Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) of South-Central PA hosted more than 200 youths at the second annual Youth Leadership Summit on Nov. 13. Attending students represented 18 high schools from across the organization's seven-county service region.

Corey Dupree, director of Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (JEDI) welcomed students. Dupree joined the BBBS of South-Central PA team in May, bringing experience in strategic development, event/project management, equitable sustainability practices, and fundraising strategies.

Summit attendees represented four BBBS of South-Central PA programs: Beyond School Walls, High School Bigs, Community-Based, and Bigs in Blue. Beyond School Walls is a workforce development program that introduces high school students to professionals from area businesses, trades, and higher education to inspire and prepare students for their future. High School Bigs is a school-based program that helps high school students develop leadership skills while they volunteer as mentors at nearby elementary and middle schools. The foundational Big Brothers Big Sisters one-to-one community-based mentoring program seeks to connect youths with caring adult mentors in the community. Bigs in Blue is a national initiative that introduces youths to active-duty law enforcement officers who serve as mentors, building friendships and opening lines of communication.

The summit gave students an opportunity to connect with their peers from other school districts and share personal experiences.

During breakout sessions, attendees engaged in open conversations with guest speakers about how to drive positive change, embrace their potential, and build a more equitable world. The session presenters were Madonna Awotwi, African-American Chamber of Commerce of Central PA; Lily Duarte-Evans, YWCA Carlisle & Cumberland County; Tiffiney Hall, PosiTiff; Marcellus C. Taylor, Partnership for Better Health; Angela Wiley, Members 1st Federal Credit Union; and Robert Wimer, Pennsylvania Department of Corrections.

Keynote speaker Khalid N. Mumin, the Pennsylvania secretary of education, urged students to stay true to their passions, reminding them that their voices matter and that they have the power to shape the future. Students asked Mumin questions about his journey into leadership roles, managing burnout, and how high-schoolers can be impactful in their communities and amongst their peers.

At lunchtime, students networked with area professionals and visited a resource fair with job and volunteer opportunities. With a focus on disruption and diversity, students were encouraged to initiate self-introductions and develop professional connections with the attending corporate representatives.

The culmination of the summit was the luncheon panels where students introduced speakers, shared prerecorded opinions on each panel topic, and joined the panelists on stage to ask questions. The first panel included Tara Davis of Central Pennsylvania Food Bank, Chris Franklin of the Harlem Globetrotters, and Blake Lynch of One+ Strategies. The students' questions focused on leadership within politics and organizations. The second panel included Andrea Kolb of Pennon Education and Roxy Romeo, host of the "Rise & Grind Morning Show" on Power 99. The students' questions focused on the topic of championing media as an educational platform.

BBBS of South-Central PA's Beyond School Walls and High School Bigs programs are supported thanks to gifts made through the PA Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC).