Youth Leadership Summit
Slot Requests for the 2026 Youth Leadership Summit are Open
We are excited to announce that the slots request form for the 2026 Youth Leadership Summit has officially opened.
GEAR UP Directors (those who report to the U.S. Department of Education) are responsible for submitting slot requests for their grant and would have received an email from yls@edpartnerships.org with the information and instructions for this process.
The 2026 Youth Leadership Summit will be hosting 150 students from across the country in Washington, DC from July 19–22, 2026, during the NCCEP/GEAR UP Annual Conference. Students participating in this 3.5-day leadership training will enhance their public speaking, systems-thinking, and leadership skills by collaborating in teams with peers from various programs, program staff, and trainers. The final day of the program culminates in a presentation in front of over 1,800 conference attendees on topics students are passionate about.
If you plan to send students, please see the information below and download the Planning Document to help you stay organized.
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The registration fee is $1,075 per student. In addition to registration, grants will be responsible for funding travel, lodging, and meals not provided by NCCEP. Student registration for the Youth Leadership Summit and other program costs are allowable costs/expenses for GEAR UP.
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Eligible students must be rising ninth, tenth, eleventh, or twelfth graders, or rising first-year college students who are eligible for GEAR UP services as of July 2026.
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Each GEAR UP Grant (by fiscal agent; not PR Award Number) can request up to 8 slots.
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When thinking about what students to select, please keep in mind the following.
There will be public speaking.
The schedule will involve long hours.
There will be extensive group work.
Choose students who are not overcommitted. We want to ensure that all selected students are fully available, engaged, and able to actively participate throughout the program.
