Lake County Cares Debuts New Youth Leadership Program (Deadline to apply April 28th)

LAKE FOREST, IL (APRIL 2017) – Lake County Cares is proud to announce the debut of its Youth Leadership program where 7th, 8th and 9th grade students are invited to participate in a 10-day summer course.

“Lake County Cares has developed our leadership program where youth will acquire knowledge and skills essential to leading positive community impact,” says Pam Gracyalny, Executive Director of Lake County Cares. “The program is designed to be a fun, hands-on and interactive learning experience with a substantial curriculum that includes nonprofit fundamentals, social entrepreneurshipand personal development skills like goal-setting, problem-solving and presentation skills. Students will participate in on-site visits to local nonprofits and also receive an individual aptitude assessment. We know students will leave our program empowered and excited to create positive impact and changein their communities.”

The first day of the program will feature special guest speaker, Rashied Davis, former Chicago Bears wide receiver and founder of the nonprofit Saturday Place. “I am excited to participate and truly believe in the importance of this type of program for today’s youth,” said Davis who will also be presenting awards and certificates to participants at the conclusion of the program.

"We share in Lake County Cares’ commitment to community and its mission to cultivate the next generation of social entrepreneurs. We are thrilled to participate in this innovative program,” says Beth Bond, Founder, Community Startups. “This program creates a powerful platform that enables students to utilize technology and critical thinking to develop ideas to transform how services are provided to those in need."

The Lake County Cares Youth Leadership Program takes place June 19th thru 30th, Mon - Fri, 9am – 2pm, at the Gorton Center in Lake Forest. The cost is $600 per child and space is limited. Applications are due by April 28th and are available at tinyurl.com/YouthLeadershipLCC.

Any businesses interested in sponsoring the Youth Leadership Program to help offset costs should contact Lake County Cares at (847) 234-8876.

ABOUT LAKE COUNTY CARES:

Lake County Cares is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization focused on local impact in Lake County, Illinois. Founded in 1967, Lake County Cares is celebrating its 50th year meeting the needs of Lake County families through outreach programs while also assisting over 200 nonprofits build their capacity through volunteer resources. Lake County Cares is funded entirely by individual, family foundation, and corporate support.

Lake County Cares is located at 400 East Illinois Road, in the Gorton Center, Lake Forest, Illinois, 60045, (847) 234-8876, info@lakecountycares.org, www.lakecountycares.org.