Let Youth Voices BE HEARD

FOR STUDENT LEADERS, BY STUDENT LEADERS

21ST CENTURY LEADERS' QUARTERLY PUBLICATION

21st Cent ur y Leader s SPRI NG/ SUMMER 2016

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.SYouth Leadership Council

Grace Xu

Parkview High School

MEET THE

STAFF

I ssue

Vol ume

Year

Let Yout h Voi ces Be Hear d SPRI NG/ SUMMER 2016

Ammu Kumar

Wheeler High School

Kalei Downing

Henry W. Grady High School

Ben Wolfson

Chamblee Charter High School

Evan Barnard

Johns Creek High School

John Burger

High School

Danisha Walker Dodge County High School

Maya Gregory

Paulding County High School

The deal fel l through.

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 litt le science-f iction, 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 f irst 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 satell ites 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 writ ing 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.

Most children enjoy making mud pies with their f riends. When Elon Musk was a kid, he was fed up with the inef f iciency of convent ional classroom learning, and subsequent ly began to teach himsel f through reading. He would read a lot -- somet imes upwards of 10 hours per day. In 1983, when he was 12-years- old, af ter reading an instruct ional computer programming book, he created and sold his f irst video game, Blastar.

by Ben Wolfson

Elon M usk : Im proving the Future of H um anity

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 mill ion dollars, earning him a net gain of around 20 mill ion. 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 mill ion 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 mill ion for 3 rockets. They were under the impression that they were getting 21 mill ion per rocket.

2 0 1 6 PRESIDENTIAL CAM PAIGN PULSE CHECKBY 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

necessary for nomination.

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

2 0 1 6WHAT HAPPENED TO THE DEM OCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL RACE?

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.

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.

VS

2 0 1 6 PRESIDENTIAL CAM PAIGN PULSE CHECK

VSTed 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.

WHAT IS REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL RACE?

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.

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.

2 0 1 6

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.

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

Ear thCare is a great sum m er leadership inst i tute and sum m er exper ience to par t icipate through 21st Century Leaders. H eld at Ber r y Col lege in Rom e, Georgia, 90 students fr om al l across the state of Georgia com e to together to learn about leadership, envir onm ental sustainabi l i ty, engineer ing, and Georgia Power careers.

There are m ul t iple act ivi t ies and events that 21st Century Leaders can par t icipate in , whi le also m eeting top level execut ives fr om Georgia Power.

Som e very m em orable act ivi t ies for m e included the BOLD ropes cl im bing course where we pract iced our tr ust bui lding and team work sk i l ls.

I 'm also gratefu l to be able to hear speeches fr om so m any professionals fr om the Georgia Power com pany.

and also we got f i r sthand exper ience of what col lege l i fe at  Ber r y Col lege is l ike. Overal l i t?s a very fun cam p and I feel that al l new leaders that wi l l be attending that cam p wi l l have a good t im e, a learn lessons that can use through their whole l ives.

This year 's inst i tute k icks off on June 12th with 90 students. I hope you take advantage th is oppor tun i ty and enjoy i t as m uch as I did. This year I 'm exci ted to spend m y sum m er with 21CL again, but th is year at SYLI!

To Lear n M or e abou t Ear thCar e - CLICK H ERE

by John Burger

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 f irst 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 t ips 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 l ife t ime. It?s really a great opportunity to gain experience from a professional point of view.

Summer Youth Leadership Institute

by Danisha Walkerl

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

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!

21ST CENTURY LEADERS SELECTED FOR TURNER VOICES INTERNSHIP

1. Tristan Bogost, Homeschool2. Noel Booker, Henry W. Grady

High School3. Edgar Derricho, Shiloh High

School4. Livi Grant, Marietta High School5. Cynthia He, Johns Creek High

School6. William Holley, DeKalb Early

College Academy

7. Estefi Herrera, Pinecrest Academy

8. Joanne Lee, Duluth High School9. Ian Nixon, Arabia Mountain High

School

10. Erica Tolbert, North Hall H.S.

11. Gregory Varghese, Pinecrest

Academy

12. Bilal Zahir, Whitewater H.S.

INTERNSHIPS VS JOBSby Ammu Kumar

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!!

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.?          

Internships Jobs

- 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

- 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.

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."  

Financial

REGISTER BY CLICKING HERE OR

CHECK OUT THE RECORDING ON OUR

YOUTUBE CHANNEL

UPCOMING EVENT: #WEBINARWEDNESDAY

MAY 18TH

What if mill ions of young people in over a hundred countries volunteered their t ime 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.

by Evan Barnard

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..

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 dif ferent types of trees that l ine the trail, and they were able to compare the dif ferent bark textures, leaf shapes, and trunk formations as they read scientif ic information about the dif ferent species. Midway through the walk we stopped for cupcakes with three dimensional candy butterf l ies 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 informat ion about my Global Youth Service Day experiences,

please visit my website, www.brail lenaturetrai l .com.

Continued...

SENIOR REFLECTION: MY 21CL EXPERIENCE

by Grace Xu

Through my experience in 21 CL for the past two years, I have been able to experience a plethora of wonderful networking and leadership. The opportunit ies that 21CL of fers are unparal leled by any other organizat ion that I have part icipated in, and I most certainly hope to stay involved as an alumni in the

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 f irst 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 activit ies 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 util ized 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

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

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 skil ls.                 

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 crit ical 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 crit ical thinking skills in this exercise and state our f inal 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.

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 UniversityIntended Major: Biology

Accomplishments: Georgia Youth Leadership Award Winner 2016

Abdullah Al-Obaidi

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 GeorgiaIntended 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

Evan Barnard

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 UniversityIntended Major: Biological Science

Bernabe Beccera

21CL Senior Highlights

Jordan Benedict

Tristan Bogost

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 UniversityIntended Major: Industrial Management/Engineering

Accomplishment: Athletic Scholarship

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 UniversityIntended Major: Film

Accomplishment: Real 101 Scholarship, GivingPoint Service Cords, Achieve Atlanta Scholarship, Acceptance to Turner Voices Internship Summer 2016

Noel Booker

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 UniversityIntended Major: Film & Media Arts

Accomplishment: Second Century Scholars scholarship (SMU), Meadows Scholar award (SMU), Acceptance to Turner Voices Internship Summer 2016

Zelma Cable

Nia Clark

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 MontevalloIntended Major: Marketing & Communications

Accomplishment: Montevallo Ambassador Program Scholarship

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 FloridaIntended Major: Electrical Engineering Accomplishments: Kappa Alpha Psi Scholarship, Comcast Scholarship, AJC Cup Winner, Turner Voices summer internship 2016

Edgar Derricho

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

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 CollegeIntended Major: Anthropology

Ashlynne Fagan

Maya Gregory

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 CollegeIntended Major: Biomedical Research

Accomplishment: Founders Scholarship-$19,500 per year, Performing Arts Scholarship-$3,000 per year, American Red Cross Scholarship-$500

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-MedAccomplishment: Atlanta Journal Constitution Cup Winner

Farah HammadyHigh 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: BiologyAccomplishment: Atlanta Journal Constitution Cup Winner

Delilah HarrellHigh 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: CommunicationsAccomplishment: 21CL Youth Leadership Council Member, honors graduate, early

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 UniversityIntended Major: Neuroscience

Morenika Ididapo

Cynthia He

William Hensley

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 GeorgiaIntended Major: Management Information Systems

Accomplishment: Honor Roll, Turner Voices summer internship 2016

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 TennesseeIntended Major: Business Analytics Accomplishment: The Volunteer Scholarship, Sawnee Electric Membership Foundation Youth Scholarship

Estefi HerreraHigh 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 theatreAccomplishment: Turner Voices summer internship 2016

Tres Jones

Joanne Lee

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

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 PennsylvaniaIntended Major: Economics Accomplishment: Gates Millennium Scholarship, Nordstrom Scholarship, QuestBridge Scholar

Emory McKenzieHigh 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: PhysicsAccomplishment: 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 PerformanceAccomplishment: Music Scholarships to ABAC and VSU.

Richard NguyenHigh 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 RedlerHigh 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-MedAccomplishment: 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 HillIntended Major: ChemistryAccomplishment: Georgia Youth Leadership Awards winner (2014), Kids Who Care Award

Jessica TricheHigh 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 MiamiIntended Major: International RelationsAccomplishment: University of Miami Ronald A. Hammond Full-Tuition Scholarship, University of Southern California Presidential Scholarship

Grace XuHigh 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