Inspiring Change at Home: Celebrating the 2026 Youth Leaders for Glocal Impact
On May 14th, the World Affairs Council hosted its 3rd Annual Youth Leaders for Glocal Impact celebration. Set against the beautiful backdrop of the Glendale Lyceum and featuring a delicious dinner catered by Flourish Culinary Services, the evening was a powerful testament to what happens when we invest in the next generation.
Walnut Hills student presenting project on student body mental health and app.
Through this initiative, several trailblazing students across the Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky region were awarded $1,000 grants to bring their community-benefiting projects to life.
The Youth Leaders for Glocal Impact grant initiative was created to honor the late Rich Lauf, a remarkable individual who dedicated 59 years of his life to the pursuit of knowledge and world affairs. Rich passionately believed that instilling international understanding and global readiness in young people is key to shaping a better future.
“As adults, we lose sight of what we wanted as young people. My first exposure as a 14 year old, had a 50-year effect on me. We need to create a similar impact for today’s students, like the change in me those many years ago.”
Visiting delegation for the Mutually Beneficial U.S. and India AI Collaboration
This year’s celebration beautifully reflected that vision, showcasing student-led projects that tackled local challenges in schools and neighborhoods, all while fostering a broader global awareness and a deep sense of responsibility.
Adding to the magic of the evening, we had the distinct honor of hosting a visiting delegation from India. The delegates were in the region exploring collaborative, cross-border efforts between India and the United States within the realm of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Their presence beautifully underscored the “glocal” spirit of the night—connecting local student action with global innovation.
We are proud to recognize the following schools for the 2026 Youth Leaders for Glocal Impact Grant:
- Winton Woods High School for their projects on:
- Britney Johnson, Logan Banatwala, Cassidy Stockmeier on their education initiative to teach elementary school students about sustainability.
- Camryn Wilkinson, Chris Velasco, Mecca Mitchell, and Michael for their project on improving education quality and funding through theatrical arts.
- Santonio Reese and Marcus Cunningham for their work on creating opportunities for students in entrepreneurship and sustainable fashion.
Students Camryn Wilkinson and Chris Velasco sharing theatre initiative to improve education.
We extend our deepest gratitude to everyone who joined us to celebrate these remarkable students. Most importantly, we want to express how incredibly proud we are of our young leaders. They serve as a daily reminder that meaningful, global change starts right here at home.
Interested in supporting the next generation of global changemakers? Stay tuned for updates on our upcoming grant cycles!
