Between the Reeds (Full Video) Hidden Lake Leadership Camp 2024
- coordinator023
- 2 hours ago
- 2 min read
In August 2024 Northern Youth Leadership's Hidden Lake Leadership Camp took place at B.Dene Adventures with youth paddling into Hidden Lake (outside of Yellowknife, NT). They carried canoes, research equipment, and their own stories and experience. Over the course of the program, they navigated open water, collaborated in teams, learned advanced canoe and camp skills with the NWT Recreation and Park Association, and engaged in real-world environmental monitoring designed in partnership with NASA, Ducks Unlimited, Michigan Tech Research Institute and Ecology North.
Youth participated in water quality sampling, wetland and shoreline assessments, and field-based data collection that contributed to ongoing northern ecosystem research. Their work informed three NASA stories, highlighting the impact of youth leadership and community-based monitoring in northern environments.
But the impact of Hidden Lake could not be measured in data alone.
It was found in early morning paddles across still waters.
In conversations around the fire.
In youth realizing that their knowledge, voices, and presence on the land mattered.
The program fostered connection — to culture, to science, to one another, and to the responsibility of stewardship. It created space for young people to see themselves not only as participants, but as leaders, researchers, and future changemakers.
We hope you enjoy the film and feel as inspired as we are! - Goliah & Steph
Brandon Mack – Filmmaker & NYL Alumni
Brandon Mack, an Indigenous youth and proud Northern Youth Leadership alum, worked with us to bring the Hidden Lake Leadership Camp to life on film. His perspective shaped the story in a way that immerses viewers in the land, showing not just what it means to survive, but what it means to truly live.
The film was created to showcase hope from both a scientific and intergenerational standpoint, reflecting Indigenous perspectives, while highlighting what leadership and resiliency really mean. Through Brandon’s lens, viewers experienced the adventure, curiosity, and growth of youth on the land in a way that was authentic, moving, and inspiring.
We are deeply grateful to Brandon for his kind soul, his unique perspective, and his ability to translate experiences into stories that inspire. His work captured the essence of NYL — showing the confidence, independence, leadership, and connections youth developed through our programs.
Brandon’s contribution is a window into the heart of Northern Youth Leadership and the power of land-based, hands-on learning.
