21ST CENTURY LEADERS CELEBRATES 35 YEARS OF EMPOWERING STUDENTS WITH A $1 MILLION SUSTAINABILITY FUND CAMPAIGN

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21ST CENTURY LEADERS CELEBRATE 35 YEARS OF EMPOWERING STUDENTS WITH A $1 MILLION SUSTAINABILITY FUND CAMPAIGN

Atlanta, GA (June 4, 2024)—21st Century Leaders, Georgia’s premier youth leadership development program, announced its Empowering Our Future: Sustainability Campaign, which aims to raise $1 million to endow its transformative leadership programs with long-term sustainability and impact. This campaign, coinciding with the organization’s 35th anniversary, will not only provide scalable and accessible programs for all high school students across Georgia but also change the trajectory of their lives, empowering them to become the leaders of tomorrow. 

“As we celebrate this milestone year for the organization and how we’re impacting today’s youth, we’re also thinking about the next 35 years and how we will inspire and support those students,” says DeRetta Rhodes, Ph.D., Chairperson, 21CL Board of Directors and EVP Chief Culture Officer, Atlanta Braves. “Ensuring our future schools, communities, and places of work are filled with diverse, empathetic, and talented leaders is a cause we should all want to support.”

In 1989, a group of Georgia-based executives observed a growing and critical need to prepare their employees for leadership and promote collaboration across class and racial barriers. To address this, they founded 21st Century Leaders, aiming to build the next generation of leaders by providing young people with training, guidance, and encouragement to enter college and the workforce with highly developed leadership skills.

“For over three and half decades, 21st Century Leaders has empowered and inspired over 18,000 high school students to reach their full potential,” said Kate Hewitt, Executive Director, 21st Century Leaders. “This campaign will ensure we continue to provide accessible programming for all while strategically scaling our leadership development programs for more youth across Georgia to meet the demand of our growing student body.”

The $1 million Sustainability Fund will directly support the annual expansion and enhancement of 21st Century Leaders’ programs. These include:

  • Fully Funding a Summer Leadership Institute: Providing a transformative week-long residential experience for 75-100 students, free of charge.
  • Enrolling an Additional 500 Students in Leadership Connect: Expanding access to this cutting-edge, gamified online platform that equips students with essential leadership skills, badging, and certifications.
  • Launching 10 New School and Community-Based Clubs: Reaching 30% more students with peer-to-peer learning and leadership development opportunities across the state.

Investing in the Future Leaders of Georgia

21st Century Leaders is committed to fostering the next generation of Georgia’s leaders. The ​​Empowering Our Future: Sustainability campaign will ensure long-term stability by investing in staff, programs, and partnerships. It also awards scholarships to graduating seniors. This campaign provides an opportunity for individuals, corporations, and foundations to invest in the future of our state.

How to Get Involved

To learn more about the 21st Century Leaders Sustainability Fund and how individuals, corporations, and foundations can contribute to empowering Georgia’s future leaders, please visit www.21stcenturyleaders.org/endowment or contact Kate Hewitt, Executive Director at kate@21stcenturyleaders.org. 

About 21st Century Leaders

21st Century Leaders is a non-profit organization with a mission to connect, transform, and inspire high school students from across the state of Georgia to leverage and promote diversity and inclusion, explore career opportunities, and become leaders across their schools, communities, and, ultimately, the workforce. Through innovative programs and experiences, we cultivate the skills and knowledge necessary for students to thrive in a globalized world. Visit www.21stcenturyleaders.org to learn more about our transformational programs for high school students across Georgia. 

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Legacy Partner Spotlight: Warner Bros. Discovery

21st Century Leaders Celebrates 35-Year Partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery

(Atlanta, GA) For 35 years, Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD), formerly Turner, has been supporting and partnering with 21st Century Leaders (21CL) to inspire youth to lead. In three decades, this legacy partnership has served over 17,000 of Georgia’s high school students with career and leadership training, including volunteer opportunities, paid internships, a student-led social enterprise business developed by students and Cartoon Network managers, and even employment for industry-inspired 21CL alumni!

21st Century Leaders began in 1989 as the Georgia Business Forum, changing names in 1996 to 21st Century Leaders (21CL). The organization launched its first “summer business academy” in 1991, focusing on business education and diversity training for Georgia’s high school students to prepare for leadership roles in the workforce and in their communities. Since its beginning, 21CL has partnered with companies to provide equitable opportunities for youth to access professionals, career knowledge, resources for service and leadership, and confidence for their future pathways.

It was the early 1990’s when a community affairs executive at Turner Broadcasting System (TBS), Terri Tingle, solidified the collaborative relationship between 21CL and the Atlanta-based media company, establishing a legacy of support that continues today through sponsorship, program development, employee engagement and Board membership.

Then, it was Dennis Quinn, Executive Vice President at Turner at the time, and 21CL’s Board Chair in the early 2000’s, whose forward-thinking passion for leadership drove the creation of 21CL’s first co-branded summer leadership institute in 2006 called Leadership Unplugged: A CNN Experience. That became a pivotal turning point for the organization. Bob Watson, Founding Executive Director of 21st Century Leaders says, “He is a really great example of what committed leadership could do.”

Warner Bros. Discovery had been sponsoring corporate exploration days and year round programming including, for several years, the Cartoon Network Closet, a unique work experience for high school students. This student-run social enterprise gave high school students a paid or credited work experience running a storefront on eBay selling branded items donated by the network to support 21st Century Leaders, as well as the opportunity to work with network managers and executives on collaborative special projects. Dennis Adamovich, who currently serves on 21CL’s Advisory Council, led this Initiative when he was SVP of Marketing for Cartoon Network during the early 2000s, proving once again that committed leadership drives impact. Building on years of support and collaboration, WBD’s sponsorship of a week-long program introduced a new level of impact and sustainability to the partnership.

Images of Turner Voices events photographed on Monday, June 19, 2017 in Atlanta, GA. Photo by John Nowak/TBS

For 18 summers from 2006 to 2023, Warner Bros. Discovery’s support of this media-focused summer program allowed nearly 1,800 high school students to participate at no cost in a curated, premier residential program and gain invaluable insights and access into the media and entertainment industry that continues to expand in Georgia. The name of the institute changed over the years as the company evolved, but their commitment to investing in future talent and youth leadership stayed consistent and even grew with the inclusion of a paid summer internship exclusively available to high school senior students from WBD’s organizational partners (like 21CL). 

“Warner Bros. Discovery is proud of our longstanding partnership with 21st Century Leaders, and we celebrate their achievements over these last 35 years. Throughout our partnership, we have been fortunate to work with the incredible 21CL team to co-create engaging in-depth student programs focused on building career pathways in the media and entertainment industry. I am proud to have witnessed first-hand the impact of the work, seeing so many 21CL students pursuing careers in the media industry and even joining our company as interns and full-time employees. We look forward to elevating our reach this year and remaining a source of mentorship and inspiration for the future leaders of our industry,” says Sydney Langdon, Senior Director of Corporate Social Responsibility at WBD.

“Warner Bros. Discovery’s commitment has never waivered for three decades. Not many nonprofits can say that about their partners. To me, that only shows their committed and passionate leadership, shared values, and strong belief in the work 21st Century Leaders has done and continues to do for Georgia’s youth,” says Kate Hewitt, Executive Director for 21st Century Leaders. “Our collective investment in inspiring and developing diverse storytellers and leaders has left, and continues to leave, an indelible mark on Georgia’s communities and beyond.”

As we celebrate our 35th anniversary in 2024, Warner Bros. Discovery continues to support 21CL as a legacy partner. In addition to producing in-kind videos highlighting our Georgia Youth Leadership Award winners, they will be one of our partners for our new Film & Entertainment Institute launching in summer 2024, and they are the presenting sponsor of our annual fundraising event, the Be the Inspiration Gala, taking place on Saturday, March 23, 2024 at Zoo Atlanta.

Several of the featured Alumni Spotlights share the impact this company has had on them whether during a program or now as an employee.

Written by Nicole Meadows, Dir. of Programs & Communications, 21st Century Leaders (21CL Alumni)

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21st Century Leaders Receives ‘2023 Excellence Award’

The Georgia Afterschool & Youth Development Awards, led by GSAN (Georgia Statewide Afterschool Network), honor outstanding professionals, programs, and youth and recognize honorees for their efforts and excellence in the afterschool and youth development field.

21st Century Leaders was honored to received the 2023 Excellence Award on October 27, 2023. The Excellence Award is for an outstanding afterschool or youth development program that meets the highest standards of quality in the field and demonstrates capacity to meet the needs of children, youth and families in their community.

“For 35 years, 21st Century Leaders has been inspiring thousands of high school students across the state of Georgia and this recognition is a testament to the service that hundreds of community members, partners, supporters, and staff have dedicated to our students,” said executive director, Kate Hewitt. “We’re grateful for GSAN’s support in uplifting all non-profits across Georgia.”

The 2023 Georgia ASYD Award finalists were selected by an independent panel of judges. All award recipients were announced during the 2023 Georgia ASYD Awards and Professional Learning Summit at Middle Georgia State University. Learn more about GSAN and their AYSD Awards.

21st Century Leaders Announces 2023-2024 Youth Ambassadors

Group photo of the 2023-2024 Youth Ambassadors

21st Century Leaders Celebrates Relaunch of Youth Ambassadors Program

September 25, 2023 (Atlanta, GA)  – Congratulations to our 2023-2024 Youth Ambassadors! These 30 diverse students are committed to representing the interests and voices of the 1,600+ Georgia high school students of 21st Century Leaders (21CL) who participate in our programs each year. After keeping the Youth Ambassador program in hibernation for two years, 21CL is excited to relaunch this leadership opportunity for our students with refreshed design and purpose.

The Youth Ambassadors met together for their first meeting of the 2023-2024 term on Saturday, September 23, 2023 at Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough; they were encouraged by guest speaker Kat Taylor (Director, Diversity & Inclusion at Nelson Mullins; Owner, HOTCOFFEE; 21st Century Leaders Board of Directors), exchanged perspectives, set a vision for their shared intention, built elevator pitches, and identified “legacy” as a guiding principal for themselves.

21CL’s Youth Ambassadors are responsible for representing the values and purpose of 21st Century Leaders in their schools, communities, and at 21CL events. During their term of service, they will work together to create meaningful opportunities to engage more (and new) 21st Century Leaders across Georgia.

The Youth Ambassadors serve as 21CL advocates to empower and inspire other high school students to lead. They represent the distinct ideas, opinions, attitudes, knowledge, and actions of exemplary leaders as a collective body. The Youth Ambassadors will inform and participate in special projects and contribute to live program events, under the guidance of 21CL’s Junior Board of Directors and staff.

Our 2023-2024 Youth Ambassadors are:

  • Raveena Alli, Atlanta Girls’ School, Class of 2024
  • Rishi Byakod, South Forsyth High School, Class of 2025
  • Alonnah Copeland, Blackstone Academy, Class of 2025
  • Oluwatishe Deju, Homeschool, Class of 2026
  • Prateek Doddla, Chattahoochee High School, Class of 2025
  • Leah Duffey, Coretta Scott King Young Women’s Leadership Academy High School, Class of 2025
  • Emmanuela Ejoga, North Cobb High School, Class of 2024
  • Brooklyn Fields, Jefferson High School, Class of 2026
  • Joshua Girgis, Montessori School of Rome, Class of 2024
  • Brianna Hare, Davidson Fine Arts Magnet School, Class of 2024
  • Cindy Hernandez, North Clayton High School, Class of 2025
  • Christian Hooks, Grayson High School, Class of 2024
  • Erin Howard, Charles R. Drew Charter School, Class of 2024
  • Wolfe Hudepohl, Lovett School, Class of 2025
  • Morgan Ingram, GMC Prep High School, Class of 2024
  • Nishanth Kavuri, Lakeside High School (Evans), Class of 2024
  • Joy Lin, Ware County High School, Class of 2025
  • Emoni Love, Wheeler High School, Class of 2024
  • Siri Manekar, Northview High School, Class of 2025
  • Maya Matthews, Westlake High School, Class of 2024
  • Olaoluwa Oguneye, Decatur High School, 2024
  • Vidhi Raiyani, Putnam County High School, Class of 2026
  • Kennedy Reid, Savannah Arts Academy, Class of 2024
  • Abigail Rong, Denmark High School, Class of 2025
  • Aadi Shah, Innovation Academy High School, Class of 2026
  • Rhea Shah, Gwinnett School of Mathematics, Science, and Technology, Class of 2025
  • Thalia Smith, Midtown High School, Class of 2025
  • Ishita Sukul, Johns Creek High School, Class of 2024
  • Aarushi Verma, Lambert High School, Class of 2024
  • Katherine “Ivy” Yang, Alpharetta High School, Class of 2024

21CL Youth Ambassador Mission: The Youth Ambassadors’ mission is to serve as student ambassadors for 21st Century Leaders by upholding the organization’s mission and vision through servant-leadership while creating meaningful opportunities for Georgia’s next generation of youth leaders. The Youth Ambassadors strive to bring awareness to 21CL through a united voice, community service and outreach while enhancing our leadership and interpersonal skills. Our goal is to establish a strong foundation that cultivates future generations of leaders who can further expand our accomplishments.

Learn more about 21st Century Leaders at https://www.21stcenturyleaders.org/

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For media inquiries, please contact:
Nicole Meadows
Director of Programs & Communications, 21st Century Leaders
nicole@21stcenturyleaders.org | 404.373.7441

21st Century Leaders Announces Winners of 2023 Georgia Youth Leadership Awards

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Top 21 High School Students of 21st Century Leaders Selected for Outstanding Leadership

(February 13, 2023) Atlanta, GA – 21st Century Leaders, a Georgia-based non-profit youth leadership and talent development program for high school students from diverse backgrounds across the state, announces the top 21 youth leaders selected for its annual signature event, Georgia Youth Leadership Awards, presented by Warner Bros. Discovery, to be held on Saturday, March 25, 20232 at the Buckhead Theatre in Atlanta, Ga. 

21st Century Leaders (21CL), in partnership with the event’s corporate sponsors and partners, brings together business and civic leaders to raise support for 21st Century Leaders’ year-round leadership programs while also recognizing 21 of their outstanding high school students throughout Georgia who have made a significant impact on their schools, communities and beyond.

21CL serves over 1,600 students annually and this year’s 21 awardees – all in high school and all members of 21st Century Leaders – include non-profit founders, entrepreneurs, content creators, advocates, and volunteers who truly represent the diversity of Georgia with students from DeKalb to Emanuel to Columbia counties. The nominated students exhibit 21CL’s leadership qualities of being service-oriented, forward thinking, resourceful, passionate and of leveraging diversity. The 21 awardees were carefully chosen by a 16-member selection committee of Atlanta Business Chronicle’s 40 Under 40 members, 21CL Board of Directors, 21CL corporate volunteers and community leaders, and 21CL alumni and student peers. The full selection committee is listed below and on 21CL’s website.

21st Century Leaders is proud to announce the following 21 outstanding youth leaders for the 2023 Georgia Youth Leadership Awards:

  1. Pranita Akella, Lakeside High School (Evans, GA)
  2. Raveena Alli, Atlanta Girls’ School
  3. Sterling Cho, The Walker School
  4. Yireh Fonesca-Gopar, Forest Park High School
  5. Julius Hunnter Goins, Druid Hills High School
  6. Shreyas Gupta, Wheeler High School
  7. Benjamin Harper, Charles R. Drew Charter School
  8. Lilian Huynh, Jonesboro High School
  9. Akhil Kalva, Chattahoochee High School
  10. Payton Key, Cambridge High School
  11. Annie Lin, North Atlanta High School
  12. Tanvi Mehta, Lambert High School
  13. Ify Obianwu, Pebblebrook High School
  14. Eva Rahman, Wesleyan School
  15. Reece Robinson, Westlake High School
  16. Salter Sliger, Midtown High School 
  17. Zoie Stevenson, North Atlanta High School
  18. Troy Steward, East Coweta High School
  19. Gabrielle Walthour, DeKalb Early College Academy
  20. Quintus Williams, Swainsboro High School
  21. Samuel Woldegiorgis, Decatur High School

Through corporate sponsors’ support, each youth leader will be presented with a $500 grant, with one student awarded the Warner Bros. Discovery Student Leadership Award – the event’s top award which includes a $1,000 grant from the presenting sponsor, Warner Bros. Discovery. Students are also paired with coaches who mentor the students throughout the event season. Our Georgia Youth Leadership Award Coaches are recognized and accomplished community leaders and/or members of Atlanta Business Chronicle’s 40 Under 40 alumni, maintaining a partnership established with the group in 2008 when 21st Century Leaders first launched this event. The student  winners and coaches met at a private Meet + Greet luncheon on Saturday, February 11, 2023 at Emory’s Goizueta Business School, a sponsor and supporter.

This year’s event is being led by Co-Chairs and 21CL Board of Directors members Okema Jackson, previously of Warner Bros. Discovery, and Mari Sifo of Host Hotels and Resorts. For more information about the Georgia Youth Leadership Awards or to purchase a ticket to the event, please visit www.21stcenturyleaders.org. All proceeds from the event will support 21CL’s ongoing efforts to provide youth leadership and talent development programs for high school students across Georgia at little to no cost to students.

Georgia Youth Leadership Awards Coaches: 

The Georgia Youth Leadership Award coaches for the 2023 student winners are Maranie Brown, BlackRock; Greg Clay, Partnership for Southern Equity, 21CL Alumnus*; Whitney Deal Marshall, Whitney Marshall Coaching*; Chandra Farley, City of Atlanta, Mayor’s Office of Sustainability and Resilience; David Felfoldi, SHERPA Global*; Marty Fleischmann, All Electric Racing Organization (AERO), 21CL Board of Directors*; Matt Johnson, KPMG, 21CL Advisory Council*; Dr. Jyoti Sharma, Piedmont, 21CL Alumna; Dr. Alicia Shelly, Wellstar; Mari Sifo, Host Hotels and Resorts, 21CL Board of Directors; Tamika Stokes Goins, CareHalo*; Antrell Tyson, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services*; Ryan Woods, Beck Architecture*; DeAndre Wynn, T.A.N. Tech Solutions; Anqi Zou, Truist

*Coaches who also served on the Selection Committee

Georgia Youth Leadership Awards Selection Committee
All nominations were reviewed by our 16-member GYLA Selection Committee, comprised of Atlanta Business Chronicle’s 40 under 40 members, 21CL Board of Directors, 21CL corporate volunteers, and 21CL alumni and student peers. Committee members included the coaches indicated above, along with LaSandra Boykin, Wellstar; Jeanette McWilliams, IdeasUnited; Trenton Spindler, GreenPrint, A PDI Company; Chi Nguyen, retired, 21CL Board of Directors; Chris Reynolds, RiskBridge Advisors, 21CL Board of Directors; Ila Prabhuram and J’Avani Stinson, 21CL members and 2022 GYLA Student Recipients.

About 21st Century Leaders
Since 1989, 21st Century Leaders has served more than 16,000 diverse high school students from over 250 Georgia high schools. 21st Century Leaders’ mission is to connect, transform, and inspire high school students from diverse backgrounds across the state of Georgia to leverage diversity, explore career opportunities, and become leaders in their school, community, and ultimately the workforce. 

21st Century Leaders is currently accepting student applications (until March 1st and March 15th) into their leadership and development program and for their summer leadership institutes for the 2023 summer. The summer leadership institutes are residential one-week programs hosted on a college campus with our corporate partners and business professionals. 21CL accepts rising sophomores, juniors and seniors. For more information about 21st Century Leaders, visit www.21stcenturyleaders.org/student-programs.

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For media inquiries, please contact:
Nicole Meadows
Director of Programs & Communications, 21st Century Leaders
nicole@21stcenturyleaders.org | 404.373.7441

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21CL Appoints New Chair of its Board of Directors

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21st Century Leaders Appoints New Chair of its Board of Directors

(October 3, 2022) Atlanta, GA – 21st Century Leaders’ announces the appointment of DeRetta Cole Rhodes, Ph.D. as chair of its board of directors. Dr. Rhodes succeeds Matt Johnson, who has been serving as chair of the board since October 2019. The appointment was effective October 1, 2022 as the start of the organization’s fiscal year. Johnson’s commitment to 21st Century Leaders is longstanding, having been a board member since 2014 and a volunteer prior to that for nearly a decade. He will remain engaged in a leadership role with 21st Century Leaders (21CL) as a member of its Advisory Council.

Johnson said, “It has been an honor to serve as board chair and work with our incredible board and staff to equip young people with leadership skills and experiences that enable their success. I’m absolutely confident and delighted that the important work of 21st Century Leaders will continue with momentum and outsized impact with DeRetta’s leadership. Her long standing enthusiasm and commitment to develop the next generation of leaders is inspiring, and perfectly complements the mission of 21CL.”  

Dr. Rhodes currently serves as the Executive Vice President, Chief People Capital Officer for the Atlanta Braves. Dr. Rhodes, who oversees people capital initiatives for the organization’s Major League, Minor League and The Battery Atlanta operations, has left a lasting impact in her short time with the Braves.  She has transformed the people capital department, expanded the culture of the organization with training programs and employee resource groups and created an internal diversity, equity and inclusion council. She was also recognized as 100 Women of Influence by the Atlanta Business League. Dr. Rhodes lives in Atlanta, Ga. with her husband, Leon, and her three sons, Cole, Austin and Jordan.

“I have always been in awe of 21CL; the vision, the work and the impression we make on young leaders,” said Dr. Rhodes. “To have the opportunity to work alongside Kate Hewitt the 21CL’s Executive Director, the Board, staff and students is an honor.  I am committed to bringing my passion, energy and commitment alongside all that I have the opportunity to engage as the new Board Chair.”

 “As we look to the future and growth of our organization, we are excited to have DeRetta’s recognized leadership and passion for this work as we continue to accelerate our mission of impacting youth leaders across Georgia and beyond,” said 21CL’s Executive Director Kate Hewitt. “As our former board chair, Matt has been instrumental to our success the past three years, particularly as we navigated through the impacts and challenges of Covid-19, all while leading the organization to a million dollar budget for the first time in the organization’s history.  On behalf of the board, staff, and every student we serve, I want to personally thank Matt for his mentorship to me, but more importantly his heart, dedication and contributions to 21CL.” 

21st Century Leaders is a youth leadership and talent development organization for Georgia high school students. 21CL provides year-round programming by collaborating with over 50 corporate and community partners. 21CL leadership training includes residential summer leadership institutes, school-year training, school-based clubs, and an online learning platform.

About 21st Century Leaders

Since inception in 1989, 21st Century Leaders has served more than 16,000+ diverse high school students from over 250 Georgia high schools. 21st Century Leaders is a non-profit organization that connects, transforms, and inspires high school students across Georgia to leverage diversity, explore career opportunities, and become leaders in their school, community, and ultimately the workforce. For more information about 21st Century Leaders, visit www.21stcenturyleaders.org. 

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For media inquiries and image requests, please contact: 

Nicole Meadows
Director of Programs & Communications
nicole@21stcenturyleaders.org
404.373.7441

21st Century Leaders Announces Winners of 2022 Georgia Youth Leadership Awards

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Top 21 High School Students of 21st Century Leaders Selected for Outstanding Leadership

(February 11, 2022) Atlanta, GA – 21st Century Leaders, a Georgia-based non-profit youth leadership and talent development program for high school students from diverse backgrounds across the state, announces the top 21 youth leaders selected for its annual signature event, Georgia Youth Leadership Awards, presented by WarnerMedia, to be held on Saturday, March 19, 2022 at the Buckhead Theatre in Atlanta, Ga. 

21st Century Leaders (21CL), in partnership with the event’s corporate sponsors and partners, brings together business and civic leaders to raise support for 21st Century Leaders’ year-round leadership programs while also recognizing 21 outstanding high school students throughout Georgia who have made a significant impact on their schools, communities and beyond.

21CL serves over 1,000 students annually and this year’s 21 awardees – all in high school and all members of 21st Century Leaders – include non-profit founders, educators, content creators, researchers, and community advocates who truly represent the diversity of Georgia with students from DeKalb to Effingham to Columbia counties. The nominated students exhibit 21CL’s leadership qualities of being service-oriented, forward thinking, resourceful, passionate and of leveraging diversity. The 21 awardees were carefully chosen by a 23-member selection committee of Atlanta Business Chronicle’s 40 Under 40 members, 21CL Board of Directors, 21CL corporate volunteers, and 21CL alumni and student peers. The full selection committee is listed below and on its website.

21st Century Leaders is proud to announce the following 21 outstanding youth leaders for the 2022 Georgia Youth Leadership Awards:

  1. Amelia Akins, South Paulding High School
  2. Alexandra Audrain, Marietta High School
  3. Ajay Balasubramaniam, Lambert High School
  4. Raul Bejar Mejia, Gainesville High School
  5. Gabriel Blanding, Greenbrier High School
  6. Esther Ceballo, Westlake High School
  7. Sanjna Desai, North Gwinnett High School
  8. Zora Felix, New Manchester High School
  9. Asanshay Gupta, Atlanta International School
  10. Ansh Jain, Milton High School
  11. Joon Kwon, Northview High School
  12. Olivia Li, Chamblee Charter High School
  13. Benjamin Loong, Campbell High School
  14. April Moss, Effingham County High School
  15. Swetha Pendela, South Forsyth High School
  16. Juliana Claire Ponciano, Ware County High School
  17. Ila Prabhuram, Etowah High School
  18. Anne Robinson, Midtown High School
  19. Avijit Singh, Westminster Schools
  20. J’Avani Stinson, DeKalb Early College Academy
  21. Gabrielle Tobin, Lovett High School

Through corporate sponsors’ support, each youth leader will be presented with a $500 grant, with one student awarded the WarnerMedia Student Leadership Award – the event’s top award which includes a $1,000 grant from the presenting sponsor, WarnerMedia. Students are also paired with GYLA Coaches who mentor the students throughout the event season. GYLA Coaches are members of Atlanta Business Chronicle’s 40 Under 40 alumni, maintaining a partnership established with the group in 2008 when 21st Century Leaders first launched this event. GYLA winners and coaches met at a private virtual Meet + Greet reception on Thursday, February 10, 2022.

This year’s event is being led by GYLA Co-Chairs and 21CL Board of Directors members Okema Jackson of WarnerMedia and Maria Flores Blackburn of Southern Company, also a 21CL Alumna. For more information about the Georgia Youth Leadership Awards or to purchase a ticket to the event, please visit www.21stcenturyleaders.org. All proceeds from the event will support 21CL’s ongoing efforts to provide youth leadership and talent development programs for high school students across Georgia at little to no cost to students.

GYLA Selection Committee
All nominations were reviewed by our 23-member GYLA Selection Committee, comprised of Atlanta Business Chronicle’s 40 under 40 members, 21CL Board of Directors, 21CL corporate volunteers, and 21CL alumni and student peers. Committee members included Monique Bell, Bobby Dodd Institute*; Stacey Betz, Mercer; Susannah Darrow, Purpose Possible*; Chandra Farley, ReSolve*; David Felfoldi, SHERPA Global*; Dr. Shaneeta Johnson, Morehouse School of Medicine*; Jesse Lindsley, Thrust Interactive*; Ying McPherson, Unifi*; Amanda Mewborn, Navicent Health*; David Minnix, CineMassive Displays*; Dr. Adriane Randolph, BrainLab, Department of Information Systems, Coles College of Business, KSU*; Shawana Rapp, SHRM-ATL; Dr. Alicia Shelly, Wellstar Health Systems*; Mari Sifo, SWM International*; Antrell Tyson, WorkSource Atlanta*; Stephen Vault, Wellstar*; Rachel Weitz, Delta*; Ryan Woods, Beck Architecture*; Stephen Smith, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency*; Marty Fleischmann, Response Media, 21CL Board of Directors*; Shelton Guinn, MarketSource, 21CL Board of Directors; Tomi Oladeji and Sabrina Zhu, 21CL members and 2021 GYLA Student Recipients.

*GYLA Coaches; additional coaches include April Jackson, Truist; Kari McFarlane, Google, Akinship; Kat Taylor, Nelson Mullins, 21CL Board of Directors

About 21st Century Leaders
Since 1989, 21st Century Leaders has served more than 16,000 diverse high school students from over 250 Georgia high schools. 21st Century Leaders’ mission is to connect, transform, and inspire high school students from diverse backgrounds across the state of Georgia to leverage diversity, explore career opportunities, and become leaders in their school, community, and ultimately the workforce. 

21st Century Leaders is currently accepting student applications (until March 1st and March 15th) into their leadership and development program and for their four summer leadership institutes for the 2022 summer. The summer leadership institutes are residential one-week programs hosted on a college campus with our corporate partners and business professionals. 21CL accepts rising sophomores, juniors and seniors. For more information about 21st Century Leaders, visit www.21stcenturyleaders.org/student-programs.

# # #

For media inquiries, please contact:
Nicole Meadows
Director of Programs & Communications, 21st Century Leaders
nicole@21stcenturyleaders.org | 404.373.7441

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Fulton County + 21CL Launch Youth Leadership Program

NEWS RELEASE

Fulton County’s CONNECTED: Youth Leadership Program (CYLP) in Partnership with 21st Century Leaders

CYLP provides Fulton County high school students with an experiential leadership and rewards program

ATLANTA – The Fulton County’s Department of Community Development’s Youth and Community Services Division (YCS) is partnering with 21st Century Leaders, Georgia’s premier youth leadership and non-profit organization, to connect, transform and inspire high school students from diverse backgrounds in Fulton County to become the next generation of leaders. Applicants may complete applications until Monday, September 27, 2021 at 11:59 p.m.

Fulton County’s CONNECTED: Youth Leadership Program (CYLP), is an experiential program designed to provide students with a full year of robust experiences, enabling them to develop critical leadership knowledge, explore future career interests, and make informed decisions about the necessary educational and training pathways to achieve desired future career goals. Participants will also have access to live and online leadership training, special incentives, and connection with diverse peers and professionals throughout Fulton County.

Through this collaboration, YCS and 21st Century Leaders will follow an EPIC approach model: Engaging (fun and unique learning), Participatory (active and ongoing), Interactive (employer and training driven), and Connected (interest driven/social developmental) utilizing 21st Century Leaders’ (21CL) proprietary online learning platform, Leadership Connect®, which is housed on Rali, an Atlanta based learning management system and one of 21CL’s partnering companies.

For consideration, students must meet the following criteria:

● Must be enrolled in high school
● Must be a Fulton County Resident
● Access to a computer/tablet and Wi-Fi will be required to fully participate in this virtual leadership program

Leadership, recognition, and inclusivity describe just a few of the many qualities exemplified by CYLP. As such, there will be several opportunities throughout the year to provide incentives that encourage and reward participant engagement to include:

● $25 Sign-on
● $25 New Year Bonus
● $100 Weekly Gift Card Drawing
● Technology Prizes (Ear pods, Laptops, tablets)
● Special Experiences
● Live Workshops + Leadership Summits

Completed applications may be submitted through the Fulton County website application link at www.fultoncountyga.gov/CYLP.

For more information, please contact Reginald Crossley, Youth Coordinator via e-mail at Reginald.Crossley@fultoncountyga.gov.

About 21st Century Leaders
21st Century Leaders® is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that connects, transforms, and inspires high school students from diverse backgrounds across Georgia to leverage diversity, explore career opportunities, and become leaders in their school, community, and ultimately the workforce. Since inception in 1989, 21st Century Leaders has served more than 16,000 diverse high school students from over 250 Georgia high schools through year-round leadership development, diversity and inclusion training and career exploration programs. For more information about 21st Century Leaders, visit www.21stcenturyleaders.org.

For more Fulton County news, sign up for the weekly e-newsletter #OneFulton at https://goo.gl/Nb1L84. You can also visit Fulton County’s website at www.fultoncountyga.gov or connect with Fulton County government on Twitter at @FultonInfo or Facebook at @fultoninfo.

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Department of External Affairs
MEDIA CONTACT: Erica Miller
404-713-5995 (cell)
erica.miller@fultoncountyga.gov
141 Pryor St. SW, Suite 3090
Atlanta, GA 30303
www.fultoncountyga.gov

https://www.facebook.com/FultonInfo