At the Intersection of Wisdom and Imagination:
How Mentorship Fuels Youth Leadership

Earlier this month, Summer Search hosted a powerful virtual panel exploring the question: How can we ensure that young people are empowered to lead and pursue a life of purpose? 

You can watch the full panel and read highlights below:

Moderated by Kaya Henderson–former Chancellor of DC Public Schools and now Executive Director of the Aspen Institute’s Center for Rising Generations–the conversation featured three Summer Searchers across generations: KishaLynn Elliott (alum and National Board Member), Janelle Bigio (alum), Gabriel Ugoji (a current Summer Searcher just finishing his senior year). What unfolded was a conversation full of candor, care, and clarity about the role mentorship plays in building confidence, community, and a commitment to change.

Throughout the conversation, one truth rang clear: Young people (and Summer Searchers) are not just the leaders of tomorrow. They are leading today, right now!

Mentorship That Lasts

Summer Search CEO Ursulina Ramirez opened the event with a grounding reminder of what sets Summer Search apart: “Our model is incredibly deep, intentional, and built to last,” she shared. “At the heart of our model is depth mentoring, which is a research-based approach that centers trauma sensitivity, identity formation, critical consciousness, and social-emotional learning, combined with experiential learning.”

This long-term approach to mentorship was echoed by panelist KishaLynn Elliott, an alumna who is now a nonprofit leader and mentor in her own right as the COO of the Monarch School. “I have learned that being a leader is not just about what you do…t’s how I show up for people…it’s the impact that I’ve had.” Reflecting on her decades-long relationship with her own mentor, she said: “I pay forward her dedication in me by showing up for young people the way that she showed up for me, with consistency, and curiosity, and just unwavering belief.”

Youth Leadership in Action

Each panelist brought personal stories of how mentorship shaped their confidence and leadership:

• Gabriel Ugoji, a graduating senior heading to Tufts University in the fall, named his Summer Search mentor Dominique as a key influence: “She always asked how I was doing on a personal level. I plan to do that too as a future mentor.” Gabe plans to study economics and community health, with a particular interest in how financial barriers shape healthcare outcomes in underdeveloped communities.
• Janelle Bigio, a recent Babson College graduate who is starting a graduate program in data science at Teacher’s College, shared how one advisor’s belief in her led to a life-changing scholarship opportunity. “It was a one-time interaction, but it had a huge impact. It’s defined  my perception of leadership, because to me, leadership is about lifting others up, encouraging them, and giving them the tools to empower themselves. I took that with me. I try to do that in any position I have.”
• KishaLynn spoke to the long arc of mentorship and leadership development, sharing that she didn’t have a very positive summer trip experience studying a career path that didn’t fit her on a college campus. “So when I came home from my big Summer Search trip and everyone else—my peers and colleagues—felt like they had transformed, I felt like I had failed…But Jay Jacobs, my mentor, would not let me disappear. He wouldn’t let me go. He kept showing up. He kept speaking things into me that I couldn’t see yet. It took me years to see my Summer Search trip differently, but I did, because he was still there all that time. He kept giving me resources every now and then when I needed them. And over time, I just realized Summer Search is not just about this summer trip. It’s about this long-term relationship with Jay… It’s why I’m still here to this day and continue to find ways to contribute. I don’t say no to Summer Search, because Summer Search never said no to me.”

What Leaders and Our Communities Need to Hear

Panelists also didn’t hold back when it came to offering advice for adults who work with or design programs for youth.

Janelle emphasized the courage it takes—on both sides—for adults to step back and let young people lead: “I think what adults need to know is—it’s double-sided. Adults need courage and patience, but youth also need encouragement to realize they do have a voice.”

KishaLynn took it further: “How many young people did you consult?…Because it’s really easy to slap ‘youth voice and choice’ on something when you haven’t actually engaged a critical mass of youth in the decision-making process. Because how many youth have had the experience where they see adults talking about, ‘Here’s a program that we rolled out for you,’ and they’re like, ‘This is not what we wanted or needed. That’s not what we asked for.’ That’s why that happens. So the question is not just, did you ask the youth? How many did you talk to? How did you talk to them? Because they’re very clear–if you ask.”

And Gabe reminded us all that we all need to make way for young people who are the experts on their experiences: “I wish adults were more open to change…whether that starts with my parents…or my teachers, I just wish adults knew that the world is different now and they have to accept that change.”

A Call to Keep Showing Up

The conversation closed with reflections on transformation—not just from singular experiences, but through consistent, intentional support. As Kaya put it, “Leadership is like driving. You don’t learn from reading a book or taking a test. You learn by driving. If we want young people to lead, we have to give them as many opportunities to lead, to practice leadership, as possible.”

As Summer Search celebrates 35 years of walking alongside young people, this event was a powerful reminder of what’s possible when mentorship and opportunity meet youth leadership with trust with open hands.

As Kaya concluded, “Mentoring, transformative experiences, youth leadership, and youth agency are the things that are going to save us. I am eminently hopeful about the direction of this country because every single day, I get to spend time with people like Gabe, Janelle, and KishaLynn.”