Students from Ossining, Tarrytown and Peekskill gathered at Bethany Arts Community Center dressed up and ready to celebrate a year of growth through the Changemakers Program. The room was filled with energy as families, educators and community members clapped and cheered for the cohort of young Latina women who had reached the culminating moment of their year-long leadership journey. Pride and support were felt throughout the room as the students presented their statements of intent, sharing the changes they hope to create in their schools and communities.
This year’s Changemakers cohort included 11 students, four from Peekskill, four from Tarrytown and three from Ossining. The bilingual, all-women led program is designed to support young Latina leaders through a year of civic engagement and leadership development. Students began in the spring with seminars that introduce civic engagement and set expectations for both students and their families, before moving into one of the program’s most transformative experiences.
During the summer, participants take part in a weeklong wilderness adventure that encourages self-discovery, reflection and confidence building. The experience includes journaling, intentional conversations, and creative expression through film and photography, allowing students to step outside their comfort zones and form deep bonds with one another. The program then continues into the fall with a Women’s Leadership Summit at Manhattanville University, followed by virtual sessions and a six-part curriculum that guides students in developing their statements of intent.
Zara Barajas, an Ossining teacher and mentor in the program, explained that the purpose of the culminating event is to highlight students’ desire and effort to create effective change while recognizing their individual leadership capabilities. Each statement of intent serves as a personal reflection and plan of action, outlining how students are already participating in leadership and how they hope to continue to make an impact, both in and out of school.
Since the majority of the curriculum takes place virtually, the culminating event also serves as a reunion for the girls. “The atmosphere of the night was very energetic and vibrant,” Barajas said. “The students completed the majority of the curriculum and their projects virtually, so the event acts as a kind of a reunion of them.” The sense of connection was evident as students supported one another throughout the evening, celebrating each presentation with applause and encouragement.
Barajas noted that the growth she witnesses each year among the young women is remarkable. “Growth looks different in each unique participant,” she said. “For some, it’s stepping outside their comfort zone. For others, it’s developing a sense of self or having a clear plan of action. Overall, there has been tremendous growth for our Changemakers.” The statements of intent reflected that diversity, touching on personal development as well as broader goals aimed at improving school culture and community support.
Madeline Diamond, liaison for all three school districts, shared that one of the program’s greatest strengths is the way it brings students together across communities. “The Changemakers Program creates a shared space for students from different districts to come together around the shared values of leadership, identity and purpose,” she said. “It gives young people, many who have not seen themselves in traditional leadership spaces, the opportunity to recognize their voices as powerful and necessary.” By connecting students from Ossining, Tarrytown and Peekskill, the program also fosters a sense of regional understanding and shared experiences.
Diamond said that over the course of the year, students did not just grow in confidence but in clarity. “Many begin hesitant to speak up or are unsure of their leadership abilities,” she said. “By the end, they are articulating their ideas with confidence, advocating for themselves and others, and stepping into roles of leadership with intention.” That growth is visible not just in public speaking, she added, but in how students support one another and envision their future impact.
Both Diamond and Barajas emphasized the importance of a program designed specifically for young Latina leaders. Research from local schools and organizations has shown that Latina students often feel their voices are minimized in traditional academic spaces. Changemakers was created to counter that narrative by affirming students’ identities and showing them that leadership takes many forms. “When districts invest in these students,” Diamond said, “they are investing in future educators, advocates, entrepreneurs, and community leaders.”
While the Bethany Arts Community Center event traditionally marked the final step of the program, this year’s cohort has another milestone ahead. The students have been invited to present their work at the Young Women’s Leadership Summit at Manhattanville University, hosted in partnership with the RFK Center for Human Rights, allowing them to share their ideas with a broader audience.
As the evening came to a close, students hugged, posed for photos with their families and lingered in conversation, soaking in the moment. Changemakers is not just a program, it is a community that empowers young women to step forward with confidence, purpose and belief in their ability to lead.
