LTP in DMV | Leadership Training Program, Washington, D.C.

About LTP

The Leadership Training Program, known on this website as LTP in DMV, described itself as an ECyD powered program for elementary through high school that specialized in teaching boys and girls to live virtuously while being a leader in the world. Its weekly clubs, retreats, missions and summer camps served young people across Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia.

The pillars of the program were spirituality, community and mission. Its stated mission was to inspire, guide and form youth to become strong leaders through the example of Jesus Christ, equipping them to integrate leadership skills with a Christian worldview in order to make a positive impact on society. The site defined a leader as an individual who seeks to imitate Christ's example through dedication and service, inspiring others to make a positive impact.

Clubs were peer-led, with boys and girls in separate sessions. Mentors in 5th to 8th grade had their own leadership training first, then worked with Juniors in 1st to 4th grade in small teams, passing on the virtue of the semester through stories, skits, discussions and public speaking. Each grade school group took on a large community service project every semester, and the FAQ listed a simpler draw too: a donut every session.

The site described LTP as the first of three steps: weekly clubs at entry level, then a retreat for deeper experiences, then missions for launching leaders with the whole family. In summer there were separate camps for girls and boys, billed as a time for faith, fellowship and fun. Regnum Christi Missionaries, college-age volunteers, helped run the program, which was powered by ECyD, an international Catholic association of adolescents and the youth branch of the Regnum Christi movement.

Georgetown and Georgetown University seen across the Potomac from Theodore Roosevelt Island

Georgetown from Theodore Roosevelt Island, and the Great Falls of the Potomac: openly licensed photographs, credited under the gallery.

Clubs, Camps and What to Bring

More details:

The Program

Weekly clubs (entry level)
Retreats (deeper experiences)
Missions (launching leaders with the whole family)
Summer camps for girls and boys
A large community service project each semester
Family events

Who it was for

Boys and girls from elementary through high school
Juniors: 1st to 4th grade
Mentors: 5th to 8th grade
High school team leaders and senior mentors
Families, through family events and missions

A Typical Club Session

Arrival, sports and games
Snack
Introduction or virtue talk
Leadership activity and mentoring
Public speaking or team activity
Wrap-up

From the summer camp packing list:

Necessary Items

Flashlight with batteries
Water bottle, labeled with a name
Toiletries: comb, toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, shampoo and soap
Sleeping bag and pillow (unless it's a day camp)

Clothing to Bring

Pajamas and underclothing
Sports and outside clothes for every camp day
Sports shoes, plus a second pair in case one gets wet
Elegant clothes and shoes for Mass and Adoration
Swimming shorts, flip flops and water shoes
A large towel or two

Highly Suggested for Summer Camps

Mosquito, insect and tick repellent
Sunscreen
Cap or hat
Sunglasses (cheap ones!)

Other Possible Items

Bag for dirty laundry
Lightweight jacket for rainy days
A set of clothes for wet conditions
Camo or dark clothing for night games
Pocket hand sanitizer
Notebook and pen

Do Not Bring

Swiss army knives or similar sharp utensils
Fireworks or items for pranks
Speakers, headphones, computers and other electronics

Gallery

The original site's photos showed children, so this record uses openly licensed photographs of the Washington, D.C. area instead.

Mather Gorge on the Potomac, seen from the Billy Goat Trail

A boardwalk winding across the marsh at Huntley Meadows Park in Fairfax County, Virginia

Trees arching over the C&O Canal towpath in Maryland

A snowy road through Rock Creek Park in Washington, D.C.

Boulder Bridge, a stone arch over Rock Creek in Rock Creek Park, Washington, D.C.

The stone entrance sign of Greenbelt Park in Maryland

Photo: Francisco Diez, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons (Washington Monument at dusk)

Photo: Kristopher Anderson, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons (Georgetown)

Photo: Mehul Antani, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons (Great Falls)

Photo: Bonnachoven, CC0, Wikimedia Commons (Mather Gorge)

Photo: Paul Zucker, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons (Huntley Meadows Park)

Photo: Loneshieling, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons (C&O Canal towpath)

Photo: Carol M. Highsmith, public domain, Wikimedia Commons (Rock Creek Park in snow)

Photo: Carol M. Highsmith, public domain, Wikimedia Commons (Boulder Bridge, Rock Creek Park)

Photo: Ben Jacobson (Kranar Drogin), CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons (Greenbelt Park)

Photo: G. Edward Johnson, CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons (the Potomac from Olmsted Island)

Photo: U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Andy Dunaway, public domain, Wikimedia Commons (the National Mall from the air)

Photo: m01229, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons (Great Falls in winter)

Photo: National Park Service, public domain, Wikimedia Commons (Prince William Forest Park)

What to do nearby

Aerial view of the Washington Monument with the White House beyond

The National Mall

The Mall runs from the U.S. Capitol to the Lincoln Memorial, with the Washington Monument at its center and Smithsonian museums along both sides.

The Great Falls of the Potomac in winter

Great Falls Park

About 15 miles from the capital, this Virginia park looks over the Potomac as it drops through steep, jagged rocks into Mather Gorge.

Prince William Forest Park

About 35 miles south of Washington, this national park in Virginia has 37 miles of hiking trails, campgrounds and cabin camps built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s.

Leadership Training Program