Building on Success
Youth Leadership Now is a field-initiated, research-based program funded by the U.S. Department of Education. We are partnering with the Texas Education Service Center in Region 19 to pilot this program in several schools in Texas.
Youth Leadership Now combines three key strategies.
- First, it takes key elements from our highly successful Valued Youth Partnership program, that has a 40-year track record of remarkable success. In VYP, middle and high school students who are deemed at risk of dropping out are placed as tutors of elementary students, their tutees. More than 98% of tutors stay in school. Their grades improve, they have fewer disciplinary referrals and fewer absences, because someone is not only looking forward to them being at school, someone is counting on them.
- Second, Youth Leadership Now being mentored by eighth grade teachers, who help them prepare to transition into high school. The teacher mentors also participate in professional learning community to impact the wider campus.
- IDRA’s family leadership model, Education CAFE, is engaging families and tutors in youth action research family projects for their school community.
Eighth-graders in IDRA’s Youth Leadership Now course will develop positive academic mindsets and leadership skills by being placed as tutors of elementary students, being mentored by teachers (who form a professional learning community) for their transition to high school, and engaging with their families in youth action research projects.
For more information, contact Hector Bojorquez, YLN project director and IDRA’s director of operations and educational practice, at hector.bojorquez@idra.org.
What YLN Students Say
Youth Leadership Now reflection booklet cover 2025 – VYP YLN reflection 2026 cover w logos
Students Recognized for Inspiring Reflections – Winning Student Reflections Announced for Youth Leadership Now and Valued Youth Partnership. The 2026 winners are:
- First Place 8th Grade – Emeline Pendleton, Robert C. Zamora Middle School, South San Antonio ISD
- Second Place 8th Grade – Israel Flores, Horizon Middle School, Clint ISD
- Third Place 8th Grade – Reyna Trujillo-Jimenez, Fabens Middle School, Fabens ISD
- Honorable Mention – Angel Ianni, 8th Grade, Clint Junior High School, Clint ISD
- Honorable Mention – Esmeralda Martínez, 8th Grade, Robert C Zamora Middle School, South San Antonio ISD
- Honorable Mention – Diamante Mendez, 8th Grade, Dwight Middle School, South San Antonio ISD
- Honorable Mention – Daphne Saldivar, 8th Grade, Alan B. Shepard Middle School, South San Antonio ISD
- Honorable Mention – Carisma Vasquez, 8th Grade, East Montana Middle School, Clint ISD
News
Listen to Student Leaders Surprise Teachers – Classnotes Podcast #240: Hector Bojorquez, who conceptualized IDRA’s Youth Leadership Now project, talks with two guests from Fabens Middle School: Ana Luna YLN teacher coordinator, and assistant, Beatriz Nuñez, about their students’ first four weeks as YLN tutors.
Read article: Re-engaging Students as Leaders – IDRA Youth Leadership Now Shows Powerful Strategies, by Hector Bojorquez, June-July 2024
