News

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.