Posts Tagged "leadership"
Senior Delegates Lead with Purpose at LYS
August 21, 2026
Seniors Ava Arceneaux and Eleanor Credeur, represented Notre Dame at the Louisiana Youth Seminar (LYS) at LSU this summer. They joined 275 high school students from across Louisiana for an intensive week focused on leadership, personal growth and building connections.
LYS challenges students through hands-on experiences designed to strengthen communication, teamwork, confidence, goal-setting, problem-solving and the ability to understand and appreciate others. Founded in 1971, LYS has helped develop thousands of young leaders across Louisiana.
For Ava, the experience was about both leadership and lifelong friendships. “LYS also taught me valuable leadership skills, like communication, teamwork, confidence, and leading by example. I’m truly grateful for everyone I met and everything I learned.”
Eleanor described the week as an experience that pushed her beyond her comfort zone and changed her for the better. "It was a blessing to grow with so many different people around our state. I connected with people that I’ll have bonds with forever.”
We are proud of the way these two students represented Notre Dame at LYS, and even more excited to see how they will bring their experiences and leadership skills back to our school community. Our mission calls us to form the whole person, and opportunities like LYS help our students grow not only as students, but as confident young people prepared to lead, serve and make a difference.
ND Students Shine at Louisiana Youth Seminar
September 15, 2025
This summer, Ava Istre and Jonah Blake joined 275 of Louisiana’s top high school leaders at Louisiana Youth Seminar (LYS) #55 at LSU. The weeklong program develops leadership skills through workshops, team-building exercises, motivational speakers, and real-world problem-solving.
Jonah, a three-year LYS veteran, reflected on the experience, “The best part by far has to be the people you meet there. LYS puts you in situations where you have to lead and make friends. I even won Group of the Week and Outstanding Group Member last summer! I never heard anyone finish the week and say they regretted it.”
Ava, attending for the first time, described how the program impacted her personally. “LYS opened my eyes to school spirit and living life with an open mind and heart. I learned how to communicate effectively and be a true leader. One phrase that stood out was, ‘You deserve what you tolerate.’ LYS makes everyone feel included, respected, and valued. I would have never known about LYS without Notre Dame, and I will never regret going. I encourage everyone to experience it for themselves!”
This year’s seminar also featured the Life Achievement Award presentation to LSU Women’s Basketball Coach Kim Mulkey, whose inspiring keynote left a lasting impression on all attendees.
We are proud of Ava and Jonah for representing Notre Dame and bringing their leadership experiences back to our campus. LYS fosters personal growth, leadership skills, and a supportive community of young leaders—and these Pioneers exemplified it beautifully.