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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!
Citation preview
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
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.
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
Click on the slideshow to see images from 21st Century Leaders
fall summit, Leadership exCHANGE
See all photos on our FB
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
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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
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)!
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
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. ©
Ph
oto
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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
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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
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
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
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
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
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?!?