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In This Issue:
Letter from Barry Fulton
Legacy Camper Application Reminder
TELE Applications Open in March
Updates from the Recent Camper Network
Congratulations to our John Litsios Scholars
Cameron's Corner: Maple Syrup Day
Upcoming Events—Women's Brunch is Postponed
Dear LAJF Community,
How do I stay profoundly optimistic?
It’s a question I’ve been reflecting on recently. In a world that often feels complex and challenging, my optimism comes from the work we do together here, through CRS and TELE. The work is intentional, rigorous, and transformative. We nurture young people who choose curiosity over fear, dialogue over division, and service over self-interest. Each summer and throughout the year, they practice the kind of leadership our world so deeply needs — leadership rooted in empathy, integrity, and courage.
I remain hopeful not because challenges don’t exist, but because I’ve seen firsthand how this work inspires growth, resilience, and action. During my first summer as Executive Director, I watched campers approach difficult questions, collaborate across differences, and step into leadership with thoughtfulness and care. More recently, the Recent Camper Network Ambassadors hosted a program on Reimagining Education, sharing their insights and hopes for the future while raising funds to support future campers. Their vision and dedication are living proof of the impact this community continues to have — and why we hope you’ll consider supporting their efforts by making a gift here.
Building on this spirit, we’re excited to be developing LAJF Leadership Connections, an initiative we’re designing to connect younger and recent alumni with those further along in their professional or college journeys. This is still a plan in the works, but if you’re interested in being notified when we launch and learning how you might participate, please email me at bfulton@lajf.org. We’ll be sharing more details about Leadership Connections in future newsletters, so stay tuned for opportunities to engage and support rising alumni leaders.
Thank you for believing in this work. Thank you for sustaining a 95-year legacy that continues to evolve and respond to the moment. And thank you for the countless visible and invisible ways you carry the Rising Sun spirit into your own homes, classrooms, workplaces, and communities.
Sending love and warmth to each of you.
With gratitude, Barrington A. Fulton Jr. Executive Director, LAJF bfulton@lajf.org
Give your child or grandchild the gift of Camp Rising Sun. Share your unique transformative leadership experience through our Legacy Program. Legacy campers can join the CRS community for two to four weeks, pending availability. They take part in all Camp activities and are an important part of our community that helps to strengthen intergenerational ties!
We recommend applying before April 1st. Learn more on our website and reach out to us at programs@lajf.org with any questions!
Applications for the 2026 sessions of The Ethical Leadership Experience (TELE) will open in March! Go to lajf.org/apply to learn more and share with anyone in your life who might be interested!
TELE is a two-week online program for young people aged 15–18 who are curious about how the world works — and want to practice taking action. Participants join a small, international cohort and bring their real lives into the space: their cultures, communities, questions, and lived experiences.
Hear from Aksungul in the video below, who joined TELE from Uzbekistan in 2024 and returned in 2025 as a second-year camper. Through TELE, she found her voice, built independence, and discovered her strength:
Thanks to all who joined the Global Alumni Assembly Panel!
What an incredible event, led by our Recent Camper Network, where our community got to speak openly about the current state of our education systems around the world.
"I think the first thing that young people need are adults who care about them. Period. Full stop. They're not going to be engaged in their education unless they are connected." - Josh Thomases (CRS '88)
Many of our alums who were present on the call shared that Camp Rising Sun and TELE helped to fulfill this need that Josh mentioned—through the caring and nurturing mentorship of our Camp counselors and facilitators.
Thank you to our alumni panelists Naina Bhatia ('24), Julián Cancino ('03, '04), Janyl Djusupova ('23), and Josh Thomases ('88) for helping bring forward such an important conversation.
Our Campers Still Need Your Support for Their "Make Dreams Come True" Fundraiser!
Click the video above ^ to hear from 2025 CRS campers, Anna, Mansur, and Masha, as they share about their experience at Camp and why they're raising funds for this summer's future campers!
“By donating, you are contributing to cover the cost of travel expenses for campers, which helps get them to Camp—the place where they can grow! You are helping to make space for more voices, more connections, and more shared growth. You become part of the journey that brings campers together from around the world!”
We’re excited to congratulate three members of our alumni community who were named as John Litsios Scholars and received a special off-cycle GEJ Scholarship award. Congratulations to Elizabeth Doss (CRS '17), Woohyun Kwen (CRS '19), and Temwachi Mphande (CRS '12)!
"Carrying on the lessons from Camp Rising Sun, I aspire to embody compassionate, responsible leadership in the roles I hold, not simply through titles, but through daily acts of service to patients and my communities." —Woohyun Kwen
In addition to studying sciences, these three Camp Rising Sun alums embody the values of leadership and excellence. We congratulate them on all of their achievements and wish them well in their future endeavors!
It is that time of year again! In early February, Cameron tapped 48 sugar maple trees on the Clinton campus.
Since then, he has been collecting the sap, which runs when the nights are cold and the days are significantly warmer.
This week, Cameron started boiling the sap he has been collecting, and will continue to collect and boil through March 21, 2026 – our annual MAPLE SYRUP DAY!
Please come join Cameron and the LAJF team to help us make and celebrate this year’s bounty!
Due to inclement weather in New York City, we have made the difficult decision to postpone the Women's Brunch to ensure everyone’s safety and comfort.
While we are disappointed to not gather as planned, we are already working to secure a new date and will share those details very soon. We remain excited to come together to celebrate as a community, just on a slightly later timeline.
MAPLE SYRUP DAY: MARCH 21, 2026 LAJF hosts our annual Maple Syrup Day! Bring your family and friends to learn about collecting maple syrup at Camp. This community event is a beloved tradition so join us to experience every step of making syrup from tapping the trees to bottling. The event will take place at our Clinton campus from 11am-3pm.
CRS alumni in Germany are excited to invite you to the Camp Rising Sun Reunion in Germany! Let’s spend a wonderful weekend together.
📅 Dates: Friday, 22 May – Sunday, 24 May
📍 Location: Erkrath, near Düsseldorf (just 10 minutes by train)
We’ll gather in a charming private forest – affectionately called our “Wäldchen” – complete with a lean-to and a cozy fireplace. This spot hosted an amazing reunion back in 2022, and we can’t wait to bring back the magic! 🌲🔥🎶🎸🍔
What to bring:
Tent and sleeping bag 🏕️
Your Camp spirit and good vibes 🔥
Let’s enjoy the outdoors, companionship, music and laughter
Mark your calendars and contact Doro (CRS Clinton ‘00, Stendis ‘01, Red Hook ‘06) by emailing dorothee.wachsen@gmail.com, if you consider coming!
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