Youth Leadership in Action: The Story Behind Miles 4 Minds
25 ambitious junior high school students.
An 8 month-long program.
1 Fond du Lac community.
Youth Leadership Fond du Lac (YLF), an annual program of Sophia Partners, increases youth participant knowledge of the people, resources, and organizations that make OUR communities better—and here’s how our young leaders are making a real difference.
On Monday, May 11, 2026, Sophia Partners celebrated the YLF year-end Celebration Event at the Fond du Lac County Campus.
Parents, high school liaisons, program sponsors, Sophia board members, and community leaders were invited to celebrate the completion of this year’s program, their community impact project, and each individual’s growth.
The event featured stories of growth, community, and impact—including one from a former YLF alumna who now helps shape the future of Fond du Lac.
Standing in their Shoes
Raina Lyman, Senior Director of Economic Development at Envision Greater Fond du Lac, and Youth Leadership FDL alumna, was the keynote speaker at the year-end event.
It was a full-circle moment for her as she participated in YLF in 2012.
At the time, she didn’t fully understand what the program was going to be like. She thought it was going to be a few tours here and some networking there.
However, she reflected on how the experience changed the way she viewed Fond du Lac going forward: “The program left a mark on me. Not because of one giant dramatic moment but because of a hundred small moments.”
Through visits with local organizations, conversations with leaders, and firsthand experiences, Raina began to see that communities don’t simply become great places to live by chance.
“Somewhere during that experience, something shifted for me,” she said. “I started realizing that communities do not just magically become good places to live. People build them. People protect them. People advocate for them. People choose them.”
Those lessons stayed with her long after high school. Years later, she now finds herself working at Envision Greater Fond du Lac in the middle of that same network of people and organizations she first encountered as a student.
“YLF introduced me to the machinery of a community—not the glamorous version, but the real version,” she shared.
Her journey is a powerful reminder of the impact this program can have—not only by developing leadership skills, but by helping young people understand how communities function and inspiring them to become active participants in shaping their future.
That spirit of leadership and service was evident throughout this year’s program, especially through the students’ community impact project.
Miles 4 Minds 4K Run/Walk
Each year, YLF initiates a community impact project informed by their understanding of community needs.
This year, students identified a need to support youth mental health and share community health resources, and in doing so, the Miles 4 Minds 4K Run/Walk began!
Their focus on mental health wasn’t chosen at random. It emerged early in the program through the YLF application process, where they were asked: “List three things that you want to change about your community.”
During the interview stage of the application process, Executive Director and Youth Leadership Coordinator Christa Williams met with each participant to discuss their answers, how they identified these community needs, and why they’re passionate about making a positive change.
Out of 25 participants in this year’s program, 50% said that improving mental health is a need in Fond du Lac County communities.
“In smaller communities like Rosendale, mental health resources can be limited or harder to access. I want to help bring more awareness to these issues and push for more support in schools, like counseling, wellness programs, and safe spaces where students can talk about what they’re going through,” a student shared.
The Goal:
YLF set out with a goal of at least 150 participants and to create a fun, welcoming environment that brings youth, families, and community members together in support of mental health awareness.
The Process:
Throughout the program year, students got involved in various aspects of project planning such as:
- Effectively working as a team
- Promoting the event on KFIZ radio
- Hear from Chloe (Lomira HS), who said, “We wanted to come up with something different and bring awareness to mental health…we all know someone who is struggling.”
- Kristin & Stephanie (Ripon HS) shared: “This event matters because it impacts everyone…we want people to have an activity where they can connect with others and do something positive for their mental health!”
- Running two social media accounts
- Partnering with local organizations and volunteers
- Thank you to our Title Partner, SSM Health, for helping make this event possible!
Their months of planning, collaboration, and outreach culminated in an incredible community response.
The Result:
255 individuals participated, volunteered, or hosted a booth at Miles 4 Minds! Here’s the breakdown:
- 184 participants in the run/walk
- 25 YLF coordinators
- 17 volunteers
- 2 Sophia Partners associates
- 6 booths at the free community resource fair:
If you joined us this year, thank you for being a part of this inaugural event. If not, we hope to see you next year!
While Miles 4 Minds was the culmination of this year’s experience, its success reflects nearly two decades of investing in young leaders.
About Youth Leadership FDL
YLF was founded in 2006 under the facilitation of Envision Greater Fond du Lac as a project of the adult Leadership Fond du Lac program.
Since 2021, Sophia Partners has been the program facilitator and 98 students have participated in the program!
This year, 25 juniors from eight Fond du Lac County high schools engaged in their own personal leadership journeys while learning about and significantly improving their perception of the greater Fond du Lac area communities.
In total, over 400 students have participated in YLF since its inception 20 years ago!
Thanks to the support of donors, sponsors, and community partners, this life-changing experience continues to be accessible to students throughout Fond du Lac County.
How Can You Foster the Next Generation of Leaders?
Did you know? YLF is provided at no cost to students and schools!
Sophia Partners relies on donations, sponsors, and grants as primary funding sources to underwrite the $1,000 cost per student to participate in this program.
If you would like to contribute to next year’s program or sponsor a student, donate here!
“This program allows youth to see the community in a greater way. I learned so many things like better social skills and leadership skills. We are the future of our community.” – 2025-2026 Participant
