In late March, YouthBuild Program Corpsmembers Adrian Davalos and Alanis Chambers attended The Conference of Youth Leaders in Washington D.C. hosted by YouthBuild USA. The annual event honors  hundreds of youth participants across the country. A few reflections from Alanis and Adrian's experience:

Before attending the conference, you had to deliver a speech as to why you deserved to go. What did you share with your crew?

I spoke about my leadership abilities and how it's important to not give up in life. There are always new opportunities ahead. (Alanis)

In my speech, I talked about helping homeless youth so they know about the resources out there to support them. (Adrian)

What was your favorite part of the trip?

I enjoyed learning business skills in the "GreenBuild" class and meeting Dorothy Stoneman, the founder of YouthBuild USA. (Adrian)

I liked the "Mapping Out Your Future" workshop and seeing the exact location of MLK's "I Have a Dream" speech. (Alanis)

What did you learn in D.C. that you've offered your fellow Corpsmembers?

We all have a voice and I learned that there are people willing to listen. I really liked talking to the reps from Senator Mark Udall's office. (Alanis)

Seeing how everyone worked together and shared their stories makes me want to step out of my box and use my voice. (Adrian)