Youth Leadership St. Louis

YOUTH LEADERSHIP ST. LOUIS (YLSL), a program of FOCUS St. Louis, empowers the region's youth to become future community leaders. Founded in 1989, YLSL is a program for high school juniors that develops leadership skills, promotes teamwork among diverse groups, and provides a deeper understanding of the St. Louis region. 

YLSL is based on seven leadership objectives - to inform, to involve, to inspire, to challenge, the empower, to promote action, and to value diversity. The program was designed to provide students with hands-on experiences in the St. Louis region's political, arts, social service, and criminal justice fields. Students have the opportunity to learn and practice leadership skills, such as collaborating, facilitation, problem-solving, and public speaking. Each high school team is accompanied by a teacher/YLSL advisor who is trained by FOCUS as a leadership coach. The premier youth leadership training curriculum in the region, YLSL is the area’s only established inter-district high school program that is non-competitive in nature. For the YLSL Class of 2012-2013, there are 160 students from the following schools:

How is this program unique?

YLSL brings students together from approximately 30 urban, suburban, rural, public, private, and parochial schools from throughout the region, as well as the Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri and the Purina PALS program. The students learn how to take leadership roles, appreciate each other's differences, cooperate, and lead with other students from different backgrounds and experiences.

Opportunities

Completion of the YLSL program is an impressive entry on any resume and often an avenue to scholarships. YLSL graduates have an opportunity to do the following:

• Serve on an allocations panel of the United Way of Greater St. Louis
• Serve as one of two youth representatives on the FOCUS St. Louis board of directors for a one-year term
• Serve on the curriculum development team

Student Commitment

YLSL participants meet one or two times per month during the school year. The program begins with an overnight retreat in September and ends with a graduation ceremony in April. Workshops include a combination of team-building exercises, conflict resolution models, experiential learning, and dialogues with community leaders. Students have the opportunity to visit sites such as: 

• St. Louis Holocaust Museum
• City Museum
• City and county area courts and prisons
• Social service agencies.

YLSL Accolades

In 2011-12, YLSL has been recognized locally, nationally, and internationally for its excellence and service to youth. 

• Designated a Promise Place by America's Promise Alliance, the preeminent collaborative around child and youth issues in the U.S. 
• YLSL director Mary Dee Schmidt and co-facilitator Harlan Hodge were selected by the NAACP as two of St. Louis' Most Inspiring Leader award winners.
• Honored with a Recognition Professionals International (RPI) conference award.

Selection Process, Fees, and Sponsors

YLSL selection begins at the end of sophomore year and is administered by participating high schools. Fees are $500 per student and paid for by participating schools and contributions from the community. YLSL advisor at each participating school distributes student applications. Community leaders conduct interviews to select class members.

FOCUS St. Louis thanks the following companies and foundations for their generous support of the Youth Leadership St. Louis program:

• Edward Jones
• Cardinals Care
• Dana Brown Charitable Trust
• William T. Kemper Foundations
• Mark and Deborah Miller
• The Saigh Foundation
• The Mildred, Herbert & Julia Simon Foundation

For details contact YLSL Director Mary Dee Schmidt at 314-622-1250 x114.

Downloadable Resources

• What are people saying about YLSL?  
• Dr. James Gilsinan on the 2010-11 YLSL class report, "What's Right with Our Schools?"