Youth Leadership Broward (YLB) is an organization founded in 1987 for the purpose of providing high school juniors with leadership opportunities within their communities.  YLB members are offered a copious amount of opportunities, including meeting with various leaders and embarking on unique field trips within Broward County. This school year, Pine Crest juniors, Brooke Bekoff, Brooke Olefson, Erica Kosches and Arjun Padmanabhan, participated in Youth Leadership Broward.  Brooke Bekoff explained her experience in the program.  “Youth Leadership Broward fosters a great environment to connect with other high school students in the county and to learn from their ideas. In addition, YLB members volunteer once a month at local elementary schools in order to pass on the values of leadership to the young children of Broward County.”

Every month YLB participates in various programs that present its students with the opportunity to examine a plethora of issues in Broward County; each field trip revolves around a certain idea.  For example, September 10^th was criminal justice day, and YLB toured  the Broward County Jail.  Another month, YLB explored the

Everglades.  Brooke Bekoff said, “My favorite trip this year was our trip to Ron Bergeron’s private Everglades ranch. We got a chance to see a side of Florida which we don’t typically get to see in our everyday urban lives.”

Participating in Youth Leadership Broward is an amazing opportunity.  Arjun Padmanabhan explained that “Youth Leadership Broward gives one the opportunity to converse and learn from like minded people.”  Brooke Bekoff commented, “I would definitely recommend that all rising juniors apply to be a part of YLB. The experiences gained from YLB are activities that cannot be replicated in the classroom setting. YLB has truly made me a stronger person, and, overall, it was an amazing opportunity that I think all eligible students should take advantage of.”