Youth Board began in 2017 with a small group of local high school students who simply wanted to do more for their community. What started as a handful of students with a desire to serve has grown into something none of us could have imagined.
In 2019, we took a step back and began intentionally reimagining what Youth Board could become. We didn't just want another volunteer program, we wanted to create a place where students from different schools, backgrounds, personalities, and life experiences could come together to learn from one another, challenge one another, and grow together. Since then, we've continued to shape and strengthen the program each year, always asking ourselves one question: How can we make this an even better experience for our students?
Today, Youth Board is about so much more than community service. Our goal is to help every student become the best version of themselves. We want students to discover who they are, build meaningful friendships, develop confidence, learn from failure, celebrate success, and leave knowing they are capable of more than they ever imagined. If they graduate from Youth Board feeling more confident, more compassionate, more connected, and more prepared for whatever comes next, then we've done exactly what we set out to do.
This year challenged students to grow in ways that can't always be measured. They discovered new strengths, built lasting friendships, gained confidence, learned to lead, and developed the courage to speak up, serve others, and embrace people whose experiences looked different from their own.
Cohort: 24 Student Leaders
High Schools Represented: Corona, Santiago, Roosevelt, Norco, JFK Middle College, Centennial, Ontario Christian
Diversity: Chinese, Colombian, Egyptian, Indian, Māori, Mexican, Nigerian, Pakistani, Persian
Languages: Arabic, Farsi, Mandarin, Spanish, Telugu, Urdu
Community Impact Project: In Bloom, A collaboration with Westcliff University providing free breastfeeding education, infant CPR, and prenatal yoga/stretching classes for expecting and new mothers.
Skills Developed: Confidence: Public Speaking, Leadership, Professional Communication, Teamwork, Critical Thinking, Accountability, Cultural Awareness
College Commitments: Harvard, USC, Cornell, UC Berkeley, UC Santa Cruz, Cal Poly Pomona, Cal State Fullerton, U.S. Naval Academy, Riverside City College