Each year, Bridge to Employment students join the Global Youth Leadership Council (YLC). The ten-member YLC gives young people a platform to voice their opinions and shape the future of the global BTE program. YLC members develop resources and activities for their peers, share their experiences, and make recommendations to advance BTE student learning, engagement, and retention.

Interested in joining the 2024 Youth Leadership Council? Apply now!


 

Meet the 2023 BTE YLC Members!

YLC Members

Emma

Emma Skipper

Warsaw, Indiana

2022-2023

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What do you enjoy doing? I enjoy spending time with friends and family.  I love coaching gymnastics, and I have recently developed a passion for martial arts. What are you really good at? I have found in recent years that I have a unique ability to make people smile. I am also good at cooking, and I have a very artistic spirit, so I’m pretty good at art. What makes you happiest? I love traveling and experiencing new things, learning about the world around me and researching the past have always fascinated me. I have also found that when I am told my actions have impacted somebody positively, it brings me great joy. What helps you stay motivated when you feel sad or if you find something challenging? I stay motivated by focusing on my goals for the future. Having an internal drive and a strong-willed determination is a recipe that will get you anywhere with some hard work.  And at the end of the day, if you end up overwhelmed, you can always take a nap and get some good food in your belly. When I find something challenging, I remember that failure means you’re learning and you’re never gonna get better at something if you don’t try.

Gabriela Baltodano

Franklin, New Jersey

2022-2023

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What do you enjoy doing? I enjoy spending time with family, solving puzzles, watching movies, and crocheting. What are you really good at? I am really good at solving problems creatively and playing the violin. What makes you happiest? What makes me happy is going out with my family and friends. What helps you stay motivated when you feel sad or if you find something challenging? What keeps me motivated when I am sad or facing something challenging is knowing that end of the day, I will learn something new, and new abilities will burst out that if I would have gave up I would never know I had them.

Grace YLC 2022

Grace Ganser

Warsaw, Indiana

2022-2023

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What do you enjoy doing? I enjoy reading manga, cooking, watching anime/Asian dramas, and I especially enjoy listening to different types of music genres. What are you really good at? Math, since I was really young, and also drawing. What makes you happiest? I can be my happiest when I am by myself, but at the same time, being with friends and family makes me quite happy. Also, just enjoy watching TV and just having some downtime to myself. What helps you stay motivated when you feel sad or if you find something challenging? For me personally a lot of the times when I am in a challenging situation, I struggle to find my outlet. To help me through my situation I always turn back to my mother and how she cares about me and how I will make it through those difficult moments.

Liam Guest

High Wycombe, United Kingdom

2022-2023

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What do you enjoy doing? I like to swim and play video games. I also enjoy hanging out with my friends and traveling. What are you really good at? My public speaking and leadership skills are something I hold dear. I've also greatly improved my drawing skills. What makes you happiest? I am happiest when I can spend time with my friends and experience new things. We play all sorts of games together and travel together. What helps you stay motivated when you feel sad or if you find something challenging? When I begin to struggle, I like to think back to times in the past where I was overwhelmed and unsure of how to deal with a challenge.

Pranav YLC 2022

Pranav Jain

Franklin, New Jersey

2022-2023

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What do you enjoy doing? I love hanging out with my friends, playing video games, and surfing the internet. What are you really good at? I'm really good at table tennis, badminton, and math (calculus and algebra). What makes you happiest? Something that makes me really happy is having my family around me and spending valuable time with them gives me joy. What helps you stay motivated when you feel sad or if you find something challenging? By constantly reminding myself of a quote that my aunt taught me: "Fake it till you make it." I use this to stay on track. The quote really means that by faking the confidence, optimism, etc., you will eventually be able to embrace them in a way that seems natural to you.

Sabiha Akter

High Wycombe, United Kingdom

2022-2023

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What do you enjoy doing? I enjoy painting, listening to music, and singing. In my free time, I like to go out when it’s sunny and go to the park. What are you really good at? I’m not particularly really good at anything but recently I’ve started baking and I’d say I’m good at it. What makes you happiest? I’m the happiest when I’m around my family and friends and when I’m going somewhere new. What helps you stay motivated when you feel sad or if you find something challenging? Whenever I find something challenging, I like to motivate myself by reminding myself of what I’d like to achieve in the future. When I feel sad, I take time off of everything that I’m doing and just relax or talk to someone who motivates me.

Shashank Upadhyay

Warsaw, Indiana

2022-2023

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What do you enjoy doing? I love to work out, hang out with friends, and help my community as much as possible. What are you really good at? I am good at cooking, working, handling hard situations, leading, and listening. What makes you happiest? I am the happiest when I am with my friends. What helps you stay motivated when you feel sad or if you find something challenging? The thing that really keeps me going is the power within myself, I tell myself I can be better or do better . I strive to work harder than I did the day before.