During this holiday season, we are reflecting on transitions and how to navigate them as they inevitably come. Today, we are sharing part three of Axel’s story. If you missed the first two parts, click here for part one and click here for part two.
Some transitions are inevitable, and you can’t decide whether they happen or not – like growing up from elementary school to middle school. But becoming a StreetLeader is a transition our former campers intentionally decide to make – to take on the responsibility of leading students the way they saw their StreetLeaders do. Becoming a StreetLeader is a transition that is purposeful and driven by impact.
Axel an Angel, 2015
Axel and Angel, 2018
Axel is now the second sibling in his family serving as a StreetLeader at UrbanPromise. Axel's brother, Angel, is a StreetLeader alumnus and served as StreetLeader his four years in high school after being a camper, too. From a young age, Axel followed along to StreetLeader pre-camp meetings. Axel dreamt of the day he would be able to join the meetings as a StreetLeader.
“Being a StreetLeader has always been my dream since being a camper because I remember I would come to pre-camp with Angel because he was a StreetLeader and I was still a camper. They would tell me to go to a classroom to wait for pre-camp to end and I wouldn’t go in there, I wanted to stay with them.”
As a camper, Axel knew he wanted to be a StreetLeader but, when the time approached to make a decision, he was actually unsure. It was a major decision and a major transition to go from camper to a StreetLeader teaching and leading campers! Axel was encouraged to make the intentional transition to a StreetLeader by the impact of former StreetLeaders, like Tati and his brother.
“At first I wasn’t sure if I wanted to be a StreetLeader even though I always wanted to be a StreetLeader because I knew it was going to be a lot of responsibility. Angel let me know that I could do this. He was always there letting me know I got this and to keep going.“
The Andres family at Angel’s Senior Signing Day, 2022
After deciding to become a StreetLeader, Axel was determined to be an impactful leader the way he’d seen his brother lead. His transition to being a StreetLeader was purposeful in replicating the leadership he saw in his brother.
“I saw what [Angel] did over the summer. That was the first time I saw him lead as a StreetLeader, completely. I saw what he did, and decided to do it myself. I started to do it my own way. I did what he did but I changed it up a bit.”
After witnessing the cycle of leadership at UrbanPromise, Axel desires to leave the same impact on his campers the way past StreetLeaders have made on him.
“The bond you have with the kids is so nice. It’s just fun talking to a camper, checking up on them. Just talking to them can definitely put a smile on someone’s face…. When I graduate, I definitely want kids to remember me as a StreetLeader that was there for them and was helpful and caring.”
Axel with camper, 2022
StreetLeaders are invited to reflect Jesus by leading with humility, patience, determination, compassion, and enthusiasm even on their hard days. Axel received the patience and compassion from StreetLeaders that not only impacted him but continues to motivate him to care for his campers, reflecting the way of Jesus to our community. Now, Axel is paving the way for campers that will follow him — freely giving as he has freely received.
UrbanPromise Charlotte employs and cares for over 100 high school StreetLeaders just like Axel. Our StreetLeaders are responsible for over 300 campers using their influence to help lead and guide campers in the early transitions of their lives. It is our hope that our campers see their StreetLeaders as role models and follow in their footsteps to become leaders influencing the next generation.