• Teen Leadership Program

    Photo by Farrah Skeiky

Build leadership skills, form community, and participate in decision-making.

Girls Rock! DC’s Teen Leadership Program offers opportunities for local teens to become impactful leaders and direct the organization.

You might be ready to be a Youth Leader if you’re…

  • 14-18 years old
  • DC, MD, or VA residents
  • Former participants in at least one previous Girls Rock! DC program (such as Summer Camp or After-School Program)
  • Committed to building leadership skills
  • Interested in learning about organizations
  • Excited about the intersection of art and activism
  • Passionate about creating change in their community

Girls Rock! DC has three Youth Leadership opportunities in 2026:

Girls Rock! DC Youth Advisory Team – 3-5 members meet virtually every three monthly with members of the Girls Rock! DC Board of Directors to learn about and review program updates and financial reports. You’ll make formal recommends to the Board about Girls Rock! DC decisions.

Girls Rock! DC Youth Leadership Development Intensive – 8-15 participants meet weekly in-person for a six-week intensive workshop focusing on different aspects of leadership skills, like public speaking, relationship-building, and project management. At the end of each cohort, you’ll end up creating a plan for a project that you want to lead in your own community.

Girls Rock! DC Summer Camp Mentor Program – 3-12 campers will act as a mentor for new Summer Campers during Girls Rock! DC’s Youth Summer Camps, July 13-18 or August 3-8, 2026. Before camp, you’ll help facilitate virtual Summer Camp orientation sessions with new campers to share your experiences and help answer questions. At Camp, you’ll act as a resource for new campers during morning and afternoon assemblies and lunchtime concerts by being available to help them make new friends, get to know camp, and have a good experience.

Interested in being a Youth Leader? Email us today!

Our Youth Leadership Initiatives strive to create the most inclusive, safest space possible for all applicants and participants.

As is the case at all Girls Rock! DC programs, we strive to create a leadership team that reflects the diversity of our youth and the DC community. This means that we do not tolerate racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, xenophobia, or any other form of discrimination and bigotry and we actively work against these forces in our community. We strongly encourage youth of color; youth who are queer, gender non-binary, and/or trans; and any folks who come from traditionally marginalized experiences to apply to be Youth Leaders.

Email us to learn more about becoming a Youth Leader!

“Youth leadership is empowering because Girls Rock is for girls [and trans and gender nonconforming youth] and is now run by girls [and trans and gender nonconforming youth].”

NONDISCRIMINATION POLICY: Girls Rock! DC does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, national and/or ethnic origin, marital status, sexual orientation, body type, physical ability, gender expression, or other individual identities in the administration of any of its educational programs, admissions policies, scholarships, and other Camp-related policies and programs, as well as volunteer policies and activities. All Camp activities will promote and maintain the personal and emotional safety of all campers and staff. We do not tolerate racism, homophobia, sexism, or other discriminatory behavior or expression.