Y program places Tempe's future in hands of today's youth
If you’ve created a mind’s-eye view of today’s stereotypical teen, the Tempe YMCA’s latest Youth Leadership program may prompt you to redraw the picture.
Sprinkled through the intensive, hands-on program are students from Corona del Sol, Marcos de Niza and other Tempe high schools who, say Y leaders, represent what the future holds.
Brought together for a five-month series of leadership-building activities, the program required not only an in-depth application process but mandatory attendance at every event.
According to Robyn Ramseyer, the program’s planner and chief coordinator, Tempe Youth Leadership is designed to motivate and stimulate a diverse group of high school students by exposing them to leadership and community-service opportunities.
If the students’ follow-up evaluation, offered after a May 4 graduation, are any gauge of the program’s success, it should be around for many years to come.
Among the comments:
“The program helped me learn that service for others is more rewarding than I thought before.”
“I learned to step outside my boundaries, meet new people, act confident even when I’m nervous, call strangers, organize events, relax under pressure, get involved, make a difference.”
“I’ll hold people more accountable for their actions and treat every leadership opportunity as a business.”
“I will talk to everyone and pass no value judgments.”
Information about future leadership programs is available by calling Ramseyer at (480) 730-0240.
