DS staffed NYLT for 3 years (including ASPL), got elected Lt. Gov at Boys State and attended NASS. For NYL it was his favorite BSA experience and it is one thing he will miss dearly. Enjoyed more than Philmont, Sea Base and NT.
So true! DS first staffed our NYLT (we do 4 one-week sessions in our Council) back when he was 14 - youngest staffer in any of the four weeks. It changed him in ways I never imagined. He came back incredibly matured (agreed - staffing NYLT has been his best Scouting experience, over Philmont etc.). They do a staff reflection at the end of the week session (just the youth staff after the participants have left) and the SPL (an unbelievably fine young man) got up in front of the youth staff and began to say what Scouting has meant to him. He couldn't finish. The whole group was crying without embarrassment (in a good way that you rarely see in young men). SPL explained that this was his very last moment as a Scout and told his staff (for the first time) that in the morning, he was flying out to West Point for Beast. It was at that second that my son began to focus on SAs. From that day on, he has lived the Scout Oath and Law "fiercely" (his word). We've talked about the Honor Code and he says he already lives it every day, but he just calls it something else. You just cannot over exaggerate the power of servant leadership.
He has one more year NYLT staffing after this year and will almost certainly be the SPL of one of the four week sessions next June. With God's grace, he will get through his final staff reflection. It is stunning to see the caliber of young leaders that this Country produces.