B2L Direct in Action!

Civic-Champions: Creating the next generation of conscious leaders!

This month in the Civic Champions program, students engaged in meaningful discussions and activities centered on systemic issues in the systems of healthcare and criminal justice and personal growth. Our opening “Power Circles” sparked deep conversations about the criminal justice system, with engaged students earning Chick-fil-A gift cards for their active participation and respect. Culminating our healthcare conversation students involved in our “Civic-Champions” program attended our 3rd Annual Melanin & Medicine event inspiring students to pursue healthcare careers.

The program’s objectives—fostering critical thinking, encouraging leadership, and connecting education to real-world applications—were evident throughout the month.

Looking ahead, the program plans to maintain momentum, deepen community engagement, and continue empowering youth to become active, informed leaders in their communities.

Reaching for Greatness: Creating social and emotional leaders!

This month marked the start of Series 3 in the reaching program, focusing on building value, passion, and purpose. Students engaged deeply as they shared their passions and reflected on the difference between passion and purpose, showing respect and enthusiasm for the discussions. Some key learning outcomes this month were: 

* Problem-solving, with students exploring how to identify and address conflicts in their communities.

* Broadening perspectives on community issues and equipped students with practical tools for resolution.

* Relationship-building, creating spaces for students to learn from shared experiences, building relationships with caring adults and creating a welcoming environment, encouraging students to feel comfortable and eager to complete the milestones in our programming.

Closing the Gap: Creating equitable workforce development in the green job economy!

This month we empowered students with essential workforce skills through 10 modules. Participants earned pre-apprenticeship certificates, qualifying for stipends and validating their readiness for skilled trades in the green job industry. The program concluded with a celebratory graduation. Their hard work and dedication were recognized, inspiring confidence for future career success.

Students who graduated completed the “Closing the G.A.P Action Plan.” In the action plan, youth selected career tracks in the green job industry, worked with our wellness coordinator and training specialist to gauge current social, emotional, and academic success and build 30-day plans to address critical gaps. We are looking forward to starting our next cohort!

B2L Legacy: Empowering systemic change through community strategies.

This month our legacy impact came from our Youth Executive Committee (Y.E.C.) and Community Council members. The Y.E.C. were organizing and mobilizing through our planning committee for melanin and medicine and through leading circles in our civic-champions program. Here are some snapshots of their work over the course of the month.