Page 14 - Sojourner Newsletter-Fall 2025v2

14 AMERICANISM THE SOJOURNER
AMERICANISM

2025 Spirit of America Youth Leadership Conference

Thomas Jefferson, top center, poses with the all the students and chaperones
(Photo credit: Founding Forward at Valley Forge)

This year’s Spirit of America Youth Leadership Conference (SOA-YLC) sponsored by National Sojourners,
Inc.® was held at Founding Forward’s Valley Forge Campus (FFVF) in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania from
Thursday, 17 July to Sunday, 20 July 2025. The recent merger between Freedoms Foundation and the Union
League Legacy Foundation, hence the name of the new organization, Founding Forward, was evidenced by the
many upgrades and improvements to the campus facilities. Following last year’s July Spirit of America YLC
(2024), the campus went into maintenance mode to upgrade outdated facilities and replace old roofs.
Renovation is still ongoing, with signs and posters displaying the upcoming changes. The interactive
education program continued to be the same awesome experience.
As always, the event was a great learning experience for all in attendance. This year’s attendance was 87
people, with 73 students and 14 adult chaperones. Of these, 39 students and 12 adult chaperones were
sponsored by National Sojourners, plus 34 students and 2 adult chaperones sponsored by FFVF. Our sincerest
thanks are due to many Sojourners from across the country who coordinated the funding and travel for the
youth and adult participants, and to both the Spirit of America Education Foundation (SAEF) and
Collingwood Library and Museum on Americanism (CLMA) for providing much needed tuition assistance!
The number of students is the highest we have had in several years.
Brother Jerrod Coffey joined us as a chaperone, and our official photographer and videographer, with the
goal of capturing as much as possible for our use in marketing and social media to promote the Spirit of
American Program to our membership and the public. Another significant highlight was the attendance of
Brother Colonel Frank Harris, a Past National President and longtime supporter of SOA programing, who will
be 101 years young on October 1, 2025!

This year, Thursday afternoon kicked off with a presentation by Ned Hector, A hero at the Battle of
Brandywine. Hector was a teamster who refused to abandon his wagon and arms. He shares the story of being
a free black soldier and presents the students with the opportunity to take part in a mock cannon drill
(demonstration). He ends his program with an honoring shot for those who have served as we remember their
sacrifice.