As we begin to make plans for the coming school year, our eyes turn to the youth of today, the future of tomorrow. We urge them to invest in themselves and their education so they might be the most successful versions of themselves possible. But what happens when those teens are unsure of what path to pursue?
Derrick and Ceretha Robinson set out to expose the young adults in our community to a wide variety of trades and career paths while supporting their educational needs to set them up for success. Together, the Robinsons founded the Alliance of Elite Youth Leadership (AEYL). AEYL offers a wide variety of youth programs, but Ceretha best described it as "...an overall life readiness agency; emphasizing career readiness. We give guidance in industries of interest, but being an all purpose center, we walk alongside our kids, we build those relationships for a lifetime".
AEYL's community mentorship program features four core pillars; mentoring, academics, athletics, and community service. Derrick elaborated that AEYL's collaboration with several local agencies and local colleges is creating exposure to new and innovative career paths for teens entering a 21st century workforce. The apprenticeship program offers teens a unique opportunity to explore their potential interest before investing time and money into the education necessary to meet job requirements. The end goal, being that participants will have a clear path toward a fulfilling career, is designed to enhance their success and potential to become future leaders giving back to the community.
The Robinsons stressed that "AEYL is for a broad spectrum of youth, because everyone needs a support system". This can best be seen through their “Follow. Lead. Succeed. Accountability Program” (FLS), where teens and young adults are offered an opportunity to reassess their goals and choices and choose a path of success and prosperity. This Juvenile Diversion and Accountability program, which makes up roughly 20% of the services AEYL provides, offers families services like focused life coaching, parental education and support, and mental health referrals. According to Ceretha, AEYL ensures families are well informed on what resources and options are available to them while making all AEYL services available to get their child on the path to success.
The Alliance of Elite Youth Leadership serves our community in so many ways, from summer sports camps, workforce training, educational support (even pivoting through COVID), to supplying four 18-wheelers weekly full of food to the community. These qualities and activities earned them the 2021 Quality of Life Award in McKinney, Texas. AEYL is truly serving our youth, assisting them in finding their path by providing the support and resources necessary to answer the question we all face: What is next for me?