Youth Link University
Class Schedule 2025–2026
Program Window
Jan 6 – Jun 2, 2026
Class Time
Tuesdays · 5–7 PM
Location
Crossroads Community Center
Class Schedule
Twelve sessions from January through June, plus the preparation period running from September 2025.
Preparation
Sept – Dec 2025
Marketing, Recruitment & Selection
- Sept – Nov: Outreach
- Nov – Dec: Interviews & Selection
Class 1
January 6
Orientation & Welcome Dinner
Meet & Greet · Explore Identity, Culture, and Your Why
- 5:00 — Opening · Land Acknowledgement
- 5:05 — Welcome (City Manager / Council liaison / Parks Director, TBD)
- 5:15 — Gracious Space Activity
- 5:30 — Overview (YLU youth chair, YL staff): program goals, schedule, expectations, sponsors
- 5:40 — Dinner with table prompts
- 6:30 — 1-on-1 Questions
- 7:00 — Dismissal
Class 2
January 20
Business 101 (Form, Structure, Operation)
Team Formation & Team Project Assignment
Class 3
February 3
Business Finance (Cost, Profit, Loss)
Project work
Class 4
February 10
Marketing (Digital, Social Media)
Project work
Class 5
March 3
Project Management
Project work
Class 6
March 17
Product Development
Project work
Class 7
March 31
Project Work
Adjusted schedule due to Spring Break
Class 8
April 21
Project Work
Class 9
May 5
Final Project Prep
Class 10
May 19
Final Project Presentation
Graduation
June 2
Graduation!
Special YLU Speaker Series
Bellevue City Hall · Council Chambers (TBD) · 6:00 – 8:00 PM
Thursday, October 30, 2025
Cecilia Aragon
Innovative research, and a stint at NASA designing software for Mars missions, led President Obama to call her "one of the top scientists and engineers" in the United States.
When I was a child, a teacher said, "Why are you working so hard in math? You should be getting a boyfriend." As a first-generation Latina whose parents spoke with thick accents, I was always placed in the slow reading groups in school. Even though I loved math and science, I internalized others' expectations of me and began to believe that I wasn't smart enough to do scientific research.
Thursday, January 29, 2026
Luis Poggi
YouTube star for singing in Venezuela; previously VP of Product for Zillow.
Currently CEO and Founder of an AI startup. Harvard graduate, very active helping minority students through Cristo Rey school.
Thursday, April 30, 2026
Tanji Johnson
Fitness body-building champion and military veteran.
Speaks on themes of resilience and self-leadership: When Failure is Winning, Empower Your Inner Champion.
Thursday, June 25, 2026
Nigel Storey
CTO of Zappos; previously VP of Operations at J&J. Based in Las Vegas.