Youth Leadership Toledo
Youth Leadership Toledo strengthens our area’s young leaders and encourages them to make meaningful change in their community.
Youth Leadership Toledo (YLT) is a leadership development program offered annually to approximately 60 high school sophomores representing schools throughout the Toledo region.
Participants graduate from YLT as more effective and engaged leaders, equipped with the skills and confidence to make a meaningful impact on their schools and communities
Goals & Objectives
Leadership Toledo strives for participants to:
LEAD: Become more confident leaders
CONNECT: Develop a stronger connection to your community
GROW: Grow stronger in self-awareness
SERVE: Find meaningful service through group projects
Benefits
Leadership Development – Students gain essential leadership skills, such as communication, teamwork, and problem-solving, through hands-on experiences and mentorship.
Community Engagement – Participants develop a deeper understanding of local issues and collaborate on projects that positively impact the Toledo community.
Personal Growth – The program encourages self-discovery, confidence-building, and the development of a strong sense of purpose.
Networking Opportunities – Students connect with local leaders, professionals, and like-minded peers, expanding their personal and professional networks.
College & Career Readiness – The experience enhances resumes and post-secondary education applications, equipping students with skills and experiences that set them apart.
What to Expect
Youth Leadership Toledo meets monthly from August through April for the entirety of the school day.
We meet at different sites in and around the Toledo region that are relevant to the session topics. We tour the city, visit agencies and institutions important to our community, meet people who work within issues crucial to our future, and participate in activities and exercises that raise awareness and build skills.
Session topics include (but are not limited to) self-awareness, mental health, local government, professional skillbuilding, success after high school, and human diversity.
Testimonial
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"YLT is a space to become confident in your abilities, while also exploring different aspects of yourself. I learned not only how to be a good leader, but also how my leadership impacts others."
Rennie Badoni, St. Ursula Academy
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"Youth Leadership Toledo is an experience of becoming. That is what it means to me. I learned a lot about what it takes to be a leader in the community."
John Czyzewski, Start High School
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"The most important thing I personally learned is know your why, and your ‘what’ will become so much bigger."
Bella Iwinski, Whitmer High School
Participating Schools
Aerospace & Natural Science Academy of Toledo
Anthony Wayne High School
Bedford High School
Bowling Green High School
Bowsher High School
Cardinal Stritch Catholic High School
Central Catholic High School
Clay High School
Eastwood High School
Emmanuel Christian
Jones Leadership Academy of Business
Lake High School
Maumee High School
Maumee Valley Country Day School
Northwood High School
Notre Dame Academy
Ottawa Hills High School
Perrysburg High School
Rogers High School
Rossford High School
Scott High School
Springfield High School
St. Francis de Sales
St. John’s Jesuit
St. Ursula Academy
Start High School
Swanton High School
Sylvania Northview High School
Sylvania Southview High School
Toledo Christian Schools
Toledo Early College
Toledo School for the Arts
Toledo Technology Academy of Engineering
Waite High School
Whitmer High School
Woodward High School
Participants are initially identified through a nomination process at their school during the winter of their freshman year. Nominees are then invited to fill out an application, and students are selected based on those applications.
