Program Highlights

Voices of Change Project

Working as a group, students will choose a topic that they believe presents a problem in today’s society and develop an organization to combat the problem. Students will conduct research to fully understand the problem they’re facing and create an organization that positively promotes social change. They will collaborate as a group, using each team member’s strengths, to educate others and take action to combat the problem. At the end of the project, students will present their work to other groups and will hopefully continue their project upon returning home.

For example, JrNYLC alumni Brandon Greene transformed his Voices of Change project into a real organization, A Better Community, to combat bullying. He was honored for his work and invited to the White House to meet President Obama.

Mount Vernon

Students experience the rich history of America’s past as they reflect on leadership at the home of the nation's first president. While at George Washington's home, they also learn the ins and outs of daily life at the time and practice leadership during the Be Washington simulation. During the first-person, interactive leadership experience, the students come face to face with four unique challenges that George Washington confronted as commander in chief.

Capitol Hill Experience*

Students take a trip to Capitol Hill, where they are encouraged to reflect on the responsibility of public service and consider the ways they can have an impact now and in the future.

Past JrNYLC attendees have also enjoyed an exclusive visit to the Floor of the House, where they gained insights directly from a former member of Congress. Students also have the opportunity to visit the U.S. Capitol Visitor Center and take a self-guided tour of Exhibition Hall and Emancipation Hall.

*Note: Changes in the Congressional schedule may impact the JrNYLC visit to the Capitol/House Chamber.

Keynote Speaker: Anthony Robles 

When Anthony Robles was born without a right leg, doctors had no explanation for the birth defect and there was little hope he would lead a normal life. His mom, however, always told him that God made him that way for a reason and encouraged him to pursue his dream of wrestling.

At 14, Robles tried out for his school’s wrestling team and became the smallest kid on the lineup, finishing his first year in last place at the Mesa City wrestling tournament. But against all odds, Robles believed he could one day be a champion wrestler and proved to be an unstoppable force. With the support of his mother and coaches, he went from being last in the city to finishing his junior and senior years at Mesa High School as a two-time Arizona State Champion and a high school National Champion with a 96-0 record.

Despite finishing high school on top, Robles once again faced prejudice in the sport of wrestling, as no college wrestling programs believed he could excel at the next level. Through bold determination, he "walked on" at Arizona State University and made it his mission to prove to them, and the world, that anything was possible. Robles graduated from Arizona State with a degree in Business Communication and finished his college wrestling career as a three-time All-American and the 2011 NCAA National Champion. He was also awarded the 2011 NCAA “Best Wrestler of the National Tournament Award.”

Keynote Speaker: Chaunte Lowe 

Chaunte Lowe doesn’t strive to just break the mold — she vaults over it, leaving it behind her in the dust. This four-time Olympian’s impressive rise started while she was just a sophomore at Georgia Tech when she made her first Olympic appearance. Her ambitions on the field and in the classroom showed an unparalleled drive even among the Institute’s top student-athletes. Chaunte is a world champion and has broken the American record three times and is the current American record holder in indoor and outdoor high jump. She’s competed in four Olympic Games and aspired to add a fifth. In addition to her athleticism, she has used her personal experiences to raise awareness of breast cancer research, early detection, and eradication. In 2019, she was diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer. Despite the diagnosis, she continued to train through surgeries and chemotherapy to stay competitive for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games. With the 2020 Olympics postponed, she maintained her training determined to continue to use her voice to bring awareness to breast cancer. “The best gift I can give with my life is helping others find beauty in their own lives,” she says.