YOUNG EMERGING LEADERS OF LOUISIANA, INC.

Young Emerging Leaders of Louisiana, Inc. (YELL) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives and plight of under-served youth in East Baton Rouge and surrounding areas. They have a vision to create infinite possibilities so that all children can realize their highest potential.

The mission of YELL is to help young people make a positive impact in local communities. They also work to develop a new generation of professional and civic leaders who will work towards improving equity for at-risk and disadvantaged members in the community. They have various programs that are designed to develop academic goals, career goals, a civic-minded spirit, social goals, and positive self-esteem.

YELL’s curriculum encompasses educational programs, mentor programs, youth leadership development, and cultural enrichment and recreational programs. They provide after-school tutoring and homework assistance for youth in grades six through eight who are at risk of failure in the public school system. With the tutorial sessions, students receive supplementary instruction in math, reading, language arts, and computer-aided instruction.

The standardized test remediation is another aspect of the educational programs offered by YELL. They have test preparation workshops that target students that need help in achieving the highest scores possible on standardized test like the LEAP, IOWA, high school graduate exit exam, and the ACT college entrance exam. YELL also has a summer learning academy that provides youth in elementary and middle school educational workstations as well as cultural enrichment tours outside their neighborhood.

Students in the mentor program are partnered with a professional adult and are able to establish a one-on-one relationship with them. This enables the youth to have a positive role model as well as a source of advice. Teen leaders in East Baton Rouge and the surrounding areas participate in character education activities. These exercises are designed to help teens develop strong values, enhance their education, and gain an appreciation for social and economic entrepreneurship. The youth leadership development program sponsors teen summits, youth retreats, college tours, and much more.

YELL wants to develop all aspects of the young people. In order to do that, they want them to see life outside of what they normally know. YELL sponsors cultural enrichment tours and other activities to show the youth another aspect of the world outside their neighborhoods. This exposure opens the children’s minds to other cultures and aspects of culture and arts itself. The youth are exposed to different options because of this. YELL participants have been able to meet the Governor and visit the Governor’s Mansion.