Thank you for your interest in the Youth Leadership Institute. Join us to learn how the 2027-2028 cohort works. Five El Sistema USA member programs each pair a program leader with high school Youth Ambassadors, and they learn together through a six-day residency in Vermont (May 25 to 30, 2027) and a year of coaching and implementation. We will walk through the program, the timeline, and the application, and leave time for your questions.

Applications open October 1 and close Friday, November 20, 2026 at 11:59 PM ET. Programs will be notified on December 11. The Youth Leadership Institute is open to El Sistema USA member programs.

Questions about YLI? Email Gabrielle, Director of Programs, at gabrielle@elsistemausa.org