Young Executives of Color, or YEOC, is a fairly new program, started in 2006, that has made its mission to help high school students of color all across Washington state not only with college preparations, but mentoring in subjects such as business as well. Almost 200 students from across the state attend meetings once a month that offer speakers, workshops and even challenges, that help the students’ bond with each other and learn at the same time. Students are introduced to new concepts and information at every meeting that encourage growth and development.

The mentoring and preparation given to the students for college and life beyond is not only interesting, but helpful as well. These students work on things such as personal statements, resumes, financial aid and more, that create a stable foundation to help with the intense and often scary college application process. Classes on financing and marketing also help students learn the core values of business to help them with life after college, even if they don’t end up pursuing a business career.

Senior, Suna Oh, who has been a part of YEOC for a few months and she said, “I absolutely love it.”Oh is the only student from Glacier Peak to be accepted into this program. She decided to join the YEOC because she “wanted to break the stereotype” and prove that minorities can be successful in the business world. One Saturday each month, she travels down to the University of Washington campus in Seattle to attend meetings. She says her favorite part of this program is, “meeting tons of diverse high school students from all around the state.”

Having a program that promotes the success of underrepresented minority groups  in business is important to her. It’s a place of understanding and learning, not judgment. She appreciates that it gives a safe learning environment for everyone involved and she one hundred percent recommends the program to anyone who is a part of a minority group and wants to learn and meet new people.