Last month, we—Tezzy (Zentavious Green) and Ja’Mez Kogan—had an experience of a lifetime representing YouthBuild Greater Stark County in Washington, D.C., at the 36th Annual YouthBuild AmeriCorps Conference of Young Leaders (CoYL). We were two of over 40 young leaders chosen to attend this incredible event, gathering to learn, grow, and strengthen our leadership skills alongside YouthBuild students from across the country.
The theme of this year’s conference, “Lead Well. Be Well.” hit home for us right from the start. Each day was packed with workshops focused on leading with purpose and prioritizing well-being, not just for ourselves but for those we work with, too. These sessions helped us realize the kind of leaders we want to be—not just people who make a difference in our own lives but people who lift up others.
For Tezzy, the experience was eye-opening. “Something special about CoYL was how genuine everyone was. The staff and peers pushed us to be better every day, always checking in and truly wanting to see us succeed—even though they’d just met us. I learned that to be a leader, you need confidence, to be outspoken, and to want the best for everyone, not just yourself. I’m bringing that back to Project REBUILD by encouraging everyone to speak up and step out of their comfort zones. It’s a great way for us to grow as a team.”
Ja’Mez felt the same energy. “Something I liked at CoYL is that everyone was welcoming and nice. The staff and students there encouraged you to push yourself and do better. It felt like they wanted to see me win,” he shared. Having that level of support from people who just met us was inspiring and made us realize how powerful it is to have a community that genuinely cares about each other’s success.
One of the best parts of CoYL was meeting so many young people who understood where we come from and shared the same drive to make a difference. Even though we’d just met, it felt like we were part of a big family, sharing our experiences and recognizing that we’re all part of something bigger—a global YouthBuild movement.
At CoYL, we saw that the work we’re doing at Project REBUILD is part of a worldwide effort helping young people like us build skills, find purpose, and create positive change. We learned that being a leader means stepping up with confidence, speaking up, and trying new things. We hope to encourage our friends at Project REBUILD to do the same because that’s how we all grow together.
This trip wasn’t just about gaining new skills; it was about realizing the impact we can make. Hearing from YouthBuild Global’s CEO, John Valverde, who talked about our potential to change the world, gave us even more motivation to keep going. And as our Executive Director Ms. Joanna put it, we’re coming back to Canton with fresh ideas and a renewed sense of purpose.
Thank you to YouthBuild Global and everyone who made this experience unforgettable. We’re excited to bring what we learned back home, inspiring others to step up, lead, and make a difference.
