Community STARS Summer 2026: From Ideas to Action

At Chicago Emerging Stars, we believe young people do not need to wait until they are older to lead. They can lead now. That belief is at the heart of our Community STARS: Youth Changemakers Lab Summer 2026 Cohort, a youth-led leadership and community impact program designed to help young people grow in confidence, build real relationships, strengthen their communication skills, and turn their ideas into action.

This summer’s theme is simple but powerful: From Ideas to Action. In the spring, our youth were asked, “What problem do you want to solve?” This summer, we are asking something deeper: Now what are we going to do about it?

That question matters because young people have ideas all the time. They notice what is missing in their communities. They know when something does not feel safe, fair, welcoming, or supportive. They see the needs around them. But too often, youth are asked to talk about problems without being given the space, tools, or trust to help build solutions. Community STARS is different.

This program is not about adults standing in front of a room telling young people what leadership should look like. It is about creating a space where young people can practice leadership in real time. Through conversations, team-building, activities, service, reflection, and planning, youth are learning how to speak up, work with others, think critically, and take ownership of something bigger than themselves.

Over the course of the summer, our participants will build leadership skills, improve communication, increase confidence, develop teamwork, learn professional behavior, build friendships, prepare for high school success, help plan and implement our 4th Annual Back-to-School Bash, complete a community service project, and leave with an action plan for the school year.

But beyond the checklist, we want them to leave with something deeper. We want them to leave knowing their voice matters. We want them to understand that leadership is not always about being the loudest person in the room. Sometimes leadership is listening. Sometimes it is encouraging someone else. Sometimes it is helping your team stay together. Sometimes it is showing up when no one is watching.

This summer, our young people are not just attending a program. They are helping shape it. They are building culture, practicing accountability, learning how to communicate, and discovering what it means to be part of a community. They are preparing not only for the next school year, but for the next version of themselves.

And that is what Chicago Emerging Stars is all about. We are here to create spaces where youth feel seen, supported, challenged, celebrated, and trusted. We are here to remind young people that their dreams are not too far away and their leadership is not too small to matter.

Community STARS is more than a summer program. It is a reminder that when young people are given space, support, and opportunity, they do not just imagine change. They begin creating it.