Photo: Contributed
The Woodbury Fire Department takes part in the Youth Leadership Academy.
WOODBURY, MN (WNN) – The Youth Engagement Leadership Academy is accepting applications from students for its July sessions. The free program is open to Woodbury’s rising high school seniors. It’s the fourth year for YELA, which aims to inspire, empower, and connect young people to be a positive force in their communities while having a ton of fun and winning scholarships.
The Woodbury Community Foundation program hopes to cultivate the next generation of young civic leaders through a series of lectures, seminars, and hands-on experiences on topics including public policy, leadership, civic engagement, and developing an entrepreneurial mindset.
For five weeks, two hours a week, the students are mentored, nurtured, and genuinely cared for by trained leaders, entrepreneurs, professors, young start-up founders/professionals, public safety, college admissions staff, elected officials, community non-profit partners, historians and the City of Woodbury. Representatives from the Woodbury Area Chamber of Commerce, Woodbury Heritage Society, City of Woodbury, Parks & Recreation, and Woodbury Public Safety participate.
YELA will be held this year on July 10, July 17, July 24, July 31, and August 7 from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.
There are scholarship opportunities upon completion of the five-week program, thanks to Rounds Fore Rebs Fund. Every summer the Paul Rebholz Family organize a RoundsForeRebs, which is a charitable golf event with a dual purpose: remembering the cherished and loved city council member, husband and father, Paul Rebholz, and raising money to fund scholarships for YELA students.
“Monies raised from the golf event goes to creating scholarships to the Academy participants. Paul would be so proud & he would be so humbled to be able to bolster the young people in Woodbury in this way”, said Laura Rebholz, Paul’s wife.