By Bella Sullivan, Marketing and Events Coordinator

When Chloe Ng joined NYLC’s Youth Advisory Council (YAC) in 2023, she was searching for deeper ways to connect with her community and grow as a leader. Now in her second year, she reflects on how this experience has shaped her future—expanding her understanding of leadership, amplifying her voice, and strengthening her commitment to service-learning. The YAC embodies NYLC’s commitment to fostering authentic youth voice and leadership, as young people are empowered to become service-learning trainers, builders of community, champions of NYLC, board members, and more.

Before joining the YAC, Chloe led a few school clubs, like Mathletes and the Advocacy Club. Although she enjoyed being a part of these activities, she felt disconnected from her community.

“Even though I had those leadership opportunities, there wasn’t really any real-life impact that I saw,” explained Chloe. “I joined the YAC to really expand my leadership opportunities and see how I can get more involved in my community outside of school.”

By applying what she learned in these real-world settings, she saw the direct impact of youth-led initiatives, reinforcing NYLC’s belief that young people are not just the leaders of tomorrow, but of today. One of Chloe’s biggest takeaways from the YAC wasn’t just about taking action—it was about rethinking what leadership looks like.

“It’s not that it made me an extrovert, but I was learning how to use being introverted to become a leader. When most people think of leadership and initiative, they think of a Type-A personality, being the loudest person in the room. The YAC taught me that there are different ways to be a leader. Even being on the back end of communicating as a team is leadership. It helped me take who I was and realize I am a leader,” said Chloe. 

In addition to learning to see her introversion as a strength rather than a setback, Chloe’s experience on the YAC has also deepened her understanding of adaptability.

Beyond the YAC, Chloe serves as a youth Cadet for her local fire department, where she takes classes and works alongside adult firefighters, even responding to real fires in the community. The unpredictable nature of the role means plans can change in an instant, and she credits the YAC with helping her navigate these ever-shifting challenges.

Her time on the YAC has also given her the confidence to collaborate with adults as an equal decision-maker, bringing valuable insights to the table. In the fire department, where a natural hierarchy of age and experience exists, Chloe has grown comfortable using her voice—something she might have hesitated to do before experiencing the power of youth-adult partnerships.

“The YAC definitely helped me be comfortable with speaking up to those around me, either if they needed my help or if I wanted to voice something that me or the rest of the Cadets had a question or a concern about.”

As she prepares to attend Dartmouth College in the fall, Chloe is thinking about how to keep her passions alive and translate them into a college setting. She hopes to continue using her leadership skills to help others realize that leadership isn’t just about titles—it’s about stepping outside of one’s comfort zone and embracing new experiences. As Chloe has learned, The Future of Leadership Starts Here.

Chloe’s leadership path reflects how NYLC is equipping young people to create lasting change. Now, we’re preparing for our next BIG step! Join us for our February 12th event to discover how NYLC is evolving and growing, with exciting new opportunities to empower even more young people in the decades to come.