Meet Caren, a senior Fellow at East Mecklenburg High School. Passionate about the sciences, Caren wants to study Biomedical Engineering and specialize in regenerative technology that will one day find the cure for macular degeneration.

Caren became the co-president of both the French Honor Society and French Club, helping expose students to various francophone cultures through an immersion camp she organized.

Meet Jakari, a senior Fellow at Charlotte Engineering Early College who aspires to become an architect and launch her own architecture firm, designing buildings that promote innovation, creativity, problem-solving, and belonging.

Jakari’s dedication to community and architecture has earned her the All-America City Award and a $100k Merit Scholarship from The Southern California Institute of Architecture. As a MYEP Ambassador with three successful street clean-ups and multiple internships, she stands out as a proactive Charlotte Engineering Early College Ambassador.

Meet Hannah-selina, a senior Fellow at Cato Middle College who aspires to become a nurse practitioner. Her desire to positively impact the members of her community has also fueled dream to one day teach and mentor. 

Hannah has been accepted into 15 colleges and universities and was named a 2024 Charlotte Post Foundation Top Senior. She also has the distinction of  graduating with both her high school diploma and an associate degree.

Meet Leya, a senior Fellow at Philip O. Berry who is interested in pursuing a medical career as an OB/GYN or neonatologist. She is passionate about addressing health inequities that disproportionately affect women of color by eventually opening up her own practice.

Leya started a chapter of National Society of Black Engineers Jr. Club at her high school and is the current president. She is the captain of the Varsity Golf team, a working professional actress, and the recipient of the National African-American Recognition Award and the National Hispanic Recognition Award.

Meet Abel, a senior Fellow at Cato Middle College who aspires to study computer science and business administration and become a real estate agent. 

Abel acts as a role model and mentor in the Ethiopian Youth Group and has participated in the MYEP internship program. With the support of CYC and his determination to excel Abel raised his GPA from a 3.5 to a 4.25.

Meet Mario, a senior Fellow at North Mecklenburg High School. He is an ambitious automotive enthusiast with a vision to create a global car brand that blends safety, affordability, and enjoyment in innovative vehicles. His journey is fueled by ASE and CTE certifications, a hands-on internship, and plans on advancing his studies in High-Performance Automotive Technology at the University Of North Western Ohio.

Meet Mazeon, a senior Fellow at Cato Middle College who wants to study computer science. In the future, Mazeon wants to become a leader in STEM, providing free coding boot camps to underrepresented students.

At 17 years old Mazeon has completed 2 internships, 300+ hours of community service, and is a finalist for multiple prestigious scholarships such as the Delta Sigma Theta Excellence in Youth Award, Fidelity Scholars Program, and Jordan Wings Scholarship.

Meet Natna, a senior Fellow at Phillip O. Berry Academy of Technology who plans to major in Graphic Design. With Adobe certifications in Photoshop, Illustrator, and Visual Design, he is set to graduate a year early, exemplifying his academic prowess. His commitment to service is highlighted by the "Gold Level Presidential Volunteer Service Award" for extensive volunteering, complemented by leadership roles as Executive Treasurer of his student council and Event Coordinator of the African Student Union club.

Meet Sarem, a CATO Middle College senior Fellow graduating in the top 10% of her class with a 4.54 GPA. Sarem, a second generation CYC Fellow, (whose brother was in the first CYC cohort and attended UNC Chapel Hill debt free) is striving to become a data scientist and/or cloud developer, studying computer science.