Young People Turning Possibility into Power
Last weekend, we gathered in North Charleston for our second annual South Carolina Young Leaders Summit — and I wish you could have seen what I saw.
Everywhere I looked, I saw possibility.
High school students finding their voices. First-year college freshmen ready to jump in. Seasoned campus leaders building community and leading change.
They came from Florence and Spartanburg, Charleston, Conway and Columbia, from every corner of our state, to learn, create, and imagine together.At the end of the Summit, we asked one simple question: “How are you feeling as you leave?”
Here’s what they said:
Strong. Hopeful. Empowered. Enthusiastic. Determined. Connected. Energized.
Ready. Hungry for more.Think about that for a moment.
In a world that gives young people so many reasons to feel cynical or discouraged, they chose words rooted in possibility.
That is no small thing in the times we are living in.
It’s a reminder for all of us - wherever we lead - that possibility is power.
It grows when it’s shared. It multiplies when it’s believed in.And these aren’t just words - they’re fuel.
The heartbeat of what happens when young people are seen, supported, and trusted to lead. When we invest in them not as “the future,” but as the leaders of right now.That’s why Be The Ones exists - to turn possibility into power.
And it’s why we’re expanding our Young Leaders Programs next year - to meet this moment of energy and possibility rising across South Carolina.We’ve seen what happens when young people are trusted to lead.
Now, we’re building what comes next: more opportunities for South Carolina’s rising generation to gather, learn, connect, and dream boldly about the communities they want to create.In the coming weeks, we’ll share stories from the Summit - and more about how this next chapter will unfold.
For now, hold onto the words they left us with.
Excited. Hopeful. Inspired. Ready. Hungry for more.Because if young people are choosing possibility, maybe the rest of us should too.