BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — Building Buffalo's young leaders and preparing them for the future, that's the goal of an all-day youth summit happening on February 25.
"We are extremely excited to see what we're able to accomplish," said LeAnthony Freeman, Executive Director of Y.A.L.E Academy. "Transforming a child completely from point A to point Z."
Y.A.L.E stands for "Youth Acquiring Leadership & Excellence" and their mission is to dismantle the school-to-prison pipeline. The program is based in Georgia but recently expanded to Buffalo.
Local organizations and students from three local schools are set to attend the summit. It will have three components: job training, mental health and college readiness.
"What sets us apart from different organizations is our secret sauce, which is love," said Freeman. "So not just hyping the students up, but more so having them have a greater takeaway, some of the organizations that are in partnership are presenting internship opportunities, job opportunities."
It'll also feature some fun, with awards and a dance competition. They'll do this quarterly, with the next one set for May.
The summit is open to the community and runs 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Northland Workforce Training Center. You can register here.
