A Leadership and Development Program

The YBME program is a four-year leadership program for young African American men in Central Florida. Participants are selected after an extensive interview process involving students and parents. They begin the program in ninth grade and continue through twelfth grade, meeting once a month from September through June.

Each month, participants read a book and submit a book report, take part in a stock market game where they actively trade stocks, and prepare to present and defend a current event before the group. YBME also includes a College Prep Counselor as part of the program.

The College Prep Counselor prepares a detailed roadmap of activities, courses, community service projects, college essay reviews, and other milestones. This helps ensure that YBME participants are competitive as they pursue college admission. As a graduation requirement, seniors write, produce, and present a Community Forum at the end of their senior year. This year’s presentation was entitled “College Bound: Steps to Success.”

The program also included a panel of college and university admissions professionals who educated the community about recent changes to the college admissions process. Upon successful completion of the program, each graduate will receive a scholarship valued at up to $20,000, distributed over four years.