The YMCA of Rock River Valley aims to help young men level up their leadership skills this summer. After a successful two years, the Y is bringing back the Emerging Leaders Challenge for young men who are entering grades 9-12. The goal of the challenge is to create an environment to gain hands-on professional experience in executive leadership, marketing, finance, fund development and human resources.
The Emerging Leaders Challenge will take place June 15 to July 31. The deadline to apply is May 15. The Emerging Leaders Program is hosted at the Good Shepherd YMCA (1829 N. Rockton Rd.) and offers a weekly program award for participants to support engagement in this educational experience. Each individual on the winning team will also earn a project bonus of $500. The leaders will shadow members of the YMCA executive leadership team and use the skills gained in weekly challenges. The summer will end with a final presentation to showcase what they learned and the winning team will be named.
“The Y is committed to nurturing the potential of young men in our community,” said Brent Pentenburg, CEO, YMCA of Rock River Valley. “We were so impressed with the group of young men last year that we are eager to continue to offer this opportunity in 2026. By investing in the diverse gifts of these young men, we aim to create a more inclusive and dynamic leadership landscape for a brighter future.”
The 6-week leadership development challenge is part of the YMCA of the USA’s Young Men Thriving initiative, a national effort focused on supporting young people during critical stages of growth and development.
Young men entering grades 9-12, and who are at least 14 years of age, are encouraged to apply online HERE. The Emerging Leaders Challenge is made possible with support from the Illinois State Board of Education, the Community Foundation of Northern Illinois, and the TJ Maxx Foundation.
