NEWBURGH AND PORT JERVIS, NY — Fearless! Hudson Valley will hold its week-long Summer Youth Leadership Academy (SYLA) in July.

One academy week will be held in Newburgh from Monday, July 8 to Friday, July 12; and the other will be held from Monday, July 22 to Friday, July 26 in Port Jervis. Applications are due on Friday, June 21.

SYLA is open to all high school students in Orange and Sullivan counties. 

Enrollment is free. 

“I had a wonderful experience participating in the Youth Leadership Academy this past summer,” said Lila Sinacori, who participated in 2023. “I not only learned a lot of how to be a strong leader, but I was able to better myself as a person. They have taught me how to work to cut biases and judgments out of my life, and improving the way I communicate with people is still something I still practice every day using the skills I learned in the academy. I cannot describe how grateful I am to have had the opportunity to be a part of this amazing program and cannot stress enough how worth it the experience is for anyone interested.”

This free week-long program aims to inspire and empower students in grades nine to 12 to learn and speak up about racism, bullying and gender oppression. The academy also discusses the difference between healthy and unhealthy relationships, and how to build solutions for change. The sessions are led by Fearless! educators. 

Participants who complete the free week-long program will receive the following:

30 hours of community service

A letter of recommendation for college and/or employment

A $50 stipend

Lunch and snacks

Session 1 will be held at the Fearless! business office, 280 Broadway, in Newburgh.

Session 2 will be held at the Port Jervis Recreational Center, 135 Pike St.

Depending on registration numbers, some sessions could be condensed. Not all applicants who apply will be accepted into the program. To learn more and apply, visit www.fearlesshv.org/events/syla.html.