Celebrate Youth Leadership Academy's 20th year at dinner/dance
The Youth Leadership Academy invites the community to its 20th anniversary annual benefit dinner and dance on Friday, Feb. 26. Since 1996, the YLA has helped more than 120 young people to enrolled in college and this number is expected to double within the next six years.
Doors open at 6 p.m., with the dinner and program at 7 p.m., in the banquet room at Elgin Community College Building E, 1700 Spartan Drive. Dancing will begin at 9 a.m.
The keynote speaker will be retired federal judge Manuel Barbosa. In 1998, the longtime Elgin resident became the first Hispanic bankruptcy judge to serve in the U.S. Northern District of Illinois.
Tickets through Friday, Feb. 12, are $65 or $420 for a table of eight. For tickets, visit www.ylaecc.org or call (847) 214-6965. Checks can be mailed to the Youth Leadership Academy, 410 Renner Drive, Elgin IL 60123.
The academy is a nonprofit organization. All contributions are tax deductible.
Its mission is to engage and inspire youth to maximize their potential to become successful community leaders through the access and responsible utilization of postsecondary education.
Students who are eligible for free or reduced lunch may apply from across the Elgin Community College District 509, which includes school districts Elgin Area School District U-46, Community Unit District 300, Central Unit District 301 and St. Charles Unit District 303. The students are selected during the second semester of sixth grade and begin academy activities at the start of seventh grade. The program continues through 12th grade and ends with two years free tuition to Elgin Community College. Approximately 25 students are selected based on their applications, recommendations, family interviews and availability of program funds.
Students participate in the academy by attending leadership training sessions held two Saturday mornings per month starting in August through May at ECC. They also are required to communicate with their leadership groups in between training sessions to make progress on their projects. In addition, cadets are required to volunteer at some community events during the school year such as the Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service and Youth Leadership Conference.
YLA offices are located on the ECC campus Building K, Room 109 at 410 Renner Drive.
Questions about the YLA program may be directed to Helen Perez, administrative assistant, at HPerez@elgin.edu, or Dianha Ortega-Ehreth, executive director, at dortega-ehreth@elgin.edu or Dr. Wes Scott, president of the YLA board, at wscott@elgin.edu.