Association of Washington Student Leaders

What Association of Washington Student Leaders does

The Association of Washington Student Leaders (AWSL) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1956, operating as a division of the Washington School Principals Education Foundation (WSPEF) and sponsored by the Association of Washington School Principals (AWSP). The organization delivers student leadership development across Washington State through a portfolio of residential summer camps at Cispus Learning Center (Randle, WA), Eastern Washington University (Cheney), and Central Washington University (Ellensburg), along with publications, conferences, workshops, and credit-bearing P.E. programming. Its product surface comprises seven distinct high school leadership camps (Mt. Adams, Mt. Baker, Mt. Olympus, Mt. Rainier, Mt. Triumph, La Cima, Mission Peak), three middle-level camps (Chinook, Columbia, Cascade), the Deaf Teen Leadership program, CheerLeadership in partnership with the National Cheerleaders Association, the United States Senate Youth Program, the Outdoor Recreation Health & Fitness credit camp, and elementary programs (All Play, Walk Talk and Rock). Proprietary curriculum assets include the Building Leaders for Life 94-lesson high school curriculum (355 pages, 137 handouts, second edition 2016) and the Inspiring Students to Lead elementary curriculum, both aligned with OSPI social-emotional learning standards and the AWSP Principals' Framework.

AWSL operates a hybrid revenue model combining recurring annual school membership dues (subscription), per-student summer camp registration fees ($430-$600 per participant depending on grade level and member status), publication and curriculum sales, professional-services fees for ASB Best Practices workshops delivered on-site by WSPEF staff, and tax-deductible donations. Go-to-market is event-driven and relationship-mediated: distribution flows through state education association partnerships (AWSP, WACA, WIAA, OSPI) into school principals and activity advisers, supplemented by an e-store registration portal, direct phone support, the monthly "In the Loop" newsletter (~4,000 subscribers), and organic social channels. Annual reach is approximately 3,000+ high school and 750+ middle-level students, with 11-50 employees and multiple dedicated facilities. Customer segments are concentrated in Washington State K-12 public and private schools, with specialty programming addressing Latino/Latinx, Deaf and hard-of-hearing, elementary, and cheerleading sub-populations.

Business model sustainability rests on entrenched institutional relationships rather than pricing power or scale economics: with 70 years of continuous operation, AWSL functions as the de facto standards-aligned leadership development provider within Washington, monetizing through program participation, memberships, curated curriculum IP, and donor support, while its parent 501(c)(3) structure channels philanthropic dollars into program access and facility maintenance (notably Cispus).

Name

Association of Washington Student Leaders

Legal name

Association of Washington Student Leaders

Website

https://awsleaders.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1956

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

AWSL is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1956 that delivers student leadership development programs — residential summer camps, standards-aligned curriculum, workshops, and credit-bearing courses — to Washington State K-12 schools and students across elementary, middle, and high school levels.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Leadership Education

NAICS

Educational Services (611), Sports and Recreation Instruction (611620), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Leadership, Debate & Model UN Camps (EDAMALAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Student Government & Leadership Programs (EDAJAJAH), Leadership, Character Education & Values Development (EDAMAIAG), Life Skills & SEL Camps (Confidence, Executive Function, Social Skills) (EDAMALAO)

Keywords

• Student leadership development
• Youth leadership programs
• Leadership summer camps
• K-12 leadership education
• Leadership curriculum publishing

Headquarters

HQ city

Randle

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Summer Leadership Camp Fees: Registration fees for summer leadership camps including high school camps (Mt. Adams, Mt. Baker, Mt. Rainier, Mt. Olympus, Mt. Triumph, La Cima, Mission Peak) and middle-level camps (Chinook, Columbia, Cascade). Prices vary by membership status.
2. AWSL Membership Dues: Annual membership fees for schools providing access to programs, publications, In the Loop newsletter, and registration benefits. Membership renewals mailed in September, packets in December.
3. Publication Sales: Sales of curriculum materials including Building Leaders for Life (second edition) and Inspiring Students to Lead. Materials shipped in three-ring binders with PDF student handouts included.
4. CheerLeadership Camp Fees: Partnership with National Cheerleaders Association (NCA) for cheerleading camp at Central Washington University, $545 per participant.
5. Custom Workshop Services: Personalized ASB Best Practices workshops delivered by WSPEF staff at schools/districts for training on ASB funds management and compliance.
6. Donations: Tax-deductible donations to support transportation, student participation, and programs. Washington School Principals Education Foundation is a 501(C)(3) organization.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Association of Washington Student Leaders (AWSL) delivers K-12 student leadership development programs across Washington State, primarily through week-long residential summer leadership camps at Cispus Learning Center and partner universities, year-round workshops and conferences, and proprietary curriculum publications. Its offerings include high school leadership camps, middle-level camps, specialty programs for Latino and Deaf youth, cheerleading leadership training, ASB finance and law training for advisers, and credit-bearing outdoor recreation courses, serving over 3,000 high school and 750 middle-level students annually.

Product overview

The Association of Washington Student Leaders (AWSL) is a nonprofit organization providing comprehensive student leadership development programs across Washington State. AWSL operates a multi-tiered portfolio of residential summer camps, year-round programs, publications, and professional development opportunities serving elementary, middle, and high school students. The core offerings include High School Summer Leadership Camps at Cispus Learning Center and Eastern Washington University (featuring Mt. Adams, Mt. Baker, Mt. Olympus, Mt. Rainier, Mt. Triumph, La Cima, and Mission Peak), Middle Level Leadership Camps (Chinook, Columbia, Cascade), CheerLeadership Camp in partnership with the National Cheerleaders Association, Deaf Teen Leadership, the Senate Youth Program, and elementary programs (All Play, Walk Talk and Rock). AWSL also publishes curriculum resources including Building Leaders for Life for high schools and Inspiring Students to Lead for elementary schools, operates the Cispus Learning Center, and offers ASB Finance & Law workshops. These programs collectively serve to develop student leadership skills, strengthen school communities, and promote student voice across approximately 3,000 high school and 750 middle level participants annually.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• AWSL: Primary brand name and acronym for Association of Washington Student Leaders

Products and services

• Mt. Adams Leadership Camp

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 3,000 high school students and 750 middle-level students served annually through summer camps
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Association of Washington School Principals (AWSP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAWSP is the sponsoring organization for AWSL. AWSL is a division of the Washington School Principals Education Foundation, the philanthropic nonprofit partner of AWSP. The organizations work in tandem supporting principals and students respectively, meeting in the middle on student leadership issues.
• Washington School Principals Education Foundation (WSPEF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWSPEF is the 501(C)(3) philanthropic nonprofit partner of AWSP and parent organization of AWSL. Tax Identification number 91-1153112. Manages ASB Best Practices workshops and fiscal operations.
• Washington Activity Coordinators Association (WACA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWACA partners with AWSL to present the annual Advisor of the Year award at the WACA conference. Joint programming for leadership advisers and activity coordinators.
• Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWIAA partners with AWSL for ASB Finance workshops and co-sponsors programming for school leaders.
• Cispus Learning CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCispus Learning Center (2142 Cispus Road, Randle, WA) provides the primary location for most leadership camps. Partnership through Cispus Forever for facility preservation and maintenance.
• Chewelah Peak Learning CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLearning center location for some leadership camp sessions, managed in partnership with AWSL learning centers organization.
• National Cheerleaders Association (NCA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAWSL partners with NCA for CheerLeadership Camp at Central Washington University. NCA provides camp curriculum, instruction, and stunt certification. Partnership spans over 60 years.
• Washington State Association of the Deaf (WSAD)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWSAD partners with AWSL for Deaf Teen Leadership program, providing expertise in Deaf culture and community for programming serving Deaf and hard of hearing youth.
• Eastern Washington University (EWU)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerEWU provides facilities for Mission Peak Leadership Camp including Patterson Hall (classrooms), Pearce Hall (dorms), and Pence Union Building (meals). Located in Cheney, WA.
• Central Washington University (CWU)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCWU provides facilities for CheerLeadership Camp, hosting cheerleading programs and coach training sessions.
• Washington State Board of EducationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerState partner providing support and recognition for student leadership programming.
• OSPI (Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerState education agency partner supporting student leadership initiatives and curriculum alignment with state standards.
• National Student Council (NatStuCo)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerNational partner organization for student council leadership development and resources.
• National Association of Workshop Directors (NAWD)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerNational association for workshop and camp directors supporting leadership programming standards.
• NASSP (National Association of Secondary School Principals)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerNational organization supporting secondary school principals, aligned with AWSP and AWSL mission.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP): National principals' association that operates NatStuCo and principal leadership development. Comparable to AWSL's parent AWSP and the principal-channel distribution model.
• Junior Achievement USA: Larger nonprofit delivering K-12 leadership, work readiness, and financial literacy programming through school partnerships nationwide. Comparable audience (K-12 students) and school-district GTM, though focus is on workforce/economic skills rather than leadership identity.
• AIESEC U.S. Global nonprofit offering leadership development and cross-cultural exchange programs for high school and college students. Comparable in experiential youth leadership training and residential program delivery.

Direct peers

• Hugh O'Brian Youth Leadership (HOBY): A national nonprofit running multi-day youth leadership seminars and ambassador programs for high school students. Directly comparable to AWSL in target audience (grades 9-12), experiential leadership curriculum, and state-affiliate model.
• Close Up Foundation: Nonprofit delivering civic engagement and leadership programming for middle and high school students in Washington DC and locally. Comparable to AWSL in student government/civic leadership outcomes and school-district channel.
• National Student Leadership Conference (NSLC): Operates residential summer leadership conferences for high-achieving high school students at university campuses. Comparable to AWSL Mt. series camps in residential delivery, leadership curriculum, and credit-bearing enrichment positioning.
• American Legion Boys State / Girls State: State-level residential civic leadership programs for high school juniors operated by the American Legion Auxiliary. Comparable in format (state-based residential summer programs), target student persona (aspiring student leaders), and partnership channel through schools.
• National Student Council (NatStuCo): A division of NASSP providing student government leadership training, recognition programs, and resources. Directly comparable to AWSL's student government leadership focus and partnership with the same principal ecosystem.

Emerging players

• National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS): Leading outdoor education provider with wilderness leadership courses for high school and college students. Comparable to AWSL's Outdoor Recreation, Health & Fitness (ORHF) camp and Cispus-based experiential outdoor leadership format.
• National Cheerleaders Association (NCA): National provider of cheerleading camp curriculum and instructor certification, currently partnering with AWSL on CheerLeadership Camp. Comparable in summer residential sports/leadership training for high school students.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/AWSLeaders
• Xx.com/AWSLeaders
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/awsleaders

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Association of Washington Student Leaders