History of the American Youth Foundation
The American Youth Foundation was established in 1925 by a group of progressive leaders committed to helping young people reach their potential.
The Founders of AYF
Who were the people around the first fires? And what talents did they bring to the task of developing a new youth organization?
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John L. Alexander
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John L. Alexander came to this country from Scotland. He was a visionary. He was the first managing secretary of the Boy Scouts and directed boys' work at the Philadelphia YMCA. Alexander also formulated AYF's philosophy of personal achievement through the motto, my own self at my very best all the time. Alexander served as AYF's first executive director from 1925 until his death in 1932.
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William H.
Danforth
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William H. Danforth A successful businessman, Danforth later wrote a classic motivational book, I Dare You! in which he distilled the four-fold philosophy to its practical daily application: Think Tall, Stand Tall, Smile Tall, Live Tall. He was a generous benefactor whose financial legacy continues to enable AYF to serve youth today.
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Preston G. Orwig
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Preston G. Orwig served as Alexander's assistant in his work with the Boy Scouts, the YMCA, and the ISSA. Energetic and agile, Orwig's special talent was his organizational ability. When Alexander died in 1932, Orwig succeeded him and served as executive director of AYF for 25 years.
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"Dad" Waite
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Richard A. "Dad" Waite was a minister and counselor whose special talent was his personal interest in individual campers and staff and a gift for listening.
Other Influential Founders
While the AYF Founders were men who had met through their work with programs for boys, from the outset the Geneva conferences provided separate but equal programs for girls. One of AYF's strengths since its inception has been the cultivation of women leaders whose service to their families, communities, professions and AYF has been and continues to be substantial. Women fill four of the eight senior staff positions in AYF today and several serve as members of the board of directors.
Marie Shaver is the first positional woman leader in AYF. A graduate of the 1921 Older Girls Camp Conference at Lake Geneva, she became the director of the AYF Younger Girls camp program in 1926 and associate director of AYF in 1930. As associate director she directed the Younger Girls camps at Miniwanca and later promoted and managed the Younger Girls camps at Merrowvista. She served in both capacities until 1960. Known as Horace, a name given her by Alexander, Marie mentored many women leaders in AYF, especially the line of Miniwanca Girls Camp directors that began with her protégé and successor Dorothy Jean Kerr.
These early leaders were inspired by a common vision: to develop character in young people and give them the tools to live a balanced life. To accomplish this, it was essential for these youth to come together in places set apart from their daily lives. The founders purchased a scenic property at Stony Lake Michigan called Miniwanca, and a beautiful property in the Ossipee Mountains of New Hampshire, Merrowvista. After a hectic year of preparation, they began conducting their distinctive camp conferences at Miniwanca and Merrowvista in 1925.
These programs introduced thousands of young people to the philosophy of four-fold balanced living- mental, social, physical, and spiritual growth. In these communities, they would gain skills and a renewed belief in themselves. Upon returning home, these campers would act on their passion to make a positive difference in their own lives and the lives of others.
As leaders in youth development for over 80 years, Miniwanca and Merrowvista have kept pace with changing times, updating our curriculum while opening our doors to more and more people. During the 1920s, in stride with the women’s suffrage movement, the American Youth Foundation saw its first female camp directors. In the 1960s, as the Civil Rights movement confronted racial inequality, the camps actively worked to expand ethnic diversity within their programs.
As society has evolved, we have continued to embrace change: while early founders spoke from a distinctively Christian perspective, we are now a multi-faith organization welcoming people from all religious traditions and backgrounds. It is our goal as an organization to provide inspirational programs where all youth are welcomed to the challenge of becoming their best selves.
Today, as young people face an increasingly complicated and pressured world, the need for helping youth develop character is more important than ever. The AYF is meeting this challenge by creating a fun and safe environment where campers embrace “Best Self,” “Balanced Living” and “Healthy Friendships.”
We believe AYF campers and participants will:
- Leave with newly gained confidence in themselves
- Be able to talk about who they are and what they are capable of achieving
- Discover and develop their personal best
- Act in ways consistent with their values
- Help to create a community where trust, cooperation and respect are the foundation
The strong legacy of the American Youth Foundation is still evident today as thousands of young people who experience our camps conferences and year-round programs act upon William H. Danforth’s timeless dare:
To aspire nobly,
Adventure daringly,
Serve humbly.
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