hands4Hope clubs and after-school committees throughout the 2026-27 school year.
The participants came from communities ranging from Folsom to South Lake Tahoe, with many meeting and working alongside one another for the first time. Through interactive workshops, mock meetings and team challenges, students worked on communication, goal-setting, teamwork and meeting facilitation.
The training is designed to give young people the skills needed to take leadership roles within Hands4Hope programs while helping their peers identify community needs and develop service projects to address them.
A central part of the camps focused on Hands4Hope’s five-stage service-learning process: investigation, planning and preparation, action, reflection and demonstration. The process guides students from identifying a community need through developing and carrying out a project and evaluating its impact afterward.
Experienced youth leaders appointed to the Hands4Hope Youth Board Executive Committee helped facilitate the camps alongside the organization’s Education Program staff, allowing participants to learn directly from other students who have already taken on leadership roles.
Among those helping lead the camps was Folsom High School junior Adi Laufer, who serves as Hands4Hope Youth Board public relations coordinator. This marked her second summer helping facilitate both the middle and high school programs.
“I had the pleasure of helping lead both the Middle and High School camps for my second summer,” Laufer said. “Although I am the one ‘teaching’ others, I am learning so much along the way. I get to see quieter leaders step outside their comfort zones, find their voices and truly shine. Helping my peers feel connected and prepared to turn their ideas into a difference in their communities is truly magical.”
By the conclusion of the camps, participants reported feeling prepared to lead their own meetings and more confident in their ability to welcome and inspire fellow students, investigate community needs, turn ideas into action and lead service projects.
The summer leadership training comes as Hands4Hope begins its 19th year of youth-led service, leadership development and community involvement.
Students interested in participating in Hands4Hope’s on-campus clubs can apply now. The clubs are led by trained youth with guidance from Hands4Hope staff mentors.
Participating middle schools include Camerado Springs, Edwin Markham, Herbert Green, Marina Village, Pleasant Grove, Rolling Hills and South Tahoe middle schools. High school programs are offered at El Dorado, Oak Ridge, Ponderosa, South Tahoe and Union Mine high schools.
Hands4Hope also operates after-school committees on a seasonal and project basis. Applications are expected to open in September for the Winter Boutique Committee and Empty Bowls Committee. Those programs are open to students in grades six through 12 from any school, including homeschooled students.
Founded in 2008, Hands4Hope – Youth Making A Difference is a nonprofit youth-driven organization whose mission is to inspire and empower young people through leadership and service. The organization provides hands-on education, service and outreach opportunities for middle and high school students through campus programs, after-school activities and community outreach efforts in Sacramento and El Dorado counties.
More information about Hands4Hope programs, club applications and volunteer opportunities is available at hands4hopeyouth.org or by calling 916-294-7426.
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