The Honorable Sheila Jackson Lee Young Leaders In Government
Developing the Next Generation of Public Servants, Civic Leaders & Changemakers
PUBLIC POLICY • CIVIC ENGAGEMENT • LEADERSHIP • SERVICE
For more than two decades, the World Youth Foundation, Inc. (WYF) has empowered young people to discover the power of their voice, understand the institutions that shape their lives, and recognize their responsibility and potential to lead.
Today, that commitment continues through The Honorable Sheila Jackson Lee Young Leaders In Government (YLIG)—a signature Public Policy & Civic Engagement initiative dedicated to preparing informed, courageous, culturally aware, and service-driven young leaders.
We are not simply teaching young people about government. We are creating opportunities for them to experience it, engage with it, serve within it, and envision themselves leading it.
A Living Legacy of Leadership
For more than three decades, World Youth Foundation had the privilege of engaging students, families, and communities alongside the beloved Honorable Sheila Jackson Lee.
Congresswoman Jackson Lee understood that young people should never be spectators in democracy. She believed in opening doors, creating access, cultivating leadership, and ensuring that the next generation understood both the power of their voice and the responsibility of public service.
Her commitment to youth was unwavering.
In recognition of this longstanding relationship and shared commitment to developing future leaders, World Youth Foundation carries her legacy forward through The Honorable Sheila Jackson Lee Young Leaders In Government initiative.
Her example continues to challenge our students to show up, speak up, serve, lead, and leave their own legacy.
Leadership Beyond the Classroom
YLIG transforms public policy and civic engagement from concepts students read about into experiences they can see, touch, question, understand, and ultimately influence.
Students are immersed in environments where decisions are made and communities are represented. They have opportunities to engage with elected officials, policymakers, public servants, corporate leaders, advocates, educators, and other changemakers while developing a deeper understanding of how government works.
Through YLIG, students explore:
Local, state, and federal government
Public policy and the legislative process
Civic engagement and civic responsibility
Leadership and ethical decision-making
Advocacy and community problem-solving
Constitutional principles and democratic institutions
Public speaking and effective communication
Emotional intelligence and cultural competency
Careers in government, law, public affairs, policy, advocacy, and public service
The importance of voting, representation, and community participation
From Houston to Austin to Washington, D.C.
Local Exposure. Statewide Engagement. National Perspective.
YLIG creates a progressive leadership journey that allows students to experience government at multiple levels.
LOCAL | Houston & Harris County
Students begin by understanding the public institutions closest to home.
Through engagement with municipal and county government, civic leaders, community stakeholders, and public meetings, students gain firsthand knowledge of how local decisions affect neighborhoods, families, schools, businesses, and their everyday lives.
STATE | Texas
Students take their learning to the Texas Capitol and engage with the legislative process in Austin.
Through State Youth In Action, young leaders have opportunities to explore state government, observe policymaking, understand proposed legislation, engage leaders, and see democracy in action during the Texas Legislative Session.
Our next State Youth In Action experience is anticipated for March or April 2027 in Austin, Texas.
NATIONAL | Washington, D.C.
The leadership journey expands nationally through educational and civic experiences in Washington, D.C., including engagement surrounding the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation Annual Legislative Conference.
Students gain exposure to national policy conversations, public servants, thought leaders, advocates, institutions, and professionals shaping issues that affect communities across America.
These experiences allow students to connect what they have learned at home with the broader national landscape of government and public policy.
Why This Matters
Our nation needs emerging leaders who can bring together:
Policy expertise with emotional intelligence.
Strategic vision with collaboration.
Constitutional knowledge with cultural competency.
Leadership with service.
Courage with character.
Young people cannot aspire to opportunities they have never been given the chance to see.
For some YLIG participants, this may be their first opportunity to walk the halls of government, sit in a legislative chamber, speak with an elected official, participate in a policy discussion, travel to the nation's capital, or imagine themselves pursuing a career in public service.
One experience can change what a young person believes is possible.
Access creates exposure.
Exposure creates possibility.
Possibility creates purpose.
Purpose develops leaders.
Cultivating the Whole Child
Young Leaders In Government reflects WYF's commitment to Cultivate the Whole Child — Mind, Body, and Character.
We recognize that tomorrow's leaders require more than academic knowledge.
They need confidence.
They need character.
They need relationships.
They need exposure.
They need mentors.
They need opportunities to practice leadership before being expected to lead.
YLIG intentionally creates those opportunities while challenging students to think critically, communicate effectively, understand perspectives different from their own, and recognize leadership as an opportunity to serve others.
Preparing Students to Become
Through intentional exposure, mentorship, leadership development, and civic experiences, we are preparing young people to see themselves as future:
Public Servants • Policymakers • Attorneys • Advocates • Elected Officials • Diplomats • Educators • Government Professionals • Civic Entrepreneurs • Community Leaders • Corporate Leaders • Changemakers
But regardless of the profession they ultimately choose, every participant should leave YLIG understanding one fundamental truth:
Their voice matters, their participation matters, and their leadership matters.
Invest in Their Journey
Turn Access Into Opportunity
We invite corporations, foundations, elected leaders, businesses, civic organizations, alumni, and individuals to join World Youth Foundation in developing the next generation of public and civic leaders.
Your investment can help provide:
Student travel and transportation
Airfare and ground transportation
Hotel accommodations
Conference and program participation
Educational materials
Leadership development
Policy and civic engagement experiences
Student meals and logistical support
Professional attire and preparation
Mentorship and networking opportunities
Visits to government and civic institutions
Your support does more than fund a trip.
You help place a young person in a room they may never have imagined entering.
You help a student shake the hand of a policymaker.
You help them ask their first policy question.
You help them discover a career.
You help them understand that government belongs to them, too.
And you help prepare them to one day lead.
Partner With YLIG
There are many ways to become part of this leadership legacy.
Organizations and individuals can support YLIG through sponsorship, financial investment, student scholarships, mentorship, professional expertise, civic experiences, internships, in-kind resources, hosted receptions, educational tours, and introductions to leaders and institutions that can broaden our students' understanding of public service.
We also welcome policymakers and civic leaders to share their journeys and help students understand that leadership is not simply a title—it is a responsibility.
Give Them a Seat at the Table
The future of public leadership is already sitting in our classrooms, walking through our neighborhoods, and dreaming about what might be possible.
Our responsibility is to make sure opportunity meets that potential.
When we give young people a seat at the table today, we prepare them to lead at the table tomorrow.
Join World Youth Foundation, Inc. and The Honorable Sheila Jackson Lee Young Leaders In Government in cultivating informed, courageous, principled, and service-driven leaders prepared to shape the future of Houston, Texas, our nation, and the world.
INVEST IN A YOUNG LEADER
Sponsor a Student • Become a Partner • Mentor a Leader • Support YLIG
World Youth Foundation, Inc.
Empowering Youth How To Win In Life Against All Odds.
Cultivating the Whole Child — Mind, Body, and Character.
