Reached after the first of two weeks of the Bristol Police Department’s third annual Youth Leadership Camp, Lt. Steven St. Pierre, who oversees the program, was feeling celebratory. “It was at least as good as it has been in years past — if not better.”

That wasn’t necessarily a foregone conclusion — COVID-19 threatened to upend plans for the camp, as it has so many other plans this year. Pulling this program together required more time, staff, work, and money than it has in years past, but in many ways, it also paid greater dividends.

“It was a lot more stressful, but there were great takeaways,” said Lt. St. Pierre. “We asked the campers to step up; we asked a lot of them, and they delivered.”

The weeklong camp takes a group of children, ages 8 to 14, through a schedule of thought-provoking and fun activities with daily core principles, including leadership, integrity, teamwork, honesty, and courage. Loosely modeled after the police academy experience, each day begins at 8 a.m. with check in, before separating into pods for the Pledge of Allegiance and calisthenics, led by the campers.

The core principals of the day are highlighted in a brief lecture, also driven by the campers. “When it works right, the kids lead the discussion,” said Lt. St. Pierre. They build off the topic for the day, asking the campers to consider how it applies to different situations, and demonstrates good leadership, before breaking up into smaller groups for activities that reinforce the theme.

The pandemic has forced organizers to offer two weeks of camp so that they can follow the state mandates regarding group size and stability. A rigorous schedule of cleaning and sanitizing was also put into place, but otherwise, it was a pretty typical week. They did have to sacrifice a ropes course experience that in years past was a highlight of the week, however.

“It was logistically impossible to do safely,” said Lt. St. Pierre.

Instead, the campers deciphered a (fictional) crime scene, working together in teams, developing and presenting reports. “We saw a lot of creative, confident thought,” said Lt. St. Pierre.

“We want these campers to go on and take these lessons with them so they can be successful leaders and influence their peers in a positive way.”

The camp is only its third year, and Lt. St. Pierre is already seeing year over year growth in repeat campers who are coming back to mentor the younger ones. He mentioned two counselors-in-training, both age 13, both very shy in year one. “They’re now influential leaders, engaged in the lectures and discussions. Obviously their parents and teachers are primarily responsible for the great kids they are, but we’d like to think we’re a small part of it.”