Legacy Youth Leadership Program

BCRI's Legacy Youth Leadership Program (LYLP) utilizes BCRI's mission, collections, programs and partnerships to engage area high school students in a series of training experiences and internship opportunities that will help them develop into lifelong learners, productive citizens and community leaders.

The objectives of LYLP are to: (1) integrate diverse learning styles and encourage critical thinking, (2) promote student confidence, self-esteem, character, and community involvement through active participation and (3) involve students as leaders in project planning and implementation. 

Upon acceptance into the program, students are expected to attend a series of ten (10) weekly participatory workshops. The workshops will help build students' knowledge base of BCRI's permanent galleries, archival holdings, and public programs through three segments: BCRI exhibitions, African American history and culture, and leadership development. Students will also be expected to attend BCRI public programs as well as participate in college visits. In the summer of 2013, students who successfully complete the program will be employed as Docent (tour guides) at BCRI. LYLP alumni are expected to continue to serve as BCRI volunteers throughout their high school tenure.

The 2012 LYLP students provided guided tours for 39 groups that included more than 1,000 visitors from Birmingham and Alabama as well cities in Texas, Georgia, Mississippi, Tennessee, Louisiana, and South Carolina.  
                                                                                                                          
During its first five years, the LYLP has demonstrated a phenomenal graduation rate, with 100% of the students completing high school.  (This compares to reported 2011 graduation rates of 72% for Alabama statewide; 81% for Jefferson County Schools and 55% for Birmingham City schools.)  In addition, one year after completing the program, 99% of those who had completed high school were enrolled in higher education, military service or gainful employment. 
 
"Being part of the Legacy program was the most rewarding experience, "stated Jaylaan Parker, a member of the LYLP class of 2013.  "I met some of my best friends and learned so much about history.  It was an honor to be in this program."