Carmen Miranda

I have had many challenges in my life, which have shaped the person I am today. The challenges have made me more self-reliant, more skilled, and wiser and have helped me to develop stronger leadership skills. Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro is one opportunity that would help continue this growing process for me. It would give greater purpose to my life and provide me with an opportunity to continue to grow stronger and assert my independence as a person. It would feed my powerful curiosity. It would challenge me to persevere beyond my limits and reach new ones. It would help me to gain new perspectives on life by challenging me.

Carmen Miranda Creative Arts Works 2014 Youth Leader

Yahiela Eliakim

This is the prime of my life and it must be filled with initiative. So, in April of 2011, I left my house, my father and all the negative emotions that I was harboring and went out to begin my life. Without my prior experience with the world, I don’t know if I would have been able to handle the strife that I endured after I left, but I do know that because of it I am prepared for all the obstacles that are ready to come my way. Through the Andrew Glover Youth Program and The Kilimanjaro Initiative, I want to share and make experiences with people from other cultural, social and economic background. I want to see new places, face new hardships and inspire while being inspired. I know that I have what it takes and I hope you can see the leader in me.

Yahiela Eliakim Andrew Glover Foundation 2014 Youth Leader

Tanishka Thomas

Although this experience was very traumatic for me, it really taught me so much about myself and the qualities I have. Being a leader really comes with great responsibility and sacrifices. Many of the decisions I made in the past have affected my goals and my current position in life. However, I've managed to never allow my circumstances dictate my future, especially if it was for a great cause. I'm a leader, which wasn't easy to adapt to but most importantly, I'm a hero to my family.

Tanishka Thomas Redhook Initiative 2014 Youth Leader

Ricky Chauncey-Edmonds

I am at the turning point of my life. I have made some good choices over the past year and a half and I am ready and willing to take a leap forward. I feel this trip could be that leap that helps me break into the new me.

Ricky Chauncey-Edmonds Long Island City YMCA 2014 Youth Leader