Y Leaders Fall '25-Sp '26 School Year

Applications are first-come, first-served. Space is limited, so apply below!

Our 2025-26 program will take our participants through interactive, engaging workshops that explore important leadership topics, including. We also use creative activities, storytelling, mindfulness exercises, group conversation, and positive affirmations for personal development and healthy emotional wellbeing.

Y Leaders workshop dates (mandatory attendance): Wednesdays from 5pm – 6:30pm:

  • October: 10/15, 10/22, 10/29

  • November: 11/5, 11/12, 11/19

  • December: 12/3, 12/10, 12/17

  • January: 1/7, 1/14, 1/21, 1/28

  • February: 2/4, 2/11, 2/25

  • March: 3/4, 3/11, 3/18, 3/25

  • April: 4/8, 4/15, 4/22, 4/29

  • May: 5/6, 5/13, 5/20

Y Leaders School Year Program Components

Arts-based Workshops

Y Leaders meets on most Wednesday afternoons at the YWCA, 515 North Street, White Plains, NY to discuss important leadership topics, develop skills and passions and deepen relationships with like-minded students. Topics include: identifying values, beliefs, and priorities; strong communication skills; building healthy relationships; setting goals; public speaking; teamwork; DEI and leadership; racial equity; conflict resolution; and more.

Y Leaders 2025-26 workshops are Wednesdays from 5pm – 6:30pm on:

  • October: 10/15, 10/22, 10/29

  • November: 11/5, 11/12, 11/19

  • December: 12/3, 12/10, 12/17

  • January: 1/7, 1/14, 1/21, 1/28

  • February: 2/4, 2/11, 2/25

  • March: 3/4, 3/11, 3/18, 3/25

  • April: 4/8, 4/15, 4/22, 4/29

  • May: 5/6, 5/13, 5/20
     

    Community guest speakers

    Y Leaders welcomes various community leaders who join us as workshop speakers to share their expertise and knowledge with the group. This deepens your learning
    as future leaders of Westchester

          

    Broadway empowerment day

     Y Leaders heads to Broadway in March 2026 for a full day of empowerment activities. This includes a panel discussion with Broadway actors, an improv/storytelling workshop to physicalize leadership in a fun, creative way, lunch and a matinee performance of a hit Broadway show.

          

    Community service project       

    Y Leaders creates and implements a service project that serves a need in the Westchester community. The 2023-24 Y Leaders partnered with Aunt Flow to raise funds and awareness about Period Poverty, which allowed us to install free period products in all YWCA White Plains bathrooms. In 2024-25, Y Leaders led a water sustainability campaign to educate Westchester County residents on water conservation practices during drought conditions, raising funds for reusable water bottles.

     

    Final leadership report     

    Each Y Leaders member creates a final leadership report to present at the end of the program. The report focuses on what leadership means, what you learned from the program and an issue or community challenge that you are passionate about impacting and transforming.

          

    Additional optional opportunities as part of Y Leaders:

    During our Y Leaders school year program, there are many additional opportunities for our members to join. These are optional but meaningful experiences to use your newly developed leadership skills to engage in the Westchester community.

    • Job shadowing opportunity (Spring 2026): Pick an industry of interest and spend an afternoon of learning and career development with a Westchester leader

    • Leadership Workshops for YWCA Children (Spring 2026): Help develop and facilitate an arts-based empowerment workshop for the younger children at the YWCA

    • Girls Leadership Events (Multiple dates throughout school year): Join other young women at several leadership summits and workshops throughout Westchester.

    • Youth Lobby Day in Albany (Spring 2026): Join Planned Parenthood in Albany, NY to discuss reproductive health care for women. Meet our New York State elected officials and make your voice heard!