The Youth Leadership and Mentoring Program (YLMP) is “not designed exclusively for Malden High,” said senior Vice President Katie Liang, “but more so for the city of Malden.”
A program focused on youth leadership and mentoring—hence the name—members including students from Malden High School and Malden Catholic High School, spend Friday afternoons at one of the K-8 Malden Public Schools to host afterschool activities for 4th and 5th grade students.
YLMP dates back to several years ago. Jonathan Dong, an MHS Class of 2017 alumnus, began his journey with the program in high school when it was still considered a club, working his way from being a member to an officer. Then, during his enrollment at Hamilton College in New York, Dong became highly involved in student organizations like the Asian Student Union and the Aquaponics Club, both of which he founded.
Today, he is a leader back home in Malden, serving as a program coordinator for the YLMP.
“Being able to start those two clubs and run it and let it excel when I’m gone definitely came from my time here managing the YLMP,” Dong explained. “It helped me become a better person when going to college… and now I’ve found myself returning to Malden, so the next best thing was helping it out again.”
Eventually, the YLMP was renamed as a program to better reflect its affiliation with the Chinese Culture Connection (CCC) community organization, as well as the adult mentorship of Dong and CCC Executive Director Mei Hung.
However, the program remains highly student-led, with its high school members consistently taking on leadership roles in the classroom. And, whether they are at Salemwood or Beebe School, the members ensure that every interaction with every student is special.
An especially memorable time for Liang was when she first entered the program. Noticing that one student, like her, “was hesitant to participate in a lot of activities at first,” she took the opportunity to bond with her by answering questions about math homework. “At the beginning, it felt like we were in the same stage,” expressed Liang. “But I loved working with her and seeing her slowly get more comfortable with doing activities, just as I became more comfortable interacting with everybody.”
Similarly, Ella Yu expressed that she “loved getting to know the kids more and teaching them… I don’t regret joining this club at all.”
These moments are what help the program continue to thrive, according to senior YLMP Secretary Sara Zhang. While giving members the “chance to learn and demonstrate leadership with adult mentors and pass down that experience to kids in the form of fun games,” there are even more opportunities to “connect with and learn the kids’ interests and perspectives.”
Still, playing games is an important aspect of YLMP because every game is intentional. While scavenger hunts teach elementary students teamwork and communication, debates aim to enhance their public speaking skills. By providing them with a fun and enriching learning experience, the YLMP members hope that the students’ use of these skills will extend beyond the classroom.
Right now, the program is nearing the end of the preparation phase. Junior President Vi Dinh described how valuable Hung and Dong’s mentorship for the officers was: “We’re given a lot of important guidance and mentorship of our own from them, and now that we’re close to the second part of the program, we are applying this knowledge—this time being us as mentors to the kids.” Liang added that doing so has been a “very rewarding experience. You put yourself out there, and every week you see how much not just the kids, but you, have grown.”
The program is expected to start visiting local schools later this month. If you have questions or are interested in joining, follow the YLMP on Instagram @ylmp25 or reach out to Dinh at @tdinh26@maldencatholic.org.
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