Toyota helps empower students to succeed at Young Leaders, Strong City Summer Camp
The free summer camp, now in its third year, provides opportunities for kids from all socioeconomic backgrounds to gain leadership skills.
Founded in 2014, Young Leaders, Strong City (YLSC) operates with a mission “to educate, equip and activate a community of youth leaders to realize their vision for themselves and their community.” The nonprofit organization provides year-round programming, partnering with local school districts and corporations to stage a variety of gatherings, from monthly Youth Advisory Council (YAC) meetings for 9th through 12th-grade students, to their flagship event, an annual Teen Leadership Summit each fall. This past June, YLSC hosted its third Summer Leadership Camp.
“We served over 50 students for two weeks versus the one week that we would usually have,” says Chandra White, director of operations and administration.
Toyota was a sponsor and YLSC also partnered with United Way of Metropolitan Dallas, so each day’s events were held at the United Way building downtown. The day camp serves Dallas students in 8th through 12th grade, and White says students attended from as far away as Plano and Waxahachie.
“We do not require that students have specific grades or be a part of any additional clubs or anything like that,” she says. “When students participate in our programming, they do receive volunteer hours. We also provide them with meals and these programs are completely free.”
During the two weeks of camp, White says they focus on helping students explore their identities, realizing who they are and their visions for themselves and their communities. They identify things they want to change and areas of opportunity, then YLSC provides them with tools, resources and support to help make those changes happen.
During the two-week Summer Leadership Camp, students identify and set personal development goals, then YLSC provides them with tools, resources and support to help them realize those goals.
Corporate sponsorships and participation in programming help keep all YLSC programs active.
"We are a nonprofit, so sponsorship is important. And with Toyota, our missions being involved with the community are aligned,” she says, adding that three Toyota Motor North America, Inc. (“Toyota”) team members came to the camp to speak with students. “We had a college and career panel, and they were able to share their stories, starting from college and working their way to the positions that they currently serve in.”
“We were there with several other companies — The Dallas Mavericks, Wingstop, Oracle — for a career panel with students,” says Adriana Holguin, business & community engagement analyst at Toyota.
D’Juan Rudolph, Toyota business & community engagement manager, says they shared personal experiences and life lessons with the students, many of whom are about to go to college.
“It was a really great experience, and the students were very receptive, even if a lot of their questions were for the guy from the Mavericks about the Luka [Dončić] trade,” he says.
Whatever it is that you dream of doing, there’s probably a place at Toyota for you.
Rudolph adds that, when students hear the name Toyota, they usually think only about the company making cars. But he emphasized during his talk that there are so many more career opportunities within a corporation like theirs.
“We just don’t sell cars. There are other aspects, you know. It’s a whole plethora of departments, and we explain that you don’t have to be a car salesman, you can be an engineer,” he says. “Whatever it is that you dream of doing, there’s probably a place at Toyota for you. So, whether you’re someone on the creative side, or someone that’s a little bit more on the scientific or engineering side, there is a place for you.”
He adds that participating in programs like this camp at YLSC aligns with Toyota’s goals to guide future generations, aiming to produce new leaders, and ensure the company maintains a local footprint.
White says she looks forward to working with Toyota again next summer but, for now, she’s turned her focus to the organization’s upcoming events. These include the Youth Advisory Council that takes place on the second Saturday of each month, and their annual Teen Leadership Summit, which takes place on Saturday, Nov. 8.
Reiterating her previous statement, she emphasizes the importance of corporate and individual donations to maintain these YLSC programs. The fall Teen Leadership Summit serves 200-300 students, exponentially increasing their needs.
“We can always use money, but also in-kind donations, including snacks, bottled water and printing services,” she says. “We always need volunteers, especially for our annual Teen Leadership Summit.”
White says they aim to create a fun vibe at the events, and volunteers have multiple ways to participate, including handing out snacks and swag bags, monitoring the hallways, or even being part of the “hype team” that welcomes students and gets them excited.
Originally published in FWD>DFW, August 19, 2025. Written by Steven Lindsey.