Not everyone has a light to guide them. Sometimes we have to guide ourselves, or find others to lead the way. For many youth, that light is first found in after-school programs. As Jay'Len Clark, a 2024 Afterschool Youth Ambassador, reflects: "In my time in afterschool, I have been led by my teachers, and now I am leading the youth of today" (Clark, 2024).

This is the essence of Youth Voice: a cycle of mentorship where those who were once led become the ones leading the next generation.

The Power of Lived Experience

Individuals with "lived experience" are unparalleled in their ability to humanize an issue and identify critical gaps in systems (Center for Health Care Strategies, 2026). Jay'Len’s experience leading an AV group—helping a young filmmaker navigate her first time directing—is "essential evidence" that youth leadership works (Olsen, de Pinho Campos, & Fones, 2025).

When a student explains how after-school programs kept them safe and provided a space to be themselves, it restores the human dimension to policy-making (ScienceDirect, 2025). It proves that these programs aren't just a place to wait for parents to finish work; they are training grounds for community leaders.

The Fight for the 21st Century: A Call to Action

Currently, the funding that makes these leadership opportunities possible is under threat. The Afterschool Alliance is circulating a petition to save the 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) grant.

Without this funding, agencies like Operation Xcel—which provide STEM/STEAM enrichment and Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) mentoring—could vanish. For many families, these programs are the only way to access the enrichment that is otherwise hidden behind a "privilege paywall." As Jay'Len notes, after-school programs must be accessible to all groups of people because they provide safety and a place for youth to belong (Clark, 2024).

Why Collective Advocacy Wins

While youth like Jay'Len are the most authentic advocates, the most effective movements are a team effort. To level the playing field, we must build a strategic coalition consisting of:

• Individuals with Lived Experience: Youth like Jay'Len who offer authentic narratives of growth (Center for Health Care Strategies, 2026).

• Allies and Supporters: Mentors and parents who amplify the message and reduce the emotional burden on the youth (Psychology Today, 2025).

• Professional Advocates: Experts who translate these stories into systemic change (American Bar Association, n.d.).

How to Empower the Next Generation

To support the "leadership pipeline" in our community, we must:

• Get a Bigger Boat: Reach out to "unlikely messengers"—business leaders, artists, and neighbors—to speak on why afterschool matters to the entire community (Center for Nonprofit Advancement, 2018).

• Identify the "Why": Explain the issue in a way that matters to the listener. If talking to a policymaker, focus on how many constituents benefit from safe, free afterschool care (Center for Nonprofit Advancement, 2018).

• Co-Design Solutions: Youth should be engaged from the beginning in designing programs, not just brought in later to validate them (Olsen et al., 2025).

As Jay'Len advocates, more youth leadership roles should be established in after-school programs to give experienced students a chance to lead and younger students a role model to follow.

Conclusion: Leveling the Playing Field

Access to after-school and summer programs is a fundamental component of equitable education. By supporting the 21st Century Community Learning Centers grant, we are funding the light that guides our youth. When we empower students to lead, we don't just change their lives—we change the future of our community.

Urgent Action Needed: We need your help!

We are once again facing a challenge that hits close to home. The 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) grant, the vital funding that makes our afterschool and summer programs possible, is at risk of being eliminated in the current budget proposal.

Last year, your voices made all the difference. Today, we need that strength again. These funds allow Operation Xcel to provide STEM/STEAM enrichment, parent workshops, and Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) at absolutely no cost to families who would otherwise be locked behind a "privilege paywall".

Please take two minutes to let your Congressional Representatives know that lived experience matters and that our community depends on these programs. 

• [Click Here to Contact Congress Directly.]                   
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References
American Bar Association. (n.d.). Use lived experience as a catalyst for systemic change. Young Lawyers Division.

Center for Health Care Strategies. (2026). Making the case for engaging people with lived experience and expertise.

Center for Nonprofit Advancement. (2018, September 11). Thinking differently about advocacy.

Clark, J. (2024, March 26). Not everyone has a light to guide them. Afterschool Alliance Guest Blog.

Olsen, M., de Pinho Campos, K., & Fones, G. (2025). Meaningful engagement with people with lived experience. BMJ, 390, r1138.

Psychology Today. (2025, October). Your lived experience and advocacy.

ScienceDirect. (2025). Lived experience as expertise: Restoring the human dimension to policy-making.

World Health Organization (via PMC). (2022). The all-encompassing objective of lived experience at all levels.
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About Operation Xcel

Operation Xcel is dedicated to promoting eXcellent Communities, Education, and Leadership by equipping youth from kindergarten through middle school with the tools to excel in every area of their lives. Through our future-focused afterschool and summer programs, we provide a foundation for lifelong learning, diversity of thought, and career mindfulness. A cornerstone of our impact is the 3 Steps Ahead Summer Enrichment Program, a five-week, full-day academic experience where certified teachers facilitate engaging lessons in Math, Reading, Science, STEAM, Robotics, and Social-Emotional Learning. Beyond the classroom, our students grow physically and socially through weekly swimming, mentorship, and unique field trips across North Carolina. At Operation Xcel, we believe in providing equal access to quality resources and fostering the civic engagement necessary for our students to make meaningful changes in the world.

To learn more about our mission or to enroll your student in our upcoming programs, visit [https://operationxcel.org].