New Initiative Secures Funding for Young Leaders

MAST Green Champions work on coastal restoration (Michelle Drucker via Key News)

Teens get a bad rap. But in a week where the world has watched a 16-year-old, Greta Thunberg, take on the UN while inspiring millions to action, Key Biscayne is investing in the next generation.

Youth Lead Change is a new program launching Oct. 18, and its founder is excited. Rightly so. 

“It’s a first in our community,” said Patricia Woodson, a former Village Council member and longtime Key resident. “It’s the first time there’s a program for all kids on the Key regardless of which school they go to.” 

The program, aimed at ages 13-25, will combine compassionate leadership and social entrepreneurship. It will deliver courses from North Carolina Outward Bound School and Peace First, organizations which will help young people learn community-building business skills based on both innovation and empathy. 

“Young people have super powers,” said Woodson. “They are really on fire to use their voices and forge their identities.” 

The Council was similarly enthusiastic – to the tune of $17,000 awarded during its second budget hearing Sept. 24. 

“It’s a pivotal moment in our community as we figure out how to keep a positive culture while dealing with sea level rise and pollution,” Woodson continued. “This is a movement that is happening around the globe – we’d be missing out as a community if we didn’t go for this.”

Oct. 17 and 18 will see assemblies at the Key Biscayne K-8 Center, MAST Academy and St. Agnes Academy to introduce the program to students. For launch night, anyone who has already been involved with an initiative that has addressed either the environment or the social fabric of their school can apply beforehand to host their own table Oct. 18, where they can introduce their work to the community.

Afterward the two organizations providing the bulk of the course will present the ideas behind the workshop series – which will happen monthly November through April. The opener, from Peace First, will be Oct. 19. All young people living on Key Biscayne aged 13-25 and/or attending the K-8 Center, MAST, St. Agnes or schooling at home are eligible to participate.

“The whole community will get a chance to see what young people are doing, and celebrate them,” said Woodson, who is hoping for a big turnout to reach as many young people as possible.

The program will afford young people the opportunity to work toward grants and national and international symposia. Outward Bound courses will also be available as community service awards. 

Find out more and register for the first workshop at https://www.kbcf.org/programs/youth-lead-change/

Abraham Rodriguez 10th grade MAST student (Abraham Rodriguez via Key News)

“Young people play a large part in this community and want to make a difference and be heard. Everyone has a voice, whether raising money for a good cause or helping the environment. The Rotary Foundation taught me that working together with new people can build goodwill and friendship. With my friend Joe I help with beach clean-ups and fundraisers.

I hope that everyone gets involved to improve our community. Teenagers have supported the removal and recycling of plastics like single-use straws. We need more clean-ups, and reusable bags instead of plastic bags.

Key Biscayne is a pleasure, with beautiful beaches to green parks. We need everyone to join in and work together to improve our environment and our lives here.”

– Abraham Rodriguez, 10th grade student, MAST Academy