The African American Youth Leadership Conference (AAYLC) wants to stay connected with you! Enjoy interesting facts, educational information, highlights and upcoming events. Have a question or comment? Please contact us at info@aaylc-co.org.
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Research shows that personal finance education helps students avoid payday loans, have better credit outcomes and reduce private student loan balances and credit card debt, among other things. Source
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Executive Director's Corner
As adults we can often recall engaging in conversation about how we wish we would have learned the importance of personal finance when we were younger. Whether it is information about how to file taxes, understand credit, or guidance on getting loans to purchase a vehicle, home, or to attend school, many of us acknowledge having to make these types of financial decisions with little to no background knowledge beforehand. Teaching youth to handle money responsibly at a young age will build positive habits. It is crucial to create a positive relationship with money that can yield much better adult decisions as the stakes get higher. This month, our focus is to provide insight into grasping financial awareness.
Sincerely,
Shantelle Bridges
Executive Director
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6 Real Money Lessons Every Parent Should Teach
It is never too early to start practicing good money habits. In fact, the earlier teenagers are exposed to good financial habits, the better chance they will become financially savvy.
Read more
deereemployeescu.com
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Student of the Month - Sanaa Jones |
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Sweet melodies, smooth grooves, fresh tunes, and more is what this super songstress is bringing to the stage. Though the music notes guide her passion, Sanaa Jones is way more than one note. A current junior at Doherty High School, Sanaa not only is enjoying her time on stage, but also in the military ranks as a ROTC team commander. This 3.4 GPA scholar was able to help lead her ROTC team to a treasured 1st place ranking in the widely known Navy JROTC meet held in Colorado.
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The Basics of Investing
by Michael Williams, Williams & Associates LLC
When it comes to saving, many people have questions on the best way to get there. It can be boiled down to one word, consistency. A lot of months it feels like there’s not enough money but, there’s money left over IF we treat our families as the most important bill. Here are a few tips to help you start with the basics of wealth building.
- You can never save yourself to wealth.
- It pays to start early.
- It's never too late to start.
For every problem, there’s a solution. We can get ahead but it just takes the first step and that’s simply starting. Read More
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Across the Board
I was brought up in a single parent household raised by my mother. My mother worked very hard to care for me and my younger brother, and I watched her struggle financially. When I was a teenager, I knew and understood very little about finances. I had various jobs while in high school such as working concessions at the movie theater to working at Burger King. At that time, my priority was making sure that I had enough money to buy the latest fashionable clothes and hang out with my friends at fast food restaurants. I enrolled in an accounting class in high school, and I was hooked. I learned the value of money and most importantly how to account for money coming in and money going out. I began to have respect for my mom’s ability to ensure that she had money left over after single-handedly paying monthly expenses and taking care of me and my brother. The class helped me to grasp that it is fine to have money for the things in life that we want but that we also need to develop good money management skills in order for our needs to be taken care of first. This love for money management has propelled me into my current career in the Financial Services industry where I have been able to help many families achieve their financial goals.
Sincerely,
Clara Akins
Board Treasurer
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Parent Session: Get in the Know, Stay in the Know: Properly Preparing After High School |
Is your child ready for life after high school? Too often students make it to their junior and senior year without having the proper access to information. They need to be able to make informed choices that will have a positive outcome on their future. Join us for a lively discussion on preparing students for the next phase of their personal development. Whether its college or workforce readiness, we’ll have some options for YOU!
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Target Audience: Parents, Students, etc.
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Facilitator: LaConti S. Bryant, Ed.D.
We look forward to seeing you on Sunday, April 10th from 4:00pm - 5:00pm MST. To register for this session, please click here.
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Wynn Marchman Scholarships and Grants |
The commitment of the AAYLC is to support, promote and foster leadership, education, and positive self-esteem among our youth. Our youth leadership scholarships and grants provide financial assistance to high school seniors who are interested in pursuing college or vocational studies upon graduation from high school. Grants are given to assist other students in grades 6-11 who are interested in participating in an educational program, event or activity sponsored by their school, church, or community. The deadline to apply is April 16, 2022. If you live in the Pikes Peak Region of Colorado and would like to apply for a scholarship or grant, click here. |
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Virtual Workshop: Eradicating the Stigma against Mental Health among Black Youth |
Mental health is an essential part of well-being – just like a healthy diet, sleep, and exercise. It is crucial that we know when to seek mental health services for our youth and families. In addition, it is critical that we are informed of the signs and symptoms of mental health concerns and how to validate their existence. If you could choose to have a clear plan of what to do to identify, support, protect and possibly prevent some mental health concerns, would you do so?
Join us as we discuss the stigmas of mental health within the black community, look at the challenges youth face every day, and review resources to provide the support needed for youth and families.
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Target Audience: Parents, Counselors, Educators, High School Students, and Community Members.
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Facilitator: Victoria Hardy, Psychiatry IOP Nursing Coordinator.
We look forward to seeing you on Saturday, May 14th from 9:00am - 10:00am MST. To register for this workshop, please click here.
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2022 AAYLC Virtual Education Series |
On behalf of everyone at the African American Youth Leadership Conference (AAYLC), we would like to thank all the students, sponsors, presenters, and parents who attended our 2022 AAYLC Virtual Education series in March. From S.T.E.A.M. to College Prep to Financial Literacy, we offered a variety of relatable sessions to spark new areas of learning for each participant. We believe that our dynamic group of speakers provided actionable and practical tools to assist youth in their next phase of life. Congratulations to the numerous prize winners. Your attendance was greatly appreciated. We look forward to reintroducing an in-person conference in 2023. Thank you for your continued support! |
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VMware
This month we are spotlighting VMware. One of their employees, Jeremy Sage, provided a grant to the AAYLC in January. We are thankful for their generosity and dedication to the AAYLC’s mission. We wish to send a very special thank you for helping us ensure we continue to offer a top-notch conference.
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Future Forward at Bollman
The AAYLC would like to thank Neesha Lenzini, psychology teacher from Future Forward at Bollman, an Adams 12 Five Star School in Thornton, CO. Our Executive Director, Shantelle Bridges, was invited to spend the day with her students on March 11th. Shantelle shared the AAYLC vision and mission, discussed the value of finding your passion, and spoke about giving back through volunteering and community service. Thank you Neesha for this incredible opportunity!
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Social Media/Marketing Volunteers Wanted!
Are you looking for ways you can utilize your skill set to serve the community? We have the opportunity for YOU! The AAYLC is seeking a few social media/marketing volunteers to assist with several initiatives. If you would like to apply your creative skillset and join our team, please click here. |
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