let youth voices be heard - fall issue 2015

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FALL IN LOVE WITH SERVICE Featured Articles - Recap of the 2015 Fall exCHANGE - Inside Scoop on GA Youth Leadership Conferences - Details on how to get involved with GA Gives Day and GYLA FALL 2015 Written by student leaders for student leaders 21ST CENTURY LEADERS FALL 2015 ISSUE LET YOUTH VOICES BE HEA RD

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Fall in love with service! 21st Century Leaders' Youth Leadership Council walks you through leadership and service and how you, as a teen, can stay involved in your school, community and beyond. Leadership is all around us. Embrace your skills and make a difference! Enjoy our latest issue!

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Page 1: Let Youth Voices Be Heard - Fall Issue 2015

FALL IN LOVE WITH

SERVICE

Featured Articles

- Recap of the 2015

Fall exCHANGE

- Inside Scoop on GA

Youth Leadership

Conferences

- Detai ls on how to

get involved w ith

GA Gives Day and

GYLA

FALL 2015

Written by student leaders for student leaders

21ST CENTURY LEADERS FALL 2015 ISSUE

LET YOUTH VOICES BE HEA RD

Page 2: Let Youth Voices Be Heard - Fall Issue 2015

You have the power to leadDear fellow 21st Century Leaders,

I hope that all of you had a great start to your school year and that you are learning a lot, getting extremely involved in your community, and that you're always practicing the skills we've learned in 21st Century Leaders. In this edition of the publication we're focusing on leadership and service and how you can stay involved within your school, community and beyond. Your leadership doesn't end with 21st Century Leaders...it's merely the beginning. You'll get to see all the great leadership conferences we've attended, a recap of the fall summit, and some awesome projects we're doing in our own schools. Enjoy!

Sincerely,Ammu KumarWheeler H.S., Youth Leadership Council

FALL 2015

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LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

FALL 2015

21CL Youth Leadership Council

WHO WE ARE

We are 25 high school students from 21 different high school across the state of Georgia. We are the voice of 21st Century Leaders, representing the distinct ideas, opinions, attitudes, knowledge and actions of young people as a collective body through written language. We also serve as 21CL advocates to our schools and communities, and work with other 21CL students to create meaningful opportunities for one another.

Page 3: Let Youth Voices Be Heard - Fall Issue 2015

TAKE A BREAK & NOMINATE

Editor In ChiefAmmu KumarWheeler H igh,Class of 2016

Assistant Editor - In- Chief

Julian M ason

The Westminster Schools, Class of 2018

Staff Wr iter

Rayna Perry

Savannah Arts Academy, Class of 2017

Staff Wr iter

Josephine Graves

Sonoraville H .S., Class of 2017

Staff Wr iter

Jazz M artin Ingram

N orth Springs Charter HS, Class of 2017

D esign Team

Javaris Askin

Westlake H .S., Class of 2017

D esign Team

Delilah H arrell

South Cobb H .S., Class of 2016

21st Century Leaders, in partnership with our corporate sponsors and

business professionals including Atlanta Business Chronicle's 40 under 40

members, honors and selects the top 20 outstanding high school students

from across the state. As leaders yourself , you know how important it is to

recognize the work youth are doing in their community or school.  We?d

love your help in getting the word out about the nominations, nominating a peer or fellow 21st Century Leader!

Share on social media today!

You can f ind more information about the Georgia Youth Leadership Awards and the nomination process on our

website here or go ahead and nominate right now! NOMINATE Deadl ine to nominate is Friday, December 4th.

Thanks again for your support of 21st Century Leaders!

Staff Wr iter

Grace Xu

Parkview H igh School , Class of 2016

Staff Wr iter

M abel Tie

Athens Academy,

Class of 2017

TAKE A BREAK & NOMINATE

M EET OUR FA LL ISSUE STA FF

Page 4: Let Youth Voices Be Heard - Fall Issue 2015
Page 5: Let Youth Voices Be Heard - Fall Issue 2015

Click on the slideshow to see images from 21st Century Leaders

fall summit, Leadership exCHANGE

See all photos on our FB

Page 6: Let Youth Voices Be Heard - Fall Issue 2015

TAKE A BREAK AND NOMINATE!

LEA DERSHIP ex CHA NGE

This fall, on Saturday, September

26th, over a 100 21st Century

Leaders gathered at the GE

Headquarters in Atlanta for the

annual Fall Summit. This year?s

theme was ?Leadership exCHANGE?

and we learned all about the

dif ferent ways to brand ourselves

and be proactive as teens. We had

some amazing speakers and

presenters come down to talk to us,

including professionals from GE

focusing on business and grassroots

leaders from Atlanta Farm to School.

We also participated in a service

project with Trees Atlanta where we

re-vamped the Atlanta Beltl ine.

I had the pleasure of introducing our

keynote speaker, Mr. Kevin Scott (bio

on pg. 12 & 13) who talked about the

8 Essential Exchanges needed to go

from a comfortable and safe position

to an even better position in life.

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The 8 Essent ial Exchanges

1. Exchanging stability for significance

Our natural inst inct is to do whatever is safe and secure, but by staying in

this safe posit ion al l the t ime, we lose out on dreaming bigger, and

reaching higher goals. Mr. Scot t encourages us to take risks and to not play

it safe al l the t ime.

2. Exchanging fans for friends

In today?s social media-driven world, somet imes your sel f worth is determined by how many fol lowers or l ikes you have. But throughout l i fe, we?l l go through a lot of ups and down and the only people that are t ruly there for us are f riends and family. Instead of worrying about superf icial onl ine relat ionships, invest in long-term ones.

3. Exchanging dollars for difference

We?ve always been driven by the power of the almighty dol lar, but when it comes to career choice don?t just worry about your salary. Pick a job or endeavor that you?re t ruly passionate about and one where you can have a posit ive impact on society.

4. Exchanging expedience for excellence

Somet imes we do things just to check them of f our to-do-l ists and we do them as quickly as possible with as l i t t le ef fort as possible. Instead of just doing a good job on the surface, invest your t ime in anything you put your mind to, and maximize your outcome.

5. Exchanging shifting sands for solid rock

It?s nice to get caught up in a whirlwind of act ivity once in a while, and to lose yoursel f by having fun and moving al l over the place. But make sure that you stay grounded and focused on your future so that you don?t jeopardize your t rue potent ial .

6. Exchanging being the master of none to being the master of one

As a high school student , we occasional ly f ind that we?re spreading ourselves too thin by being involved in a myriad variety of clubs and extracurricular act ivit ies. Instead of just joining al l the dif ferent organizat ions, pick a few that you?re real ly passionate about and become a leader for the cause.

7. Exchanging acceptance for accomplishment

A downside of being a student in such a high-achieving and high stakes system is that somet imes we accept fai lure in a very passive manner. Instead of just hanging our head in defeat , we should analyze how the fai lure makes us st ronger and achieve even more next t ime we t ry.

8. Exchanging the immediate for the ultimate

A lot of the choices we make are due to the pursuit of instant grat if icat ion and what we want ?in the now." Instead of making rash decisions that benef it you in the short term, think about where you?l l be in the future and how the choice you?re making af fects that future.

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FALL 2015LET YOUTH VOICES BE HEA RD

Writ ten by

Arundhat i (Ammu) Kumar

Page 7: Let Youth Voices Be Heard - Fall Issue 2015

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It?s that t ime of year again, when students all over the country begin attending leadership conferences and seminars in major organizations such as Future Business Leaders of America or Model United Nations. The air is f il led with a sense of excitement, exuberance, and ebullience as many students prepare for their f irst extended stay away from family or assiduously prepare for their competit ive events. As 21st Century Leaders, we're prepared for this new adventure, but there's always things to keep in mind when attending any new event. Whether your conference is simply regional or even international, you have earned the honor of being selected to attend, and your countless hours of dedication have placed you on the cusp of success.

Regardless of the sponsoring organization or the purpose of the conference itself , conventions are the best method to begin developing your personal brand and start networking by reaching out to individuals with whom you may want to conduct internships or other opportunities. Not only will you be able to carry the experiences with you on to college or graduate school, but the relationships that you develop today may greatly benefit you in the future as you enter the professional world. All conferences have leadership and training workshop sessions for you to select and attend, ranging from simple informative workshops to engaging in exhilarating team-building activit ies that work to strengthen your personal skil ls in various situations. While 21st Century Leaders offers us training events throughout the school year, it 's our responsibil ity as young leaders to seek out all opportunities and connect with other organizations locally, nationally or internationally. All in all, it is highly important for students to attend conventions, whether or not they decide to focus on the competit ion, fun, or even both.

WHAT TO EXPECT

Ranging from attending college promotion events to creating their own students conferences, students have a wide array of opportunities when it comes to attending these conventions. I can personally attest to the innumerable benefits and experiences that conferences have given me; without them, I would be a dif ferent person today, simply because these conventions have contributed so much to shaping my development as a leader. They can become life-changing experiences that inspire you to pursue your true passions, become a better person, or ignite a new f lame within you.

FALL 2015

Leadership Conferences BY: GRACE XU

Page 8: Let Youth Voices Be Heard - Fall Issue 2015

21CL Monthly Webinar Series

REGISTER

December #WebinarWednesday | SAVE THE DATE"How to Gain an Internship" on December 9th at 7:00pm with our host, Crystal Newton from SHRM Atlanta (Society of Human Resource Management)!

Page 9: Let Youth Voices Be Heard - Fall Issue 2015

The 2011 revamp of Music Midtown

was quite the success, and brought

the event back to its former

hierarchy. As the years progressed,

the performers were of more acclaim

than the last; this years line up

ultimately reeled in some of the most

popular performers to ever touch the

Music Midtown stage, Drake & Elton

John.

(Continued on Page 10)

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THE POWER OF MUSIC

BY: JAZZ MARTIN-INGRAM

Music Midtown is an annual music

festival hosted in Atlanta?s own

Piedmont Park. The festival began in

1994 and ran successfully until

2005; when the event took a long

six-year break returning in 2011.

Music midtown was forced to take a

halt in pace when Atlanta

independent promoters sold their

company. 2011 was the resurrection

of the festival, Mayor Kasim Reed

and Conlon announced that the

festival would return with ticket

prices of $55.

LET YOUTH VOICES BE HEA RD

Page 10: Let Youth Voices Be Heard - Fall Issue 2015

The festival grabbing at two totally

dif ferent music genres, subcultures,

and age groups; showing a new diverse

feel to the well known indie-popish

festival. Also proving that this festival

is a ?force to be reckoned with."

In the words of one festival attendee ;

"normally Music Midtown has few rap

artists that all fall into one of two

categories: rapper from Atlanta or

rapper on the come up. Since the

revamp they?ve brought out T.I, 2

Chainz, B.O.B, and Vic Mensa; with the

exclusion of Kendrick Lamar and

Eminem they stick to two categories of

rap artists."

Making this year a leap outside the

box, but a major change in the right

direction. I was pleased with this year?s

selection and honored to see Drake

perform; he did not disappoint a single

audience member! Performing number

after number with audience member in

awe. Music Midtown is an unforgettable

experience started in Atlanta, but its

effects reach far outside our city l ines. ©

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On a bright early Saturday morning in August, 21st Century Youth

Leadership Team members gathered at the Lekotek Run 4 Kids race in Georgia

Perimeter College at Dunwoody, Georgia. The Lekotek Run 4 Kids was the

welcome celebration for the 21st Century Youth Leadership Team. This year

was the 23rd annual race, and was hosted by the Lekotek of Georgia, an

organization that helps mentally and physically disabled children and young

adults. It has many events each year to support these families, including a

variety of programs for all ages from a few months old to twenty-something

year old.

The Lekotek Run 4 Kids raises money to support their organization,

and is a scenic four mile race or a fun one mile run. Many of the Lekotek

families participate in the race. The 21st Century Leaders were each assigned

to a dif ferent station. The stations were registration table, water station, and

kids? activit ies booth. I was at the kids? activit ies station, where we built

various wooden models provided by Home Depot. All the kids at the station

were so excited

and were able to

create several

pieces including

wooden models of

bird houses,

calendars,

helicopters, and

even a football

stand. . Most of the

kids were pretty

young, so we

helped with the

hammer and nail part. Everyone was happy, and at the end we cheered on the

runners as they reached the f inish line.

Service is such an important aspect of the 21st Century Leader

organization, so the Lekotek Run 4 Kids event gives motivation and insight to

our generation. This event was a great way to start off the 21st Century

Leaders? new year, and I can?t wait to see what we do next!

FALL 2015

Lekotek RunBY: MABEL TIE

Page 11: Let Youth Voices Be Heard - Fall Issue 2015

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It seems like the school year has just hit its groove. We're getting used to our classes, joining clubs and sports, and not to mention f inally enjoying some fall weather these past few months.

But for the Applied Design students at Savannah Arts Academy, the school year has been in high gear since nearly the very beginning, as they?ve already begun preparing for the Eighth Annual Junk 2 Funk Fashion Show this January.

Each year, students design and create breathtaking garments out of recycled materials, all with the goal of showing off their hard work and competing at the fashion show. What began eight years ago as a simple showcase, has grown into a student lead, powerhouse show, that gains lots of community attention.

Last year, over 3,000 people attended four sold out shows, with hundreds more watching via livestream for the f inal show. Many people involved in Savannah?s art and fashion community have attended and served as judges in the past, with the popular TV Show, Project Runway?s Miss J making an appearance for the 2013 show.

But before that long awaited weekend arrives, there's an intense amount of work that goes into making Junk 2 Funk such a success. Blood, sweat, and tears are only the beginning. There are rehearsals that last until 8p.m., lunch periods spent hot gluing materials in between bites, and f ighting off the January cold in garments made of mosquito netting and packing tape. However, if you ask any student involved they'd likely tell you that it 's all worth it. These students are putting their passion into action; organizing, creating, and leading this event all on their own.

(Continued on Page 12)

FALLL 2015

Junk 2 Funk BY: RAYNA PERRY

Page 12: Let Youth Voices Be Heard - Fall Issue 2015

FEATURED ADULT LEADER: KEVIN SCOTT

( Continued from Page 11)

Starting in August, Applied Design

students begin planning and

sketching their ideas. This year's

intergalactic theme has designers

creating looks based on the f inal

frontier. ?It can be dif f icult to

come up with a design that f its

the theme, and then taking it from

a sketch to the real world.? says

junior theater major, Johannah

Coichy. Once the students have

their ideas, it 's t ime to bring them

to life, and there's no lack of

creativity when it comes to

choosing materials. In recent

years, models have walked the

runway donning garments made

of bubble wrap, t in foil, pampas

grass, broken CDs, and even candy

corn. The challenge lies in

avoiding the use of fabric.

It isn't long before posters

covered in planets and stars are

put up throughout the school,

announcing that Junk 2 Funk

model auditions are coming up

soon. This year roughly two

hundred hopeful students

auditioned to model, and

designers will choose about sixty

f ive to seventy students to walk

the runway during the show.

?Auditions are nerve wracking. Up

until you step foot on the f loor

you can only think ?God, please

don't let me fall.? and ?I hope I

can catch the beat.? Then you

muster up your inner Naomi

Campbell and strut your stuff into

complete oblivion.

"It?s liberating in some ways- all

eyes on you.? explains senior

theater major, and 21st Century

Leaders? own Destiny Lambert.

From here, it?s all about f itt ings

and rehearsals. Several other

SAA students will be designing

the sets, and lighting, as well as

creating a soundtrack for the

show. Junk 2 Funk incorporates

all arts majors, both visual and

performing, and blends them

together in one unbelievable

show that always entertains. It?s

a chance for SAA students to

showcase exactly what they?re

capable of and doing it all on

their own. So as January

approaches, you can be sure that

Savannah Arts Academy will be

ready to rock the runway.

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Kevin Paul Scott has spoken to leaders on six continents from

more than 100 countries and is the author of ?8 Essential

Exchanges: What You Have to Give Up to Go Up.? Kevin

co-founded both the ADDO Institute and ADDO Worldwide. The

ADDO Institute received the Governor?s International Award for

?New Company of the Year? in the state of Georgia. The Institute

works specif ically in the areas of global leadership, student

leadership and thought leadership. (Continued on Page 13)

LET YOUTH VOICES BE HEA RD

Page 13: Let Youth Voices Be Heard - Fall Issue 2015

Featured Adult Leader : Kevin Scott

(Continued from Page 12)

A volunteer with 21st Century Leaders

for the last several years through

Atlanta's Business Chronicle's 40 under

40 group, Mr. Scott has spoken to 21st

Century Leaders, including our 2015

fall summit.

Prior to founding ADDO, Kevin?s

background included non-prof it

charitable work, business ventures,

and polit ics. After graduating from the

University of Georgia, Kevin served on

a presidential campaign team and then

worked as a representative for a

United States Congressman. Kevin was

named one of the ?Power 30 Under

30?? for his work in expanding the

marketing efforts nationwide as the

Communicator in Chief for a global

company. In consecutive years, Kevin

was named to the ?40 under 40? lists

for Georgia Trend and then the Atlanta

Business Chronicle.

For his leadership and business

acumen, Kevin has been featured in

numerous publications, including The

New York Times, Washington Post, Los

Angeles Times, Atlanta Journal

Constitution, Detroit Free Press, The

Economist and others. For fun, Kevin

has been cage diving with Great White

Sharks in South Africa, trekked

Mountain Goril las in Uganda, and rode

a llama in Colombia.

Kevin was raised in Kennesaw, GA and

is active in his local church. Known for

his grassroots appeal and southern

charm, Kevin speaks extensively at

businesses, universit ies and within the

faith community. We are lucky to call

him a 21st Century Leader partner!

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The GA14 Youth Leadership Summit, # GA14YLS, took place on Tuesday September 22nd. It was organized and hosted by Congressman Tom Graves (R-GA-14) and his staff . It was f ive hours of inspiration and training for the high school students and adults in attendance. More than 250 students from 27 dif ferent high schools in the 14th Congressional District in Georgia attended the event. The Future Business Leaders of America chapters located in Gordon County, sent a total of 17 volunteers to assist with the running of the summit.

These students were recognized as leaders in their high schools and nominated to attend the summit, ?You are here today because someone, somewhere saw something special and different in you, and knowing that each of you was created for a unique purpose to impact lives in a positive way, our goal is to equip and inspire you to maximize that purpose now and not wait ? because you are not just the leaders of tomorrow, you are leaders today,? said Congressman Graves when opening the summit.

The program included four speakers, each coming from a dif ferent walk of l ife, but they all have a passion for leading students and inspiring success in them. The f irst speaker was Carrie Edge, a Floyd County Sherif f?s Deputy. Her passion is helping students to discover their ?why?. She discovered the great importance of f inding your ?why? in her life when she left the business world to become a deputy to help students. Her philosophy is, ?In order to lead, you must choose to live by choice and not by chance, realize your full potential and seek to fully apply yourself in every decision you make, while maintaining laser focus on your, ?Why???

(Continued on Page 14)

FALL 2015

GA14 Youth Leadership SummitBY: JOSEPHINE GRAVES

Page 14: Let Youth Voices Be Heard - Fall Issue 2015

SPRING 20##

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Following Deputy Edge came Kevin

Paul Scott, Camila Knowles, and Dr.

Alvin Miles. Kevin Paul Scott, the

Co-Founder of ADDO worldwide, a

nonprof it that provides leadership

forums, addressed the students with

a call to action, ?When we're looking

for leaders, we're looking at you.?

Camila Knowles is Commissioner of

Georgia Department of Community

Affairs. She encouraged the student

leaders by talking about her

?squiggly path to greatness?, as well

as offering advice for college prep

and applications.

Dr. Alvin Miles, the Instructor of

Management at Kennesaw State

University, concluded with his

presentation about how everyone has

their own unfair advantage, ?Just by

being here today, you are one step

ahead of others and you should use

your advantages to make a positive

dif ference in the world.?

The summit was the second of its

kind for the 14th District and the

local community. 21st Century

Leaders attended the event in an

effort to provide support and spread

their name across North Georgia. The

21CL issued this statement, ?21st

Century Leaders is proud to support

other youth leadership-led events

around the state. We have a mission to

impact as many high school students

across the state, and North Georgia is

no exception.?

The presence of 21CL was duly noted

by student leaders attending the

summit. Including a few 21st Century

Leaders in attendance representing

our schools. Many other students

visited the table to f ind out more

about 21CL and its mission. These

connections bring in new people

from a new area giving them the

chance to experience opportunities

that they would otherwise miss.

One such student, Garrison

Baumgardner, said, ?I came as a

volunteer but I st i l l made many

connect ions with other students

f rom around the state. Also, I was

able to connect with 21st Century

Leaders; I would say this was the

most important connect ion I made

here.?

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LET YOUTH VOICES BE HEA RD

Page 16: Let Youth Voices Be Heard - Fall Issue 2015

WE SUPPORT 21CLA new student slips through the door of the

forum, stepping into a different, buzzing

environment overflowing with life. Students,

clad in the same white collared shirts, mill

around introducing themselves. She is stunned

for a minute, lost in the a sea of confident

young individuals, but quickly recovers, racing

straight into the wall of people crowded in the

lobby. If they can do it, why can she?

Since 1989, we, as 21st Century Leaders, have

been building the next generation of leaders

by providing young people with training,

guidance, and encouragement. Throughout our

history, our only purpose has been to inspire

the next generation of leaders to lead our

businesses and our communities. Together, WE

ARE 21st CENTURY LEADERS, and we need your

help!

Every year, 21st Century Leaders participates in a state-wide event called Georgia Gives Day. As the

Youth Leadership Team, it 's our aim is support an organization that means so much to us! That

means, the Youth Leadership Council and the Youth Ambassadors are bat t l ing it out to see who can

raise the most money! From $720 to $400, we have high goals and we are cal l ing on YOU to GIVE

21 in support of 21st Century Leaders this November 12th! You can start by donating or sharing

with a friend to bring awareness and support to our cause. Part icipate now through November 12th

to help us reach our goal !

By Sneha Nagarajan

WATCH OUR STUDENT VIDEO BY OUR FELLOW LEADERS, THE YOUTH AMBASSADORS

Page 17: Let Youth Voices Be Heard - Fall Issue 2015

UPCOMING 21CL EVENTS

November 12th:

#GIVE21 on GA Gives Day

November 18th at 7:00pm:

#WebinarWednesday "Up Ahead" with Ryan Gravel. Register

December 4th

Deadline to submit GYLA nominations

December TBD:

21CL Summer Leadership Institute Applications Open (for current students)

February 5-6, 2016:

Goizueta Youth Leadership Summit (Emory University)

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#21CL TRENDINGOUR PICKS FOR YOU

M usic - D ownload Now!

- Hotline Bling (Drake)- On M y M ind (Ellie Goulding)- Can't Sleep Love (Pentatonix)- The H ills (The Weekend)

LET YOUTH VOICES BE HEA RD

Books

Go Set a Watchman

Featuring many of the iconic

characters from To Kill a

Mockingbird, Go Set a

Watchman perfectly captures

a young woman, and a world,

in painful yet necessary

transition out of the il lusions

of the past? a journey that

can only be guided by one's

own conscience.

Sports & Leisure

NBA: Atlanta Hawks

Go out to the November 7th game. Support our local team!

Did we mention that a Hawks game is included in 21CL's Goizueta Youth Leadership Summit?!?