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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Recent studies suggest that of those who make a New Year’s resolution, approximately 75% of people are still successful in keeping it after one week. Subsequently, after two weeks the percentage drops to 71%. After one month, the number drops to 64%. When turning the page into this New Year, we must keep a clear mind and create specific, yet attainable goals to set us up for a productive year. Source | |
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Executive Director's Corner
Happy New Year! I hope you celebrated the start of 2023 safely and in good health with your family and loved ones.
As we’ve entered a new year, we have a chance to envision how our lives could be twelve months from now. The beginning of a new year is a time of hope and possibility, full of potential for the future. It brings with it a sense of excitement and anticipation, as well as a reminder that we can learn from the lessons of 2022. As we prepare to create something new and different in 2023, the AAYLC is ready to do just that.
We are excited to celebrate 30 years of impacting youth and the community of the Pikes Peak region and beyond. We will commemorate this milestone with our Anniversary Gala on February 25th. Additionally, we are ecstatic to be back in person for our annual conference on March 4th. It is a new year, a fresh start, and we are filled with the hope of infinite possibilities. The conference is shaping up with new opportunities of knowledge and empowerment for students and parents. We look forward to the new relationships and collaborations that we have formed to bring a bigger and better conference to our community.
We hope you will journey with us. We’ve missed you and your family. We can’t wait to connect with you in so many ways this year. Stay tuned. You don’t want to miss what we have planned in 2023!!
Sincerely,
Shantelle Bridges
Executive Director
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How to Make (and Keep) Your New Year's Resolutions | Let this year be the one you finally follow through. Yup, the time has come to talk about New Year's resolution(s)...again. In a time of such, well, pandemonium, creating these types of goals for yourself can feel like a way to stabilize your personal growth and center your happiness at a time when pretty much everything else feels off-kilter. | | | | |
Student of the Month - Jathan Busby | | |
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Jathan is the ideal student to honor in the first month of the year because he embodies all the AAYLC’s core values! He is empowered by his parents, who have consistently believed in his potential and keeps him motivated to be his best self. What he is most looking forward to this year is “learning more about how my adult life will look and what college I want to attend.” This James Irwin Charter High School junior shows his depth of knowledge by maintaining a GPA of 4.5, which includes AP and honors courses! He excels in math and hopes to pursue a mathematics or engineering degree.
Learn more about this exceptional student
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Fresh Start/New Beginnings | |
Matters of the Mind
Many people use the opportunity that comes with a new year to create personal and professional goals or look towards making and breaking habits. Additionally, most people focus on physical resolutions or aim to reduce their “bad habits.” It is also important to reflect on how to support and improve our mental health. While setting mental health goals, it may help to familiarize yourself with the stages of change to support building new, healthy habits. Read More
Sincerely,
Alice Miles
Counselor at Mt. Carmel Veteran Service Center and AAYLC Board Director
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Across the Board
As we ring in the new year, we often equate “starting a new chapter” with major events in our lives. Major events may include graduating from school, starting a new career, moving, and more. However, the truth is that we can always start a “new chapter” at any stage in life. It doesn’t need to be a colossal change. Starting a new chapter is ultimately something created in your mind. It is the meaning that you attach to the event that allows you to distinguish the occurrence as something that changes you or opens a new door to life. In 2023 one of my hopes is to start appreciating the little things more.
As I move closer to wrapping up my junior year of high school, I have begun to give thought regarding what I would like to accomplish in 2023. Those reflections are not limited to academic achievement. My focus is centered on coloring outside the lines to attain new goals and cultivate change within. Graduating high school and becoming an adult means that I’m going to have to be more self-sufficient. This year, I want to focus on my physical and mental well-being. That includes surpassing my goals for track, cooking new recipes, carving more time for myself, and learning when to take a break. Overall, I hope to expand my palette, grow more as a person, and attain my goals head-on.
Sincerely,
Cydnee Taylor
Student Board Member - Rampart HS
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Tickets are going fast for our 30th Anniversary Gala - Monte Carlo Style Casino Night. We can't wait to celebrate with you next month, on Saturday, February 25th! A night full of casino games, music, dancing, mixing, mingling, silent auction, prizes, and great food are in the cards for us. Tickets will be on sale until February 20th, but early bird ticket sales end January 14th. The earlier you snag tickets, the more chips and raffle entries you receive. Don't roll the dice and wait until the last minute! For more information and tickets, click here. | |
Countdown to our Conference | | |
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The African American Youth Leadership Conference (AAYLC) is back for its 30th Anniversary conference!! The 2023 conference will be IN-PERSON at Colorado College on Saturday, March 4th, 2023. Our theme is Generation Now - Emerging Leaders!
This conference continues the AAYLC’s effort to cultivate diverse student leaders amongst middle and high schoolers. The conference provides innovative, creative, and expansive sessions that will inspire student empowerment, knowledge, opportunity, growth, and connections. Registration for students, parents, and volunteers will open on January 23rd. Stay tuned for more information on our website upcoming events page.
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El Pomar Foundation
This month we are spotlighting the El Pomar Foundation, which recently awarded us with two grants - Karl E. Eitel Fund and Trustee Merit. We are thankful for their generosity and dedication to the AAYLC’s mission. We would like to send a very special thank you to the Foundation for helping us ensure we continue to offer innovative programs and experiences for the youth in the community and beyond. (Pictured: Stephane Wallace, Finance Committee)
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Colorado Gives Day
The AAYLC was honored to be one of the non-profit organizations participating in this annual statewide movement on December 6th. We were humbled by the tremendous outpour of philanthropy on this great day! The donations will be used for our annual conference, scholarships, and special programs. Thank you to everyone who supported us for this fundraiser.
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Bob Telmosse Christmas Giveaway
Tis the season to be jolly! Tremendous joy was felt by all at the Bob Telmosse Christmas Giveaway. A total of thirty people - including board and planning committee members and their families - volunteered for this incredible event. The delight we saw on the people's faces as they received books, stuffed animals, toys, and groceries was truly amazing.
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