Announcing the 2013 Roots & Shoots National Youth Leadership Council

New year’s always bring new beginnings and fresh starts. With the beginning of 2013, a fresh group of young leaders join the National Youth Leadership Council. Hailing from cities across the United States, this group of elite young leaders will participate in an in-depth leadership training program, and offer their youth voice to the Jane Goodall Institute for the ongoing development of the Roots & Shoots program.

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[The graphic above provides a snapshot of how Roots & Shoots is represented by our Council around the country—and even internationally with our Roots & Shoots Canada Council representative and U.S member currently studying in China.]

Members of the 2013 Roots & Shoots National Youth Leadership Council:

• Are published authors;

• Have founded nonprofit organizations,

• Have spoken in front of local City Councils in favor of environmental regulation,

• Have been honored at the White House,

• Have offered keynotes at national and international conferences; and

• All of them are working diligently in their communities to improve the environment and the lives of people and animals.

Oh, and did we mention these are primarily high school students?

Click here to meet the Council.

Throughout this coming year, the 29 members of the Council will participate in comprehensive skills training with Roots & Shoots staff and field experts. Their trainings consist of project planning sessions and unique professional development and skill building seminars designed to connect the Council members with community leaders and influential change-makers working in fields of leadership, communications, sustainable development and so much more.

“We were incredibly impressed by all of the applicants for the Council this year,” said Erin Viera-Orr, national program director, “Their energy, passion, and previous accomplishments are incredible. The year ahead will be so exciting with this undeniably impressive group of young people making change in their communities.”

The young people in this new group of Council members join dozens of other Roots & Shoots leaders who have been a part of the Council which was started in 2003. For the last ten years, the Roots & Shoots youth leadership program has provided the Council members with amazing opportunities that have led them on to incredible university academic experiences and very successful professions as career change-makers and community leaders.

Click here to read the bios of the Council members, and learn more about their accomplishments.