Introduction

Background
The final activity of the 2004 National Youth Summit, “Youth Leadership in America’s Communities,” was a break-out session where attendees sat in small groups and shared their thoughts about what defines youth leadership and how you can identify successful programs or actions that demonstrate youth leadership.

How It Worked
Groups began by suggesting words and phrases that illustrate leadership: respectful, listening, potential, concerned, character, empowerment, dedication, commitment, confidence, vision, caring, innovative, transformation, organized, taking the initiative, doing things that others would rather not, setting a positive example, volunteering, being responsible, creating change in your community, being fearless.

Next, attendees shared specific information about dynamic youth-led community activities and programs that they either were involved with or knew about. As people began talking to one another in their groups, they learned about what’s taking place around the country, in their neighboring States, or in their own States and communities.

Examples of Youth Leadership
A youth facilitator led each group’s discussion and kept track of youth leadership examples. Flip charts filled up with notes, descriptions, and contacts. Here’s a sample from those notes:

• An anti-tobacco program in Ohio had youth go to MTV studios in New York City with anti-smoking signs and petitions.
• Youth created an award for local restaurants that voluntarily became smoke-free.
• In rural Wisconsin, youth raised funds from local businesses for a bench to be placed by the riverside in remembrance of 9/11.
• Youth appeared before the City Council of Chardon, Ohio, to propose a skate park.
• In Lexington, Kentucky, a youth news team has investigated and researched the achievement gap in public schools.
• Youth have increased their personal/career portfolio through employment and training programs in Hawaii.
• High school students worked locally as volunteers to get-out-the-vote as part of Freedom’s Answer’s nonpartisan national organization.
• High school students are literacy mentors for children in hundreds of Head Start Centers across the country.
• Teens from Teenpower in rural Wisconsin organize “adopt-a-grandparent” and find they make a positive impact in the lives of their older neighbors, as well as in their own lives.
• The Teen Talent Troupe in Boca Raton, Florida, has performed in nursing and retirement homes, providing special friendships to the residents.
• A “Miracle Moment” youth-initiated fundraising event took place in one community’s high school classrooms to raise money to help with expenses for a classmate diagnosed with cancer. The students were able to buy their friend a laptop computer and an Internet connection so she could keep in touch during out-of-town hospital stays.
• In Gloversville, New York, teens created a 4-page monthly insert for their Sunday newspaper, reporting on teen experiences, events, and views.

Twelve Youth Leadership Programs and Activities
As you read the descriptions of the following twelve programs/activities that were submitted by youth and adults for the Leadership Guide, we hope you will come away with ideas that can work in your own communities. Many of these programs provided contact information – followup with them. Keep building your networks! Then, come and share your own youth leadership experiences at the annual National Youth Summit!