Alumni Spotlight: John Graves

21CL Alumnus John Graves is a graduate of Sonoraville High School (2018) and of the Georgia Institute of Technology (2022); he currently works as an Associate Consultant for Bain & Company. Throughout high school, John attended many of our student programs, was a 21CL Youth Ambassador and was one of our 2018 Georgia Youth Leadership Award winners. In his post, John shares how 21CL inspired him to accelerate his personal growth and find environments that encourage innovative thought among young people, and more!

Paint a brief picture about yourself and what you are doing now.

My name is John Graves and I graduated from Sonoraville High School in 2018. I spent the next 4 years getting my Bachelor of Science in Economics Degree from the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta. After graduating in May of 2022, I started working as an Associate Consultant for Bain & Company in their Atlanta office. In my free time I enjoy all things outdoors including running, cycling, backpacking, and helping out on my family’s farm.

When were you in high school and which 21CL programs did you participate in?

I attended Sonoraville High School in Gordon County from 2014-2018. I participated in the Summer Youth Leadership Institute (SYLI@Goizueta) program at Emory University in 2015. I also was fortunate to serve on the 21st Century Leaders Youth Ambassador team from 2015-2016 and attend some fall / winter leadership summits. To end high school, I was honored to be a recipient of 21CL’s Georgia Youth Leadership Award in 2018.

How has your career unfolded and how did participating in 21CL help prepare you for your next steps going to college, taking on a new leadership role in community/college and after?

My full-time career is still just beginning, but my career preparation began quite a long time ago. My involvement in 21st Century Leaders during high school helped fuel my interest in exploring innovation through entrepreneurial leadership. As I built a business-focused leadership and communication toolkit throughout the program, I was exposed to the stories and ideas of Atlanta business leaders, 21CL alumni, and my peers. Seeing the true breadth of opportunity that young people have to innovate excited me as I heard stories of the successful students that had come before me. This immersive week inspired me to accelerate my personal growth in these areas by finding an environment that encouraged innovative thought amongst young people. That is how I ended up at Georgia Tech, and ultimately why I am at Bain & Company today.

What’s your memorable or ‘aha’ moment during your time at 21CL? (Particular program, meeting a professional and diverse peer, speaking in public for the first time, etc.?)

Attending the SYLI Summer Institute was an ‘aha’ moment for me in several big ways. First, as a high school freshman going into my sophomore year, I was able to learn about the college admissions process, how to challenge myself academically, and where to set my sights from my older, more prepared, student peers. Second, I was exposed to powerful stories of successful student-led nonprofits in Georgia that eventually inspired me to start a non-profit initiative in my hometown. Finally, and most importantly, I learned how impactful it is to surround yourself with people with unique interests, experiences, and goals to challenge your own. That summer at SYLI exposed me to all of these things and truly provided the direction behind much of my high school experience.

Did 21CL assist you in developing a leadership style that makes you an effective leader? If so, how? And have you recently learned something else about leadership? Please share!

I hope the groups that I have led over the years would agree with this, but I like to think 21st Century Leaders helped me become a more effective leader by emphasizing the importance of listening to others. In situations of leadership today, I enjoy the exercise of asking members of a group for their first take on how to deal with a problem or situation before I assert my own proposed path forward.

What advice would you give to a current or future student?

My advice to current and future students is simple. Enjoy friendships with people that have different backgrounds. There is so much to learn by surrounding yourself with diverse perspectives. Friends I made in 21CL programs all those years ago have had an enormous impact on my academic/career path.

How would you describe 21CL in three words?

Hard to do but I think I would use the three words, “our collective future,” because each of the students in programs I personally attended, and all of the program alumni, are on their way to change our generation’s shared future.

Alumni Spotlight: Tyrik Wynn

Our alumni spotlight for June 2020 is Tyrik Amon Wynn, a graduate of Community Christian School (2018) and currently a rising junior at Georgia State University. Even at a very young age, Tyrik is an author, an entrepreneur, and a TV Talk Show Host. He says that participating in 21CL programs is one of the biggest highlights of his life!

Paint a brief picture of what you are doing now.

Right now, I have a whole lot going on. I am an author I released my 1st book at age 14 called “Green Is The Thing! Money Management For Kids.” I just released my 2nd book called “How To Create Your Own TV Talk Show.” I’m an entrepreneur, the name of my business is “Wynn Productions LLC.” We specialize in video production, commercials, general videos, virtual business cards, TV shows and more. I’m the youngest talk show host who is on TV. The name of my show is called “Tyrik On The Move.” On my show I interview some of the biggest celebrities, feature some of the best places and cover some of the hottest events. Currently I am a rising junior at Georgia State University. Going into my junior year I will be taking on the role of Executive Producer of Panther Report News, Georgia State University’s broadcast news station. Also I have been elected as the President of the National Association of Black Journalist at Georgia State.

How did participating in 21CL transform you and lead you to where you are now?

Participating in 21CL was one of the biggest highlights of my entire life. I participated in Turner Voices Youth Media Institute (now WarnerMedia Institute for Future Leaders) because I had a strong passion for journalism. Participating in the institute helped me enhance my television skills a whole lot. Some of the things that I learned I still use them now. Not only that, my leadership skills have grown as well and it has allowed me to take on more leadership roles. During the camp I was also able to meet all kinds of great people my age who are interested in the same things I am, and I still keep in contact with some of them.

How did 21CL prepare you for your next steps? Going into college and taking on leadership roles, heading into a new era of professionalism, etc. What skills/tools/perspectives have helped you along the way?

During the summer institute we were able to stay on Georgia Tech’s campus for a week which means we were put in dorms and given roommates. That experience showed me what it would be like staying on a college campus and it was quite enjoyable. As mentioned earlier, following 21CL I was able to take on major leadership roles. Some of those roles are entrepreneur, NABJ-GSU President, Executive Producer, talk show host, anchor and more…

Which programs did you participate in, and when? What skills did you gain or improve through those programs?

I participated in the Turner Voices Youth Media Institute back in summer 2017 and I also participated in school-year programs, like 21CL’s Goizueta Youth Leadership Summit in 2018.

What was a memorable or ‘aha’ moment in 21CL? (Particular program, meeting a professional and diverse peers, speaking in public for the first time, etc.?

The most memorable moment was when I was able to close out the week summer program by doing a speech on the last day at the institute’s closing session. All the 21CL students and their parents were there so it was a very big audience. Not only did it help me develop better public speaking skills, it was fun and everyone seemed to have enjoyed it.

Did 21CL assist you in developing a leadership style that makes you an effective leader? if so how? And have you recently learned something else about leadership? Please share!

Yes, during the 21CL summer leadership institute I learned about leadership as having confidence, staying humble, listening to what others have to say, speaking up, dressing to impress and more.

Alumni Spotlight: Tessa Szalkowski

Alumna Tessa Szalkowski is our first spotlight for May! A graduate of Henry.W.Grady High School (2016) and currently a junior at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She is a chemistry major with a minor in marine science and currently works in a laboratory that studies air chemistry in the Galápagos Islands. Tessa says that 21CL gave her the confidence to pursue her dreams and give back to community. Read on about Tessa and don’t forget to fill out the alumni career update form and share about your career progress, connect with other alumni and let us know if you would like to be featured on 21CL alumni blog post.

How did participating in 21CL transform you and lead you to where you are now?

In my freshman year of high school, I joined 21CL’s school-based club at Grady, where I began a project to collect children’s books for the Kigali Public Library in Rwanda. 21st Century Leaders helped me expand from a small, local project to a state-wide fundraiser. They organized lectures for me to speak about the Kigali Book Project with students and teachers, developing my public speaking skills.  With 21st Century Leaders’ help, I rounded up over ten thousand books! In 2014, I was awarded their annual Georgia Youth Leadership Award. 21st Century Leaders gave me the confidence to pursue my dreams and dream big.

How did 21CL prepare you for your next steps? Going into college and taking on leadership roles, heading into a new era of professionalism, etc. What skills/tools/perspectives have helped you along the way?

21st Century Leaders developed my networking skills and taught me how to give back to my community. With 21CL, I participated in many volunteer events at my high school and spoke with adults in the Atlanta business community on a regular basis. 21CL contributed valuable life skills that I continue to use to this very day.

Which programs did you participate in, and when? What skills did you gain or improve through those programs?

In 2013, I attended their EarthCare, summer leadership institute. This institute taught me how to talk to professionals, give presentations to business executives, and collaborate with my peers.

What was a memorable or ‘aha’ moment in 21CL? (Particular program, meeting professional and diverse peers, speaking in public for the first time, etc.?)

During the EarthCare institute, my team won the Clean Air Campaign challenge. We were given the task to come up with the best school campaign to decrease air pollution. My teammates and I worked hard on the assignment, brainstormed and came up with with a great presentation. When I heard our names called as the winning team, I realized that putting in the time and effort to a noble cause truly pays off. I discovered my true passion for environmental science during this project. I now work as an air chemist in a research lab, so I never gave up on that dream.

Did 21CL assist you in developing a leadership style that makes you an effective leader? if so how? And have you recently learned something else about leadership? Please share!

21CL has taught me how to think on my feet and go with my gut instinct. To further promote my Kigali Book Project, 21CL asked me to collect books and make bookmarks with the students at their annual winter training, Goizueta Youth Leadership Summit. Upon arrival, I was asked to share a few words after the Minority Leader of the Georgia House of Representatives, Stacey Abrams. (Little did I know she would make a run at Georgia governor!) I was so nervous to address this room of bright students without a speech prepared, but after a gracious introduction, I took the stage and began to speak. Public speaking on the spot was something I would not have dared to do even a few years before. However, 21CL gives you the skills to face your fears with the utmost confidence. I have utilized these public speaking skills and ability to think on my feet as a leader in my academics and research.