Let Youth Voices Be Heard-SummerSenior 2016 Edition

21s t Cent ur y Leader s

SPRI NG/ SUMMER 2016

Let Youth Voices BE HEARD

21ST CENTURY LEADERS' QUARTERLY PUBLICATION

FOR STUDENT LEADERS,

BY STUDENT LEADERS

LETTER FROM YOUTH LEADERSHIP COUNCIL

Let Youth Voices Be Heard Spring/Summer 2016

Dear fellow leaders, As the school year is beginning to wind down I hope that I can speak for us all and say we are all extremely excited for summer vacation! This school year brought many new things for us all whether it be learning something new or becoming more involved with the community throughout it all we continued to be phenomenal leaders.

In this Summer/Senior edition of the 21st Century Leaders publication, Let Youth Voices Be Heard, we focus on the exciting race for presidency, upcoming summer institutes that 21st Century Leaders has to offer, overall experiences with 21st Century Leaders this year, and a highlight on a few of our senior leaders.

Don't let your leadership train stop just because school is out and summer is about to start. Continue to stay involved with leadership opportunities throughout the summer, the possibilities are endless!

On behalf of 21st Century Leaders and the Youth Leadership Council, we hope you enjoy this issue.

Sincerely, Celia Senerman Centennial H.S Youth Leadership Council

M EET

Let I s s ue Yout h Voi c es Be Hear d SPRI NG/ SUMMER 2016 Vol ume Year

THE

STAFF Gr ace Xu

Ben Wolfson

Parkview High School

Chamblee Charter High School

Ammu K umar

Evan Bar nar d

Wheeler High School

Johns Creek High School

K alei Downing

John Bur ger

Henry W. Grady High School

High School

Danisha Walker Dodge County High School

M aya Gregor y

Paulding County High School

El on M u sk : Im pr ovin g th e Fu tu r e of H u m an ity Most chil dren enjoy making mud pies wit h t heir f riends. When El on Musk was a kid, he was f ed up wit h t he inef f iciency of convent ional cl assroom l earning, and subsequent l y began t o t each himsel f t hrough reading. He woul d read a l ot -- somet imes upwards of 10 hours per day. In 1983, when he was 12-years- ol d, af t er reading an inst ruct ional comput er programming book, he creat ed and sol d his f irst video game, Bl ast ar.

After immigrating from South Africa to Canada and then later transferring to the University of Pennsylvania, Musk began to consider what he would do with his life. Eventually, he settled upon improving the future of humanity. In 1995, merely two days after his entry into a Stanford PhD program, he dropped out to pursue his dreams of starting his own internet company by founding Zip2, which he would later sell for 307 million dollars, earning him a net gain of around 20 million. Not resting on his laurels, he immediately created his second internet company, which would later become what is known today as PayPal. After selling it to eBay in 2002, Musk had a racked up a total of over 180 million dollars towards his personal endeavors. After studying up on rocket technology and space travel physics, he traveled to Russia to buy a few refurbished ICBM?s. However, there was some miscommunication between the two parties: Musk had thought the Russians wanted 21 million for 3 rockets. They were under the impression that they were getting 21 million per rocket.

The deal f el l t hrough.

Later that year, Musk founded SpaceX, an aerospace company which now designs, manufactures, and launches rockets. SpaceX?s ultimate goal is to enable humans to become a multi-planetary species. The concept sounds a little science-fiction, but Elon believes that it can be accomplished by slowly increasing access to space. Namely, he predicts that reusable rockets will reduce the cost of space travel by nearly 100- fold. In a historic orbital launch on December 21st, 2015, the company safely landed the first stage of their Falcon 9 rocket back on Earth. The mission was also a success in that the Falcon 9 successfully deployed all 11 of Orbcomm?s commercial satellites into orbit. This past month, on April 8th 2016, the company successfully landed a Falcon 9 booster on an autonomous ship in the Atlantic Ocean. The next SpaceX mission is set for May 4th, which has not yet taken place at the writing of this article. The power of the creative mind is truly remarkable.

However, it would be naive to try and emulate Musk?s very being; he is an outlier among outliers. Life takes a distinct pattern for each and every one of us. It is the combination of all the circumstances which are presented to us, the decisions we make in response to those circumstances, and the results we achieve through those decisions. When Musk set out as a 12-year- old, he had no idea what was going to happen in a few decades. But by taking incremental steps, he was able to attack his goals without using a designated roadmap and actually innovate by his own terms. Most importantly, he wasn?t afraid to get his hands dirty-- there is too much time to be lost in worrying about the risks, so just immerse yourself completely from the get-go.

by Ben Wolfson

2016 PRESIDENTIA L CA M PA IGN PULSE CHECK

VS

BY EVAN BARNARD & MAYA GREGORY

Bernie Sanders Vermont Senator Sanders was endorsed by a songbird which landed upon his lectern at a rally in Portland, Oregon.

Senator Sanders is

Secretary Clinton?s sole fellow competitor for the Democratic nomination. By the second week in May, Senator Sanders won a total of 19 states and earned over half of the delegates

2016 Donald Trump has been giving her a run for her money. To pursuade her candidates Clinton believes that student debt should be lowered , women's rights enhanced and improving healthcare coverage just to name a few.

necessary for nomination.

Hillary Clinton A New York Senator, U.S. Secretary of State and former First Lady Hillary Clinton has had a strong race against her opponents, but opponent

W HA T HA PPENED TO THE DEM OCRA TIC PRESIDENTIA L RA CE? ON MARCH 2016 CANDIDATE BERNIE SANDERS WON THE DEMOCRATIC ABROAD INTERNATIONAL PRIMARY BY 69%. HE ALSO HAD A HISTORICAL VICTORY AT THE MICHIGAN PRIMARY. HILLARY CLINTON AS 22 STATES UNDER HER BELT, AND RECENTLY ONE OF HER HUSBAND BILL'S OLD CAMPAIGN ADVISER MINYON MOORE IS NOW THE SENIOR ADVISER OF HER CAMPAIGN.

2016 PRESIDENTIA L CA M PA IGN PULSE CHECK Ted Cruz A Christian conservative from the far right wing, Tea Party Republican Senator Cruz trailed behind Mr. Trump?s considerable lead. Senator Cruz recently declared Carly Fiorina as his running mate, an action which led to controversy, as choosing a running mate prior to receiving the party nomination is not common practice.

VS

Donald Trump A billionaire real estate mogul and reality star Donald Trump has had a successful campaign trail, along with a few heated debates between his opponents Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders.

John Kasich Ohio Governor Kasich received fewer delegates than Senator Cruz but was well-versed in foreign affairs and has experience balancing budgets.

Governor Kasich had only a very small fraction of the number of delegates earned by Mr. Trump but said he would not drop out of the race until the Republican Convention.

W HA T IS REPUBLICA N PRESIDENTIA L RA CE? 2016

After the Indiana primary, where Senator Cruz ?put it all out on the field? but lost by a large margin, the Senator decided to suspend his campaign. The following day, Governor Kasich suspended his campaign as well, leaving only Mr. Trump in candidacy for the Republican presidential nomination at the Republican Convention in mid-June.

This essentially secures Mr. Trump?s selection as Republican runner, although he awaits his official nomination at the convention.

BUT 21CL SUMMER LEADERSHIP INSTITUTES ARE JUST BEGINNING...

A FEW 21ST CENTURY LEADER STUDENTS TAKE A LOOK AT OUR THREE SUMMER LEADERSHIP INSTITUTES AND SHARE WHAT OVER 250 STUDENTS FROM ACROSS THE STATE OF GEORGIA CAN EXPECT THIS SUMMER.

by John Burger

Ear th Car e is a gr eat su m m er l eader sh ip in stitu te an d su m m er exper ien ce to par ticipate th r ou gh 21st Cen tu r y Leader s. H el d at Ber r y Col l ege in Rom e, Geor gia, 90 stu den ts fr om al l acr oss th e state of Geor gia com e to togeth er to l ear n abou t l eader sh ip, en vir on m en tal su stain abil ity, en gin eer in g, an d Geor gia Power car eer s.

I'm al so gr atefu l to be abl e to h ear speech es fr om so m an y pr ofession al s fr om th e Geor gia Power com pan y.

Th er e ar e m u l tipl e activities an d even ts th at 21st Cen tu r y Leader s can par ticipate in , wh il e al so m eetin g top l evel execu tives fr om Geor gia Power.

Th is year 's in stitu te k ick s off on Ju n e 12th with 90 stu den ts. I h ope you tak e advan tage th is oppor tu n ity an d en joy it as m u ch as I did. Th is year I'm excited to spen d m y su m m er with 21CL again , bu t th is year at SYLI!

Som e ver y m em or abl e activities for m e in cl u ded th e BOLD r opes cl im bin g cou r se wh er e we pr acticed ou r tr u st bu il din g an d team wor k sk il l s.

an d al so we got fir sth an d exper ien ce of wh at col l ege l ife at Ber r y Col l ege is l ik e. Over al l it?s a ver y fu n cam p an d I feel th at al l n ew l eader s th at wil l be atten din g th at cam p wil l h ave a good tim e, a l ear n l esson s th at can u se th r ou gh th eir wh ol e l ives.

To L ear n M or e abou t Ear t h Car e CL I CK H ERE

Summer Youth Leadership Institute

by Danisha Walkerl If you?ve ever been to summer camp you already know what to expect. However, you never truly know how much fun you can have until you have spent a week in a 21st Century Leadership summer leadership institutes.

The summer institute that I first attended was the Summer Youth Leadership (SYLI) at Goizueta Business School. This was a week long experience that I will never forget. While at SYLI you lean the aspects of being a leader as well as having fun.

At SYLI I enjoyed hands on training with professionals.

During the workshops I was giving the opportunity to talk one on one with the professionals as well as listen to how they became successful leaders.

At the end of the workshops you will walk away with several tips in becoming a better leader. Also during SYLI you will be giving an opportunity to network yourself to all the business professionals you come in contact with.

21st Century Leaders and SYLI is a summer institute I would recommend to anyone. It?s a week long experience everyone needs to encounter once in their life time. It?s really a great opportunity to gain experience from a professional point of view.

To Learn More about SYLI - CLICK HERE

by Danisha Walker

Turner Voices Youth Media Institute is a true behind the scenes look into the media industry leader, Turner. 21st Century Leaders third summer leadership institute, Turner Voices Youth Media Institute (TVYMI) is an inside look of this internationally known company for 75 high schools. It's an experience that most Turner employees don't even get to see!

I had the honor of attending this institute (my second one) last year, which takes place at Georgia Tech and Turner's Techwood campus. This was a week long experience that I will never forget.

While at TVYMI you learn the aspects of being a leader in the media industry with Turner executives, but you also meet so many like-minded peers, all while having fun.

During the weekly workshops I was given

the opportunity to talk one-on-one with the professionals, as well as listen to how they became successful leaders in media. At the end of the workshops you will walk away with several tips in becoming a better speaker. Also during TVYMI you will be giving an opportunity to network yourself to all the business professionals you come in contact with.

If you're interested in the media, meeting a diverse group of peers and expanding your leadership potential, Turner Voices Youth Media Institute is an experience I would recommend to anyone. It?s a week long experience everyone needs to encounter once in their lifetime. It?s really a great opportunity to gain experience from a professional point of view.

To Learn More about Turner Voices Youth Media Institute CLICK HERE

21ST CENTURY LEADERS SELECTED FOR TURNER VOICES INTERNSHIP As part of 21st Century Leaders, students interact with professionals and corporations at our leadership training events throughout the year. Those interactions can lead to internships and jobs during high school and beyond.

In fact, 21st Century Leader students who attended the Turner Voices Youth Media Institute have the exclusive opportunity to apply to Turner Voices paid summer internship (after their senior year). Graduating seniors are eligible to apply for this coveted position and Turner only selects 20 high school seniors for this summer internship.

21st Century Leaders is proud to announce that over half of the students selected for this year's internship were 21st Century Leaders!!

CONGRATULATIONS TO THESE 21ST CENTURY LEADERS! 1. Tristan Bogost, Homeschool 2. Noel Booker, Henry W. Grady High School 3. Edgar Derricho, Shiloh High School 4. Livi Grant, Marietta High School 5. Cynthia He, Johns Creek High School 6. William Holley, DeKalb Early College Academy

7. Estefi Herrera, Pinecrest Academy 8. Joanne Lee, Duluth High School 9. Ian Nixon, Arabia Mountain High School 10. Erica Tolbert, North Hall H.S. 11. Gregory Varghese, Pinecrest Academy 12. Bilal Zahir, Whitewater H.S.

I NTERNSHI PS

by Ammu Kumar

VS JOBS

As students on our way to long-term careers, it?s extremely important that we make use of our summers and do something productive with your time. This can mean attending an institute (like one of 21st Century Leaders?leadership institutes), traveling, or for many, getting an internship or job.

Both of the latter options are fantastic in terms of time allocation, but how do you decide which one is the best use of your time? Not to worry, 21st Century Leaders created this handy chart to help!!

Internships -

Usually provides career experience for your future job Helps you see a day in the life of someone with your career Typically Unpaid Relatively Flexible Hours Class credit

Jobs -

-

Use the chart above to help your plan out what you want to do between the jobs.

Internships are usually quicker, and only last for a semester or so whereas jobs can create hours for you to work on a schedule.

Internships provide people with different learning and research opportunities, so its very popular with students doing work for school.

Many schools have now created programs to provide students with opportunities to get internships/jobs etc. My school is one of these bodies, and according to a classmate, ?internships help prep us with real world knowledge and give us the chance to ask questions about different fields.?

Another friend who?d just gotten a part time job said that ?What?s great about having a part time job is that I have the option to move to full time and expand my future at the company."

On the job training Not related much to future career, but teaches professional skills Paid Career Advancement Opportunities Real world experience

Regardless of which of the two you?re aiming to achieve, the steps to success are pretty similar.

Make sure to cast a wide net when looking for a company to work with. Sometimes we have a specific company in mind and it doesn?t always work out but we end up finding something that is even better for us in the long run.

Plus, being a part of 21st Century Leaders is a great first step in securing an internship or job of your choice. Many of the corporate professionals you will meet through the program can help you gain that desired internship or job you're looking for during high school or right after.

Always be professional, meaning dressing nicely, being on time, and minding your manners etc.

Finally, don?t stop networking once you get the job/internship. Even after you secure the position, constantly be talking to people at your company and other companies to get information about the field that you?re interested in.

UPCOMING EVENT:

MAY 18TH

#WEBINARWEDNESDAY

Financial

REGISTER BY CLICKING HERE OR CHECK OUT THE RECORDING ON OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL

by Evan Barnard

What if millions of young people in over a hundred countries volunteered their time and effort to improve local and global communities, all over the same weekend? The answer is clear and inspirational.

Every April, youth on every continent, even Antarctica, lead service projects with young volunteers in their communities as part of a world-wide event called Global Youth Service Day.

I have led a Global Youth Service Day event each of the past four years, and I believe the experience is unique. For young people who do not typically participate in service events, the experience can even be transformative.

This year, on Sunday, April 17th, I led my fourth Global Youth Service Day project at the Whispering Woods Braille Trail with several other 21st Century Leaders.

Continued on next page..

Continued...

21st Century Leaders student volunteers worked with students from the STARS program at the Center for the Visually Impaired. First, we all went for a trail walk, with students stopping at the various Braille sign stations and reading about the surrounding nature, enjoying sensory experience such as hugging a tree to feel its circumference, feeling tree bark, leaves and roots, and listening to singing birds and the breeze blowing through the trees.

There are many different types of trees that line the trail, and they were able to compare the different bark textures, leaf shapes, and trunk formations as they read scientific information about the different species. Midway through the walk we stopped for cupcakes with three dimensional candy butterflies on top.

It can be so easy yet rewarding to participate in great days of service like Global Youth Service Day. READ MORE HERE

For more inf ormat ion about my Gl obal Yout h Service Day experiences, pl ease visit my websit e, www.brail l enat uret rail .com.

SENIOR REFLECTION: MY 21CL EXPERIENCE

by Gr ace Xu

Through my experience in 21 CL f or t he past t wo years, I have been abl e t o experience a pl et hora of wonderf ul net working and l eadership.

The opport unit ies t hat 21CL of f ers are unparal l el ed by any ot her organizat ion t hat I have part icipat ed in, and I most cert ainl y hope t o st ay invol ved as an al umni in t he As I embark on my journey as a rising freshman at Emory University, I begin to look back on the fond memories of 21 CL and how it has impacted my growth as an individual. In 2014, I first experienced 21 CL at SYLI, where I was able to engage in networking opportunities with professionals from major

corporations such as Turner Broadcasting and Coca-Cola. As we participated in panel sessions with head executives, we began to learn the essentials of establishing connections and making the most of our high school and college experiences.

My favorite part of the institute was the student challenge, in which our group successfully

THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT 21CL OFFERS ARE UNPARALLELED BY ANY OTHER ORGANIZATION THAT I HAVE PARTICIPATED IN.... created a marketing plan to increase alumni involvement by designing a prototype of a social networking website and producing a promotional video of alumni testimonials, which enhanced effective cross-collaboration and provided an opportunity to work together as a team to achieve a common goal.

Through the team-building activities and Sharpening the Saw, I was able to truly witness my growth as a leader over the course of one week, and I will forever cherish the friendships formed and the

experiences gained at Goizueta.

During the school year, I strived to remain active in 21 CL by applying for the Youth Leadership Council to create the quarterly publication and participate in conference calls. While completing the interview process, I utilized the public speaking skills that I had gained from SYLI to effectively present my knowledge and contributions to the team. Upon receiving my acceptance letter, I was immediately elated and

Attending the Back 2 School kickoff was truly a fun and meaningful experience, as I reunited with old friends from camp and relived the experiences of leadership seminars and learning to think as an entrepreneur. As part of the event, we donated canned goods and school supplies to assist the families in need at the City of Refuge, making a positive impact on our community while also developing our leadership skills.

In 2015, I was overjoyed to discover that I had been accepted to the Turner Voices Youth Media Institute (TVYMI) which was yet another opportunity to revisit old friends from SYLI and interact with a myriad of passionate, motivated student leaders from across Georgia. Through this institute, we were able to gain critical insight into the various aspects of planning and organization of Turner Broadcasting, which truly opened my eyes to the importance of garnering ratings and viewership for their programs. My favorite part of the institute was an ethical case study with several CNN writers, in which we were presented with a scenario involving a major crisis and asked to determine whether or not we should report this situation to the public. As additional details of the crisis emerged, we were compelled to use our critical thinking skills in this exercise and state our final stance on the ethicality of this issue. Through TVYMI, I was able to gain insight into the careers of video game designers, journalists, and sportscasters, which truly represented the highlight of my summer.

"BEFORE YOU ARE A LEADER, SUCCESS IS ALL ABOUT GROWING YOURSELF. WHEN YOU BECOME A LEADERS, SUCCESS IS ALL ABOUT GROWING OTHERS." - JACK WELSH

21CL Senior Highlights Abdullah Al-Obaidi High School: Apalachee High School Favorite 21CL Memory: The Leadership Dinner at Berry College from EarthCare summer leadership institute.

How 21CL Has Impacted Me: 21CL has opened my eyes to see that business and leadership is less about the material things and more about your relationships with other people.

College: Emory University Intended Major: Biology Accomplishments: Georgia Youth Leadership Award Winner 2016

Evan Barnard High School: Johns Creek High School Favorite 21CL Memory: Visit to Rocky Mountain Hydroelectric Plant during EarthCare 2014.

How 21CL Has Impacted Me: 21CL has probably been my most transformative activity in high school. Among many other lessons, 21CL taught the significance of building relationships and a network. I also now understand the advantages of servant-leadership.

College: University of Georgia Intended Major: Ecology Accomplishments: UGA Bernard Ramsey Scholar, AXA Achievement Community Award, Gloria Barron Prize, Prudential Spirit of Community Georgia Winner, TEDx , Georgia Youth Leadership Awards 2015, National Carson Scholar, International Eco-Hero, National Arbor Day Education Innovation Award

Bernabe Beccera High School: Maynard Jackson High School Favorite 21CL Memory: M favorite memory is attending Turner Voices Youth Media Institute, summer institute. Seeing various careers within TV, Media, and Journalism was really intriguing.

How 21CL Has Impacted Me: As a Youth Ambassador, my skills in public speaking and formal presentations have improved . The professionals and leaders that have presented in 21CL events have influenced and shifted my career in public health.

College: Georgia State University Intended Major: Biological Science

Jordan Benedict High School: Douglas County High School Favorite 21CL Memory: My favorite experience would be on how close I got with people during the summer Institute. Having people that I can randomly text and relate to as well as other leaders to help me through hard stuff has made me grow more as a person and as a leader too.

How 21CL Has Impacted Me: It has taught me not only how to lead but also how to follow and listen. This is valuable because being able to follow has made me more understanding of both sides and how to approach being a leader. Also, having to speak in front of so many influential people has helped with my confidence and as a result thus aided me in gaining a spot on the Purdue University Cheerleading team.

College: Purdue University Intended Major: Industrial Management/Engineering Accomplishment: Athletic Scholarship

Tristan Bogost High School: Homeschool Favorite 21CL Memory: I loved meeting the marketing team from Coca-Cola at the Summer Youth Leadership Institute. I've continued to be obsessed with Sprite 6 Mix ever since that day. I was also inspired by the enthusiasm and zeal evoked

by Mrs. Danette Johnson from Turner.

How 21CL Has Impacted Me: 21CL is all about opportunity. In addition to improving my public speaking and networking skills, 21CL has allowed me to connect with influential people and corporations which have helped me to pinpoint my interests and to kick-start my career. I'm grateful to all of the 21CL alumni who have so diligently volunteered at each event and summer program.

You have always offered the best advice, and I hope to join you in cultivating the next generation of leaders someday.

College: Southern Methodist University Intended Major: Film & Media Arts Accomplishment: Second Century Scholars scholarship (SMU), Meadows Scholar award (SMU), Acceptance to Turner Voices Internship Summer 2016

Noel Booker High School: Henry W. Grady High School Favorite 21CL Memory: 2015 Turner Voices Youth Media Institute.

How 21CL Has Impacted Me: I am much more confident and assertive. The invaluable lessons learned from 21CL will last a lifetime.

College: Georgia State University Intended Major: Film Accomplishment: Real 101 Scholarship, GivingPoint Service Cords, Achieve Atlanta Scholarship, Acceptance to Turner Voices Internship Summer 2016

Zelma Cable High School: Armuchee High School Favorite 21CL Memory: My favorite 21CL memory was at EarthCare summer leadership institute when our Alpha Squad (core group of us-students) finally clicked. We became a team in that moment. Though it seems like such a minute detail, that chant will forever remind me of the wonderful people met and amazing memories made at 21CL. How 21CL Has Impacted Me: 21CL showed me that a leader isn't always the one making speeches worthy of the High School Musical locker room, but can also be the person supporting others backstage. Through the program, I've learned my leadership style is more attuned to the latter.

College: University of Montevallo Intended Major: Marketing & Communications Accomplishment: Montevallo Ambassador Program Scholarship

Nia Clark High School: Henry W. Grady High School Favorite 21CL Memory: Attending the summer leadership institute, SYLI@Goizueta.

How 21CL Has Impacted Me: 21CL helped me become more involved in my community.

College: Georgia State University Intended Major: Public Policy

Edgar Derricho High School: Shiloh High School Favorite 21CL Memory: I love the summer institutes. My favorite was the Turner Voices institute. There was never a dull moment from beginning to end. I met lifelong friends and my eyes were opened to all of the possibilities of the future.

How 21CL Has Impacted Me: 21CL skyrocketed my confidence and my ability to communicate with others. My leadership abilities have been sharpened to an unbelievable level and I will carry the lessons I have learned throughout my life.

College: University of North Florida Intended Major: Electrical Engineering Accomplishments: Kappa Alpha Psi Scholarship, Comcast Scholarship, AJC Cup Winner, Turner Voices summer internship 2016

Kalei Downing High School: Henry W. Grady High School Favorite 21CL Memory: The EarthCare summer institute How 21CL Has Impacted Me: 21st Century Leaders has helped me become a more confident leader.

College: Dickinson College Intended Major: Anthropology

Ashlynne Fagan High School: Sequoyah High School Favorite 21CL Memory: Meeting business professionals at the Summer Youth Leadership Institute at Goizueta Business School at Emory University How 21CL Has Impacted Me: I learned how to meet new people who are higher up in the business world and communicate professionally.

College: Centre College Intended Major: Biomedical Research Accomplishment: Founders Scholarship-$19,500 per year, Performing Arts Scholarship-$3,000 per year, American Red Cross Scholarship-$500

Maya Gregory High School: Paulding County High School Favorite 21CL Memory: Hearing our keynote speaker, CJ Stewart during the 21CL's 2016 Goizueta Youth Leadership Summit.

How 21CL Has Impacted Me: I learned that as a leader initiation is a great trait to have and using communication to work in a group. Also, networking and sharing your ideas with people because those people might have the resources that you need in order to make your idea happen. I would like to thank my guidance counselor Ms. West for encouraging me to apply to 21st Century Leaders, because I've had so much fun and have learned so much, while sharpening my leadership abilities through the program.

College: Georgia State University Intended Major: Pre-Med Accomplishment: Atlanta Journal Constitution Cup Winner

Farah Hammady High School: North Oconee High School Favorite 21CL Memory: Visiting the High Museum of Atlanta with the Youth Leadership Team for our meet-up in November 2015.

How 21CL Has Impacted Me: 21CL has definitely improved my leadership skills; it inspired me to help my peers and community, improved my communication skills and taught me how to be more confident and optimistic.

College: University of Georgia Intended Major: Biology Accomplishment: Atlanta Journal Constitution Cup Winner

Delilah Harrell High School: South Cobb High School Favorite 21CL Memory: My favorite 21CL memory was when I attended the EarthCare summer leadership institute and met a group of wonderful people who I still stay in contact with til this day.

How 21CL Has Impacted Me: 21CL impacted my leadership skills by helping me talk to the adults in the news and entertainment industry and furthering my networking skills that I will be able to use throughout my life.

College: Clark Atlanta or Georgia State University Intended Major: Communications Accomplishment: 21CL Youth Leadership Council Member, honors graduate, early

Cynthia He High School: Johns Creek High School Favorite 21CL Memory: My favorite 21CL summer institute was CNN Leadership Unplugged (now, it's called Turner Voices). I attended the program in 2014. I enjoyed participating in workshops led by CNN producers on how to prioritize news stories and how to report breaking news.

How 21CL Has Impacted Me: Before I attended 21CL, I was uncomfortable with speaking in public and sharing my ideas with others. After attending all of the 21CL programs, I'm now a more confident speaker and leader. Most importantly, I learned the significance of diversity. 21CL opened doors and provided opportunities for me to give back to my community as well as to further develop my interests and build towards my career goal.

College: University of Georgia Intended Major: Management Information Systems Accomplishment: Honor Roll, Turner Voices summer internship 2016

William Hensley High School: Johns Creek High School Favorite 21CL Memory: Hanging out in room 339 at night with all the other participants in 2015 SYLI. How 21CL Has Impacted Me: 21CL taught me how crucial it is to listen to every members ideas before moving on with a project or idea.

College: University of Tennessee Intended Major: Business Analytics Accomplishment: The Volunteer Scholarship, Sawnee Electric Membership Foundation Youth Scholarship

Estefi Herrera High School: Pinecrest Academy Favorite 21CL Memory: Going to Turner Voices Youth Media Institute and getting to know a lot of people.

How 21CL Has Impacted Me: It has made me become a much stronger leader. I would like to thank 21CL for impacting my life in such a positive way!!!

College: Georgia State University Intended Major: Mass Communications with a double minor in Spanish and theatre Accomplishment: Turner Voices summer internship 2016

Morenika Ididapo High School: Westlake High School Favorite 21CL Memory: Developing an interactive short to increase viewership on Cartoon Network at 21CL's summer institute, Turner Voices Youth Media Institute.

How 21CL Has Impacted Me: 21CL has opened my eyes to see that business and leadership is less about the material things and more about your relationships with other people.

College: Vanderbuilt University Intended Major: Neuroscience

Tres Jones High School: Decatur High School Favorite 21CL Memory: Attending Turner Voices Youth Media Institute in 2015.

How 21CL Has Impacted Me: 21CL has taught me how to become a better speaker and team member.

College: Georgia Southern University Intended Major: Multimedia Film & Production

Joanne Lee High School: Duluth High School Favorite 21CL Memory: Few of my favorite 21CL moments include my time at the CNN Leadership Unplugged institute and the Earthcare institute where I had the opportunity to create lasting friendships and discover new interests. Earthcare also allowed me to test my limits.

How 21CL Has Impacted Me: 21CL inspired me to become a leader I am today.

21CL's Youth Leadership Team gave me the chance to learn and apply crucial leadership skills with other bright leaders from all over Georgia. 21CL has guided me in accomplishing great, unexpected successes. I want to thank all the program directors and managers who have served as mentors along my high school journey.

College: Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania Intended Major: Economics Accomplishment: Gates Millennium Scholarship, Nordstrom Scholarship, QuestBridge Scholar

Emory McKenzie High School: Westover High School Favorite 21CL Memory: I remember when I was forced to introduce one of our keynote speakers. Everyone was able to volunteer for speaking roles but somehow I was forced to speak, yet this speaking role did nothing but help me. It introduced me to a great man and it taught me to do things outside your comfort zone.

How 21CL Has Impacted Me: 21CL has made me broaden my thinking. Prior to being a part of 21CL, I only wanted to be a successful person in life. After meeting a great group of people, I now vow to be a person of significance and impact the lives of those around me.

College: Furman University Intended Major: Physics Accomplishment: Football Scholarship to Furman University, Vince Dooley Award Finalist, 21CL Youth Ambassador

Shana Morman High School: Valwood School Favorite 21CL Memory: Favorite memory had to be my first summer institute, EarthCare at Berry College the summer of 2014.

How 21CL Has Impacted Me: 21st Century Leaders organization has taught me how to take the lead on every opportunity that has come across in my life so far. I have enjoyed every moment that I have spent with 21st Century Leaders it has been worth the long drive (from Valdosta). Thank you for letting me be a part of something so great.

College: ABAC for a year and then transfer to the University of Kentucky Intended Major: Criminal Justice/Minor Music Performance Accomplishment: Music Scholarships to ABAC and VSU.

Richard Nguyen High School: Morrow High School Favorite 21CL Memory: My favorite memory with 21CL was my first ever summer institute, SYLI, back in 2014. This was the kick starter of my career within 21CL for the next two years.

How 21CL Has Impacted Me: During my tenure within 21CL, I have genuinely learned to get out my comfort zone and try new things. 21CL's main goal within the summer institutes is for students to try new things and this ultimately inspired me to become the leader I am today.

College: Kennesaw State University Intended Major: Electrical Engineering Accomplishment: Georgia Technology Student Association Impact Award. Award given to students within the organization who have impacted or influence technology education within Georgia and the organization itself.

Jansen Redler High School: The Weber School Favorite 21CL Memory: My first summer program at EarthCare where a couple of us guys made a "squad" of friends.

How 21CL Has Impacted Me: 21CL has helped me learn to communicate better with others, and start to be a leader in the community.

College: Elon University Intended Major: Pre-Med Accomplishment: 21CL Youth Leadership Council member for 3 years.

Tessa Szalkowski High School: Henry W. Grady High School Favorite 21CL Memory: My favorite memory from 21st Century Leaders was when I attended EarthCare institute after my freshman year. This was the first time I had ever gone zip-lining! I really had to trust my partner and my peers to keep me safe through the obstacle course.

How 21CL Has Impacted Me: 21st Century Leaders helped me launch my first independent service project. I learned how to be a city-wide leader and share my ideas with all different types of people.

College: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Intended Major: Chemistry Accomplishment: Georgia Youth Leadership Awards winner (2014), Kids Who Care Award

Jessica Triche High School: St. Pius X Favorite 21CL Memory: My favorite memory was attending Leadership Unplugged (now Turner Voices Youth Media Institute) in 2014.

How 21CL Has Impacted Me: I am now able to network with business professionals, market my skills eloquently, and have made lasting friendships College: University of Miami Intended Major: International Relations Accomplishment: University of Miami Ronald A. Hammond Full-Tuition Scholarship, University of Southern California Presidential Scholarship

Grace Xu High School: Parkview High School Favorite 21CL Memory: Interacting with Coca-Cola executives at the 2014 SYLI and learning how to execute a business idea and gain networking skills How 21CL Has Impacted Me: 21CL has vastly improved my leadership skills by encouraging me to pursue leadership positions in my school and community through developing my public speaking skills and participating in entrepreneurship challenges.

College: Emory University Intended Major: Biology

CONGRATULATIONS CLASS OF 2016