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) promote student confidence, self-esteem, character, and community involvement through active participation, and (2) involve students as leaders in project planning and implementation.

EXPECTATIONS

Upon acceptance into the program students are expected to attend a series of twelve (12) weekly participatory workshops. Workshops are held on Tuesday evenings from 6 to 8 pm from the first week in March to the last week in May. The workshops will help build students’ knowledge 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.

Students who successfully complete the program will serve as Docents (tour guides) at BCRI, and will be eligible to receive a $1,000 stipend. A minimum of eighty (80) hours must be completed during the summer to be eligible for docent certification. LYLP alumni are expected to continue to serve as BCRI volunteers throughout their high school tenure.

Complete terms and requirements to be provided upon program acceptance.

The 2026 submission deadline is 5:00 pm CT on Monday, February 9, 2026.