The youth who participate in The Leader in Youth Program are drawn directly from public schools, charter schools and youth organizations serving low-income D.C. youth. The 25 low-income high-school students CSL serves with each LYP are recruited by its partner organizations in the community, and fit the following descriptions:

• All qualify financially for the DOA’s Reduced Lunch Program
• All reside in economically depressed neighborhoods with high presence of violence and drug use
• Most have no one in their family who has attended college
• Most live with a single parent or guardian
• All have demonstrated a motivation to learn: We offer the LYP to hundreds of students, yet those who participate write application essays and are not paid (some programs pay students to attend)