Program Components

Through Coro’s Youth Fellows Program, high school students learn to become active citizens in their schools and communities by using the county as a classroom. Coro selects a cohort of fifteen high school students from across the Southern California region to participate in a rigorous six-week, full-time summer program structured to deepen their leadership skills. 

• Three weeks of seminar training to build leadership skills and frameworks, informational interviews with community and civic leaders, and site visits for place-based learning

• Two-week internship placement with a private, public, nonprofit or labor organization 

• A one-week group project featuring site visits, interviews, and public speaking opportunities

2024 Program Dates

• Week 1: June 24 – June 28

• Week 2: July 1 – July 3*

• Week 3: July 8 – July 12 (Internship Placements)

• Week 4: July 15 – July 19 (Internship Placements)

• Week 5: July 22 – July 26

• Week 6: July 29 – August 1

• Graduation: August 2

* there is no programming July 4 – 5 due to the holiday

Program Outcomes

• The Knowledge – Youth Fellows gain deep understandings of different sectors and how they work together to make the city function.

• The Network – Participants join a network of over 15,000 Coro alumni across the country, who can help with future academic and career development.

• The Skills – Coro training gives Youth Fellows the tools and mindsets to effectively problem-solve.

Youth Fellows graduate with the ability to…

• Listen to multiple perspectives around an issue

• Ask great questions to identify a problem

• Be aware of their own biases 

• Give and take constructive feedback

• Create a career pathway 

• Confidently lead in their schools, personal life, and communities

Coro values the representation of diverse perspectives, identities, experiences, and world views; as such, YFP cohorts reflect the make-up of the region, representing a wide array of backgrounds, beliefs, and identities.

Ideal YFP candidates…

• live and/or attend school in the Greater Los Angeles Area

• are currently high school sophomores or juniors (rising juniors and seniors during the summer of the program)

• aren’t afraid to get out of their comfort zones

• want to make a difference in their schools and communities

• are eager to learn, grow, and challenge themselves

• are available to attend the entire 6-week program from June 24 to August 2, 9:30am-3:30pm Monday through Friday

Issue Exploration

Participants are encouraged to examine multiple perspectives around an issue, while being aware of their own biases and prejudices.

The YFP application must be completed in one sitting. Prior to working on the application, please review the Application Guide.

Applicants will be asked to provide demographic information as well as short answer responses and three essay questions. 

Essay Questions

1. Tell us who you are. You can describe your background, values, significant experiences from your past, and/or special hobbies/interests that have helped to shape your identity, values, and/or aspirations.

2. What is the most challenging obstacle that you have had to overcome? Discuss the impact it has had on you and what you have learned from the experience.

3. Upload a 60-second video testimonial answering: What are your reasons for applying to the Coro Youth Fellows Program? How will you apply your leadership training in your school or neighborhood community?

Applicants are also responsible for securing a recommendation from a teacher, coach, supervisor, or mentor (no family or friends) by the application deadline.

Program Cost

Tuition is $5,000 (subsidized thanks to the generous support of our sponsors). 

Participant Scholarships

Thanks to the generous support of our sponsors, Coro is able to provide need-based scholarships. Applicants seeking a scholarship must complete the relevant questions at the time of application. While Coro strives to provide financial support to all accepted candidates demonstrating need, scholarships are not guaranteed. For more information about scholarships, email Callie Spaide at callie@corola.org.

Our 75-year history gives us one of the most diverse alumni networks in the country — 15,000 graduates and growing — spanning sectors, perspectives, and geography. At Coro, the learning doesn’t stop when your program ends. Coro alumni status gives you access to:

• The Resources – Coro alumni have access to AlumniFire, Coro’s Job Board (Coro Classifieds), & Coro’s alumni-only LinkedIn page, where they can network, find job opportunities, fill roles at their organizations, and learn from one another.

• The Exposure – Coro brings together decision makers across sectors to share perspectives and discuss the future of our region at a number of annual events, many of which are exclusive to Coro alumni. Joining the Coro network ensures that partners stay connected with forward-thinking leaders at all levels and across all sectors, and provides you exposure to key decision makers.

• The Credentials – Coro has partnered with Credly by Pearson™ to issue and maintain digital badges. As authenticated, certified, and individually-awarded badges, you’ll be able to showcase your unique professional, management, and leadership development capacity-building in real-time with colleagues, current and future employers, and your network.

• The Network – Alumni have powerful networks to ignite change and continuous support for tackling professional challenges through their Coro family. Program participants directly engage with numerous leaders over the duration of their experience. This, coupled with the over 15,000 Coro alumni, creates a unique opportunity for alumni to quickly expand their social capital.

Graduated Youth Fellows have been accepted to prestigious colleges and universities

• Amherst College 

• Boston University 

• Brown 

• CSU Fullerton 

• CSU Long Beach 

• CSU Los Angeles 

• CSU Pomona 

• Dartmouth

• Dickinson College 

• Harvard 

• Hobart William Smith 

• Loyola Marymount 

• New York University 

• Northeastern 

• Pepperdine 

• Stanford 

• Tulane University 

• UC Berkeley 

• UC Davis 

• UC Irvine

• UC Riverside 

• UC Santa Barbara

• UC San Diego 

• UCLA 

• University of Pennsylvania