youth equipped for the
21st century & BEYOND
Our MISSION
Our mission is to raise up new leaders who can help meet the challenges of the 21st century and beyond. The Institute is committed to the proposition that each young person has within him or her potential to be great.
our program
As a 501c3 organization, the Institute is based in Savannah, Georgia, and is open to youth ages 12 to 16 years old. The Institute is committed to the proposition that each young person has within him or her potential to be a great leader. It is preparing young people to seize leadership opportunities in their schools, neighborhoods and religious institutions today, and in the workplace and global arena tomorrow.
2025 ETSYLI Theme:
AI Generated picture
AI & Advocacy:
Using Technology in Leadership
Artificial Intelligence, commonly known as AI, is more than just a buzzword; it is a technology that is already shaping the future. From creating custom images to drafting novels and developing software code, businesses, organizations, and even governments are increasingly integrating AI into their operations. Our children need to understand what AI is and how it can be used, so that we can continue to shape the present and the future.
Over the course of the Institute, students will learn about AI and how they can leverage it as leaders and change makers.
Olivia Nadine Lamb, Executive Director
raising up new leadeRS
SUBSCRIBE
“If there is no struggle, there is no progress. This struggle may be a moral one; or it may be a physical one; or it may be both moral and physical;
but it must be a struggle.” - Frederick Douglass
Our program focus:
Our youth leadership program are built around seven core skill areas:
COMMUNICATION
LEADERSHIP
GOAL SETTING
TEAM BUILDING
SKILLS
CIVIC
RESPONSIBILITY
FINANCIAL
LITERACY
CULTURAL
AWARENESS
ENTREPRENEURSHIP
The young leaders explore African American history, meet prominent city and state officials, and interview successful business men and women and community leaders. Participants also engage in interactive games and discussions. They create multimedia projects that are presented at the end of each program.
upcoming events
PAST EVENTS: read-a-thon
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“Too much is at stake…for us not to vote. In my view, there is no good reason for not voting. Yes, a number of ‘reasons’ are given – but none are good enough.” - Earl T. Shinhoster
OUR FAMILY. OUR TEAM
ETSYlI Who We Are
Yvonne Shinhoster Lamb
President
Writer and editor; retired journalist, The Washington Post.
Margaret Shinhoster Carthon
Retired U.S. Department of Agriculture researcher; social
worker/teacher with City of Savannah and Ash Tree.
Richard Shinhoster
Treasure
Businessman and civil rights leader; former educator and administrator at Savannah Technical College.
Deborah Shinhoster Richards
United Methodist pastor and retired public-school teacher.
Ruby
Shinhoster
Retired from Georgia Department of Corrections.
Lillian Shinhoster
Retired social worker, Georgia Regional Hospital, Savannah, GA. Mental Health Counselor, Chatham County Sheriff's Department, Savannah, GA.
George
Shinhoster
Motivational speaker and retired YMCA CEO.
Jean
Dallas
Retired administrator, General Electric.
"If you want change, you have to demand it" -Author
the institute expereince
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“You can no longer see or identify yourself solely as a member of a tribe, but as a citizen of a nation of one people working toward a common purpose.”
― idowu koyenikan