Pedro A. Chavez

Students from Across Ventura County at the YLS Summit

Pedro A. Chavez

Students from Across Ventura County at the YLS Summit

The United Ways Young Leaders Society (YLS) held its first annual Youth Empowerment Summit at Oxnard College a few weeks ago. University-bound high school and community college students gathered to hear young professionals share their life and career experiences in panel discussions throughout the day.

For many of our young professionals, this was an opportunity to give back to their community and connect with the next generation of young leaders, stated United Ways Pedro A. Chavez, the lead organizer of the summit.

Of the YLS Summit participants, 15 students were selected to receive academic scholarships ranging from $250 to $1,000. Several of the summit participants expressed how this was different from all other career events they have attended.

This was the first time I actually connected with someone personally because I saw myself in them, expressed a high school participant. It wasnt about preaching to me or influencing or attempting to guide me into a particular college choice or career. It was about sharing lifes curve balls and how one started in one place and ended up in another.

The United Ways Young Leaders Society is a network of young professionals committed to making a difference in the lives of young people through scholarships, leadership and mentorship opportunities.

Part of the Young Leaders Societys mission is to focus on improving the lives of young people in Ventura County, said Timur Taluy, Chairman of the Young Leaders Society. We created this event to show students the variety of career paths that are out there and to support and encourage their academic success with scholarships.

The Youth Empowerment Summit is a collaborative partnership between the United Ways Young Leaders Society, the Ventura County Office of Education, Ventura County Community College District and the Associated Students of Oxnard, Moorpark and Ventura College. It was only through the generosity of sponsorships that YLS was able to raise monies to support the scholarship fund. These committed supporters were Bank of America Mortgage, Farmers Insurance Group, Procter & Gamble, First California Bank, Rabobank, Cumulus Media, Nordman Cormany Hair & Compton, Trophies Etc, California State University Channel Islands, Ventura Community Values and the Ventura County Star.

The Youth Empowerment Summits community sponsors included Ventura County Jaycees, Gold Coast Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Ventura Music Festival, Boys & Girls Club of Greater Oxnard & Port Hueneme, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Ventura County and the Ventura County Economic Development Association.

For more information about this event, please contact Pedro A. Chavez at 805.485.6288 ext. 252, visit www.vcunitedway.org or visit the website at http://nonprofit.meetup.com/114.

Established in 2005, the mission of Young Leaders Society is to promote and encourage the spirit of philanthropy and volunteerism through a variety of enlightening opportunities to help support and improve the lives of young people. Young Leaders Society seeks to position itself as the premier philanthropic, leadership, and networking organization for Ventura County young leaders.