Baton Rouge Youth Coalition

Empowering Future Scholars: Mentoring with the Baton Rouge Youth Coalition

Since 2019, I have had the privilege of serving as a volunteer coach with the Baton Rouge Youth Coalition (BRYC), a nonprofit organization dedicated to preparing high-achieving, under-resourced high school students for success in college and beyond. BRYC provides its Fellows with top-tier college-preparatory resources—completely free of charge.

In my role at BRYC, I contribute in two key capacities:

• Writing Coach: I assist 12th-grade students in crafting compelling college and scholarship essays, helping them articulate their unique stories and aspirations.

• Research Mentor: I guide small groups of students through year-long research projects, fostering critical thinking and analytical skills.

One notable project from the 2020–2021 academic year was undertaken by the "Late Breakfast Club" (LBC) team. We explored environmental justice by investigating the impact of air pollution on the physical health of K–12 students of color in Baton Rouge, LA. Despite the challenges posed by the pandemic, the team conducted surveys and presented their findings in an online forum.