The youth who participate in The Young Leaders Program are drawn directly from public schools, charter schools and youth organizations serving low-income D.C. youth. The 30-40 low-income high-school students CSL serves with each YLP 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 YLP to hundreds of students, yet those who participate write application essays and participate voluntarily/are not paid (some other programs pay students to attend)