My Summer at a Bay Area Youth Leadership Program

INTRODUCTION 

This summer, I spent six weeks as a Fellow in Coro California's Exploring Leadership program. Through my internship placement at The Practice Space, I got a firsthand look at what it means to use my voice, engage with my community, and lead with purpose. Here's what I learned along the way!

ABOUT CORO CALIFORNIA 

Coro California trains, empowers, and connects leaders across sectors and generations to strengthen democracy and tackle society's most complex challenges together. Rather than treating leadership as a title, a personality type, or a body of knowledge acquired in a classroom, Coro creates a process of discovery grounded in direct experience. Participants learn by encountering institutions and communities up close, examining the forces shaping public life, questioning their own assumptions, and developing the judgment to lead amid complexity — building their skills, knowledge, and network along the way.

Since its founding in 1942, Coro has expanded across California and across generations. Today, their programs serve high school students discovering their civic voice, emerging leaders beginning their careers, experienced professionals navigating organizational and sector-level challenges, and executives carrying significant responsibility.

EXPLORING LEADERSHIP

Exploring Leadership is Coro California's six-week summer program that helps Bay Area high school students become active leaders in their communities. Participants take part in hands-on leadership training in critical thinking, goal setting, communication, and facilitation, while also gaining real-world experience through a professional internship with a local host organization and designing a community action project from start to finish.

By the end of the program, Fellows walk away with stronger leadership skills, real-world work experience, a deeper understanding of local issues, a growing network of mentors, and the confidence to take action in their communities. Meet this year’s cohort.

MY INTERNSHIP AT THE PRACTICE SPACE 

My internship was at a small nonprofit based in Richmond called The Practice Space. The organization works with people on their public speaking and communication skills, especially those whose voices have historically been silenced.

My task there was to analyze survey data from past program participants across years and come up with some suggestions based on that analysis. I also got to conduct informational interviews with The Practice Space staff to learn more about their journeys and get advice for mine. I saw their work first hand through watching coaches teach kids at an elementary school nearby as well.

At the end of my internship, I presented my findings from the data along with common themes and learnings from conversations to The Practice Space staff. Before presenting, I got a one on one session with their founder and CEO AnnMarie Baines on public speaking. She gave me tips on both content and delivery that I took with me through both that presentation and future ones.

One of the biggest impacts of interning at The Practice Space came through talking with its amazing, dedicated core staff. A common takeaway from conversations with them was to advocate for myself through asking for what I need and knowing my worth. They helped me internalize the belief in the power of my voice through encouraging me to direct it towards what matters to me, and through hearing others’ stories.

Having completed Exploring Leadership, I now have a better idea of how to advocate for issues I’m passionate about and have more confidence in my ability to do so.

For those interested in the program, Exploring Leadership tests your limits and teaches you that you are more capable than you thought. You will learn about yourself and how to effectively advocate for what you care about.

GET INVOLVED 

To learn more about Coro California's Exploring Leadership program or to get involved as a host organization, visit coroca.org/programs/el. You can also visit The Practice Space’s website here: https://www.practice-space.org/