The Triangle Nonprofit & Volunteer Leadership Center
About The Program
The Civic Engagement Leadership Institute is an intensive summer enrichment experience that empowers high school students to impact Triangle communities through socially conscious thought and action.
Students will explore the root causes of social issues while working with nonprofit agencies, and formulating ideas for future service projects. Students will develop a combination of knowledge, skills, values, and motivation to help shape the future of the Triangle and beyond.
How can you become a change agent in your community?
This leadership camp is an intensive summer enrichment experience that helps high school students answer these questions and empowers them to impact Triangle communities through socially conscious thought and action. Students explore social issues, work with nonprofit agencies, and formulate service projects. Students will develop a combination of knowledge, skills, values, and motivation to help shape the future of the Triangle and beyond.
Graduation includes a Capstone Project presentation by student teams that addresses a community need – Think “Shark Tank”! A panel of community judges will evaluate presentations and select the winning team.
Benefits
- Build knowledge, skills and confidence as a leader in order to achieve greater success.
- Explore current, relevant and local issues that will spark engaged citizenship.
- Practice strategies for leading positive change.
- Institute hours can also be used to complete the Mayor’s and Presidential Award (there is a separate application process for these).
- In this competitive college environment, volunteerism/civic engagement is a distinguishing factor with many universities requiring a demonstrated commitment to service.
- Students earn 36 hours of community service hours, if the full week is completed as scheduled.
Camp will be located at the Duke Corporate Education building.
*We ask that students bring a laptop/tablet and charger each day if possible*
More information will be emailed to participants prior to the beginning of camp.
Program Eligibility
Rising 10th through 12th grade students.
Application-Registration Details & Requirements
The cost to attend CELI is $650
- A $50 NON-REFUNDABLE DEPOSIT MUST BE MADE BEFORE YOU SUBMIT YOUR REGISTRATION FORM. You may also pay more than that/up to the full amount. You will be asked to upload your receipt at the time of registration. If you require financial aid, you will instead upload a screenshot of your scholarship application confirmation email (please note that this does not guarantee that your student will get financial assistance. See “Financial Assistance” below)
- If students register and attend multiple weeks of any of TNVLC’s other Summer Programming (IMPACT Camp or Model UN), the price is reduced to $625 per week. This discount also applies if multiple students from the same household register.
- By referring a friend, both you and your referred friend will receive a $25 discount. Each student may receive up to two referral discounts, for a maximum total of $50. To qualify, both the referring student and the referred student must include each other’s names at the time of registration and payment.
- To ensure your spot in the Institute, the following must be received by 7/06/2026
- FULL payment
- All medical, COVID-19 verification, and registration forms
Financial Assistance
The Center works hard to ensure no student is turned away for inability to pay.
There are a limited number of scholarships available for need-based financial assistance for CELI.
Students may request a full or partial scholarship.
Registration Link
Payment
Payments can be made online or by check.
Paying by check, please make checks out to:
The Triangle Nonprofit & Volunteer Leadership Center (TNVLC) With “CELI” In the memo line.
Mail to: PO Box 3374, Durham, NC 27702.
Schedule
The Institute runs July 20 – 24, 2026, Monday through Thursday, from 9:00am – 4:00pm.
On Friday the schedule is 9:00am-5:00pm. Presentations of projects will be held on Friday from 4-5pm. Parents and family are invited to attend. All participants are expected to be present and help their team with their Friday project presentations.
Students must be dropped off no later than 8:45am and picked up no later than 4:00pm at:
Duke Corporate Education
310 Blackwell Street
Durham, NC 27701
Meals/Snacks
Lunch will be provided each day, with a set daily menu. We will offer limited options to accommodate common dietary needs; however, students with highly specialized dietary requirements are encouraged to bring their own lunch. Snacks will also be provided.
Dress Code
Since CELI sessions will be held in a professional office environment, students are asked to wear clothing that is appropriate for that environment.
The dress code for CELI is business casual Monday-Thursday:
- Jeans are allowed but not ripped or frayed and
- Shorts are allowed but not athletic, jogging, or gym shorts
- No wrinkled shirts/slacks/skirts
- Shirts must cover the chest and stomach
- No spaghetti straps/low cut tops/crop tops
- No mini-skirts, tight shorts, or tight pants
- T-shirts are allowed but may not have any type of controversial/polarizing messaging
- No clothing allowed with offensive slogans or pictures (profanity and nude or seminude pictures, offensive gestures, suggestive cartoons) or clothing with political slogans, derogatory words or are related to gangs/gang colors
- Wear Closed-toed shoes (no flip flops)
For Friday the dress code is business professional– this is to accommodate the project presentations. (Students could bring a change of clothes for this day.)
This can include:
- Dress slacks/khaki pants
- Dresses/Skirts
- Dress shirts/polos
- Suits
- Closed-toed shoes (no flip flops)
Cancellation/Refunds
There is a $50 non-refundable administration fee for all registrations.
Full Refunds (less non-refundable administration fee) will be issued if cancellation notification IN WRITING is received no later than July 6, 2026.
Cancellations received less than two weeks prior to programs start date are not eligible for refunds. (Please contact program staff for emergency exceptions.)
Health & Wellness
Students are not required to have a COVID vaccination to attend camp. Any student who has COVID-19 symptoms or known exposure to COVID-19 may be required to stay at home until the symptoms have passed.
If a student becomes sick during camp a family member will be contacted. If the student is not feeling better after having the opportunity to rest, you will be asked to pick-up your child.
