--- description: Breaking news and analysis from time.com. Politics, world news, photos, video, tech reviews, health, science, and entertainment news. title: New Era of Service: Young Leaders Making a Real-World Impact image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt866da66f0fbacf5b/6a4b523663380218451b1b9f/time-article-hero-image.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 --- # New Era of Service: Young Leaders Making a Real-World Impact  Sky Harper grew up without electricity or running water on the Navajo Reservation in Chinle, Ariz. From an early age, he recognized the deep disparities his community faced. He also knew he wanted to help. But when he stepped up as a teenager to drive change, adults dismissed him because of his age and inexperience. He didn’t listen. Instead, Harper persisted and went on to help his community address infrastructure challenges, from road maintenance to electricity, internet connectivity, and water access. Now a Ph.D. student, he continues advocating for healthcare equality and mentors other young leaders. ​ Harper is one of many young changemakers across the country proving the power of youth-led service. They’re not asking for permission. Instead, they’re identifying problems, innovating solutions, and mobilizing resources with remarkable speed, creativity, and success. Thanks to [The Allstate Foundation](https://www.allstatecorporation.com/the-allstate-foundation.aspx "undefined"), they don’t have to do it alone. ## Investing in changemakers The Allstate Foundation stands at the forefront of a flourishing youth-led service movement. Offering more than just funding, the Foundation provides holistic, trust-based support. “Young people are a crucial part of their communities, and we know they have a lot they can bring to the table,” says Greg Weatherford II, Director of The Allstate Foundation and Social Impact. “They’re powerfully building community, fostering civic engagement, and laying the groundwork for long-term change.” Unlike traditional models where funders dictate terms and require extensive reporting, The Allstate Foundation entrusts young people with resources and autonomy to achieve positive impacts in communities. “The Allstate Foundation believes in youth-led service because we've seen how it unlocks incredible creativity and impact in youth,” says Alex Quian, Head of Youth Empowerment for The Allstate Foundation. “When you remove unnecessary barriers and trust them, young people flourish, innovate, and achieve far more than adults could have imagined.” This support proved transformative for Harper. He was selected by The Allstate Foundation as a contributor to its “Leveraging the Potential of Youth Service” and “In Our Own Voices” reports, which redefine youth service through a modern lens. He received a $25,000 grant, and he was also selected for the inaugural cohort of [The Allstate Foundation National Youth Service Summit](https://expandingleadership.org/tafsummit/ "undefined"). “In each of these experiences, I’ve had the chance to redefine what ‘service’ looks like in today’s world,” Harper says. “I’ve also dug my roots deeper into the service community and have grown and flourished as a leader. Now I’ve begun to empower others.” “ > When young people are empowered to serve, they bring fresh energy, deep empathy, and innovation. They’re powerfully building community, fostering civic engagement, and laying the groundwork for long-term change.” Greg Weatherford II—Director of The Allstate Foundation and Social Impact  ## ## Bolstering youth service through holistic support Juan Zarco, Chief Technology Officer and Leadership Committee Chair for Youth Technology Corps (YTC), was once a high schooler in the same program he now leads. He also has seen firsthand the transformative power of trust-based support. Before connecting with The Allstate Foundation, Zarco felt like his service journey had stagnated. He struggled to juggle school, work, and challenges within the program. Everything shifted when his efforts were recognized by The Allstate Foundation. He was selected for the inaugural National Youth Service Summit’s cohort, contributed to The Allstate Foundation’s “In Our Own Voices” report, and received a $25,000 grant from the Foundation to support his work. “TAF helped me overcome one of my biggest lifelong challenges—allowing others to take care of me, letting people in, letting myself be guided and inspired in vulnerable spaces by those who had already accomplished so much,” Zarco says. “That sense of support reminded me that we truly are better together.” With the backing from The Allstate Foundation, Zarco helped improve YTC’s free robotics program, developed a student leadership ladder, created teaching opportunities, distributed kits to students, and launched a student-led fundraiser. YTC has also been able to expand their reach. “Receiving resources from The Allstate Foundation meant so much more than just funding and contacts,” Zarco says. “It symbolized a real commitment to meaningful, long-lasting relationships. Their support showed me that I wasn't alone; I had people, friends, colleagues, and so many more who believed in my vision.” ## Leading by example and experience Leaders with firsthand experience as young changemakers guide The Allstate Foundation’s youth empowerment work. Both Weatherford and Quian started nonprofits when they were 12 and 21 years old, respectively, and faced many of the same challenges their grantees face today. “I know firsthand the positive power that belief and support can have on a young person,” says Weatherford, who started his own nonprofit at age 12 and led a flagship philanthropic initiative for a Fortune 100 company in his teens. “That perspective has helped shape our commitment to trust-based philanthropy. We understand that real empowerment means giving young leaders the agency to lead, while also providing the scaffolding they need to thrive.” Quian, who started a nonprofit in college, says his experiences also help him connect deeply with the young changemakers they support. “I understand their drive, their challenges, and the kind of support that can make a big difference,” he says. “This allows me to design programs that reflect their lived realities. That shared experience builds trust and ensures our work is grounded in authenticity and impact.”  ## ## Fueling connection and recommitment to service Adam Smith, Coordinator of Civic Engagement at Bowling Green State University (BGSU), has had a front-row seat to the evolution of youth-led service and the direct impact of The Allstate Foundation’s support. As one of only 65 colleges across the country to receive The Allstate Foundation College Service Grant, BGSU has been able to explore new ways to empower student leaders. For example, all grant recipients were invited to a two-day convening in Dallas, Tex., ​ fostering collaboration and idea-sharing among higher education administrators focused on empowering Gen Z and amplifying student-led impact. “The Allstate Foundation has equipped us with the knowledge, relationships, and tools to amplify how we prepare and equip our students at BGSU to lead with confidence, autonomy, and a strong commitment to the public good,” Smith says. “This holistic support has been instrumental in my growth as an administrator and supporter of youth-led work.” ## A force for social impact Beyond individual impact, The Allstate Foundation is transforming systems through research, convenings with decision-makers, and powerful storytelling platforms. They’re elevating youth-led service as a credible and essential force for social impact. Governors’ offices are using their reports to inform policy. Schools are rethinking graduation requirements to center service. Organizations are recognizing the value of youth voices in shaping strategy. “It’s not just about individual success,” Weatherford says. “It’s about changing the system to make youth-led service a norm, not an exception. By trusting young people with resources and autonomy, we unleash a dynamic force for good, and they often find solutions we, as adults, might overlook.”  [Learn more](https://www.allstatecorporation.com/the-allstate-foundation/youth-empowerment.aspx) New Era of Service: Young Leaders Making a Real-World Impact ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/branded-content/the-allstate-foundation/empowering-young-leaders-the-allstate-foundations-youth-service-movement/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/branded-content/the-allstate-foundation/empowering-young-leaders-the-allstate-foundations-youth-service-movement/"},"headline":"New Era of Service: Young Leaders Making a Real-World Impact","datePublished":"2026-06-18T14:28:02.653Z","dateModified":"2026-06-03T16:27:56.242Z","description":"","url":"https://time.com/branded-content/the-allstate-foundation/empowering-young-leaders-the-allstate-foundations-youth-service-movement/","keywords":[],"thumbnailUrl":"","author":[],"articleSection":"","image":[],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/branded-content/the-allstate-foundation/empowering-young-leaders-the-allstate-foundations-youth-service-movement/","name":"New Era of Service: Young Leaders Making a Real-World Impact"}}]}] ```