· April 12, 2026
When Jaylen first walked into the Youth Leadership Academy, he barely spoke above a whisper. His mentor, Marcus, met him where he was—playing basketball, sharing music, and slowly building trust.
Jaylen eventually co-designed a neighborhood cleanup that recruited 80 volunteers. His confidence grew with each success. He now chairs the Youth Council and speaks at school assemblies about resilience.
"Someone believed in me before I believed in myself," Jaylen says. "I want to be that person for someone else."