Reflecting On 2025-2026: A Deeper Look Into the Youth Advisory Board’s Presence
Following another successful year of the Youth Advisory Board (YAB), current members and former alumni were invited to look back on their experiences and reflect upon what makes this program so unique. Each individual was sent the following questions regarding the leadership, growth, and community we have fostered this past year. Through this piece we have compiled their sentiments and personal stories into a refined, comprehensive picture of what the YAB actually looks like in practice. Far beyond a standard committee, these reflections serve as a testament to how deeply our conversations, mentors, and continual presence impact not only our students' futures, but also enrich the perspectives of the professional guests who engage with us.
Grounding Ourselves in the Midst of “What If” Thinking
What do we imagine is on the horizon? For ourselves? Our society? Our world?
With so much turbulence in our world today, it can be easy to get caught up in imagining far-out hypotheticals (highly imaginative, unconventional scenarios) as we look toward the future.
My thesis: It is important to take a measured approach when those far-out hypotheticals take hold of our imaginations, so we can stay grounded and alert to what is possible in the present…
An Idea in the Making
It’s 3 p.m. on a Sunday in August and I am logging onto my first work call of the week. “Work on Sunday afternoon?” you might ask. Yes, because this call is special. It is the first meeting of the 2024-25 Aspire Leadership Consulting Youth Advisory Board. I am about to spend two hours with some of the highest-achieving high school juniors and seniors from across Virginia…