2025 ATL Youth AdvisoRy Council

Avani Traylor is a senior in North Atlanta High School’s IB Programme who blends arts leadership, advocacy, service, and professional poise. She serves as Secretary of the Black Student Union, President of both Film Club and No Place for Hate, and is deeply involved in IB Film and IB Theatre. Outside the classroom, she volunteers weekly with Bridge of Light, supporting unhoused communities, and has spent four years helping to produce the student-run Sutton Middle School musical, which first ignited her love of the arts. Working at The Chastain, an upscale Atlanta restaurant, she’s honed problem-solving and composure under pressure. Avani aims to study Mass Media or Broadcast Journalism at Howard, Clark Atlanta, or USC, pursuing a career as a casting director to broaden authentic representation of Black and marginalized voices while ultimately launching a nonprofit to support unhoused populations in Atlanta, Houston, and California and potentially serving in youth advocacy or local office. Motivated by witnessing peers graduate unprepared for real life, she’s committed to shifting education toward practical readiness and equity. Guided by Angela Davis’s charge to “change the things I cannot accept,” Avani leads with purpose, creativity, and systemic vision.

Marcel Copeland, a rising senior at The BEST Academy, is a prominent leader in his community. As student government President and representative on the Atlanta Public Schools Student Advisory Council, he is committed to empowering others and helping them recognize the civic power they hold.

Marcel takes pride in serving in various leadership roles, including First Attendant to Mr. BEST Academy and President of SkillsUSA. His academic excellence has earned him membership in the National Honor Society and a spot on the debate team.

With aspirations to become a dedicated public servant, Marcel plans to attend college and major in public policy. His mission is to inspire a movement that encourages the next generation to lead with purpose and work together toward a more peaceful and united world.

Kymani La Corbiniere is a senior at Benjamin E. Mays High School, a 3.8 GPA honors student in the top 10% of her class, and a Google Scholar who sees leadership as a duty to uplift and drive impact. She has served as Junior Class President (2024–2025), Miss Sophomore, finalist for Miss Mays 2025–2026, Vice President of SkillsUSA, active FBLA member, media team contributor, and manager/trainer for the Mays Boys Baseball Team—balancing event organizing, mentorship, storytelling, and operational leadership. This summer, she is interning with the Mayor’s Office of Violence Reduction, advancing community safety efforts in Atlanta. Intent on attending Spelman College to study Political Science, she aspires to become a political journalist or government leader. She leads with integrity, voice, and heart because she believes her community deserves to be seen, heard, and empowered.

Arianna Hollins is a senior at Carver Early College High School whose record of academic excellence, student advocacy, and community service stands out. She drives engagement as an SGA leader and communications coordinator for the Student Advisory Council, elevating student voice, while also serving on the Atlanta Youth Council and the 5th Congressional District Good Youth Trouble Council to advance social justice and local improvement. Recognized with an innovation award from the former superintendent, she blends creativity with purpose. Inspired by family experiences with rehabilitation, she plans to study kinesiology at Howard University and pursue a career in physical therapy, motivated by the power of healing to restore independence. Grounded in Wiliam Churchill’s reminder that “success is not final, failure is not fatal,” Arianna models perseverance, growth, and impact as a confident young leader.

Elizabeth Monarca Bonilla is a senior at Frederick Douglass High School whose leadership centers on equity, voice, and service. As an SGA member and Senior Class Representative, she amplifies student perspectives and helps design inclusive events, while her involvement in the Beta Club channels academic excellence into community impact. Through the Turner Foundation fellowship, the Atlanta Police Department’s inaugural Youth Ambassador program, and the Student Advisory Council, she advances youth-driven solutions and constructive dialogue with institutional leaders. In Emory’s EPIC Program she explores public health and healthcare equity, sharpening her path toward becoming a trauma-focused Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist committed to language-inclusive care in underserved communities. A compassionate, bilingual advocate, she strives to make every space more just and empowering, living her belief that “silence never disrupted a system; only movement makes history echo.”

Salim Sobers Jr. is a focused Junior at Maynard Jackson High School, an athlete on the football team who pairs on-field discipline with off-field leadership through the Men of the Morehouse REACH program and the 2025 Atlanta Youth Advisory Council. Academically curious, he’s exploring foreign languages (especially Chinese), engineering, political science, business, and biology as he charts paths toward mechanical engineering or sports analytics careers that merge innovation, data, and global awareness. Grounded by a strong sense of purpose and powered by his family’s constant encouragement, Salim is motivated to build solutions that uplift others and leave a lasting, positive impact.r the years, we have impacted the lives of thousands of children through our various programs. We have seen children who were once malnourished and sick, now healthy and thriving in school. We are proud of the positive impact we have made in their lives.

Leah Roberts is a senior at Benjamin E. Mays High School, serving as the 2025–2026 SGA President and ranking in the top 10% of her class. As an AP scholar and member of the National Honor Society, National Beta Club, and National Science Honor Society, she also serves as Treasurer and Social Media Manager within the Technology Student Association. A dual-sport varsity athlete in softball, earning Offensive Player of the Year, and track & field, she matches academic excellence with competitive grit. Beyond campus, she’s a longtime Girl Scout, contributes to the NPU Climate Resilience Task Force, and lends her voice to multiple youth advisory councils centered on healthcare transition, youth achievement, and community leadership. Intending to study Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech, she is driven to help her peers recognize their power, stand up, speak out, and become confident agents of change. Guided by Emerson’s charge to “leave a trail,” Leah leads to build a stronger, more hopeful future.

Jaylen Roque is a junior at Carver Early College who’s grown his voice and empathy as a school news anchor and drum major roles that demand poise on camera, clear communication, and the ability to harmonize many opinions. A committed church volunteer, he’s grounded in service and community. He plans to pursue a dual path in psychology and computer science, aiming either to become a teen-focused psychologist or a computer technician, with a broader mission to reduce gun use among minors in rural areas by expanding constructive, out‑of‑school opportunities. Driven to help create a world with more peace and less crime, he’s guided by Nelson Mandela’s reminder that “everything seems impossible till it’s done.”

Shaniya Gullatt is a senior at Benjamin E. Mays High School whose blend of academic rigor, leadership, and advocacy defines her impact. As an International Baccalaureate student and member of Mu Alpha Theta, Beta Club, and National Honor Society, she balances scholarship with involvement in the Technology Student Association, varsity cheer (in her third year), and the Drill Team, fostering school culture and teamwork. Intending to study Elementary Education at North Carolina A&T or Spelman, she aspires to teach fifth grade and ignite a love of learning. Having faced mental health challenges during her sophomore year, she now champions stronger school-based mental health supports so students feel safe, heard, and supported. Guided by the verse “God is within her, she will not fail” (Psalm 46:5), Shaniya leads with resilience, faith, and a commitment to lifting others.

Camille Hanson is a senior at Booker T. Washington High School whose leadership, creativity, and scholarship span music, medicine, and storytelling. As drum major of the Marching 100 and president of the Next Great American Poet chapter, she fuses performance and advocacy, directing peers while crafting original poetry for annual showcases. Through the Emory Pipeline Collaborative, she conducts year‑long mentored medical research focused on health disparities, laying groundwork for a future in dermatology or anesthesiology and broader, inclusive care. A varsity tennis player, Academic Decathlon medalist, HOSA member, and contributor to “These Halls Can Talk,” she preserves her school’s historic legacy alongside pursuing academic rigor. Grounded by interests in cooking, music, fashion, and animal care, Camille channels a balanced, purpose-driven voice toward a healthcare career that centers community impact.

Bella Brown is a senior at Maynard Jackson High School who juggles three sports: lacrosse, cheer, and cross country, while serving as a school ambassador, guiding new and returning students. Beyond campus, she honed leadership as a Usher’s New Look Leadership Academy student and as a Youth Ambassador in Mayor Andre Dickens’ Executive Office. She plans to attend an HBCU, major in Nursing, and minor in Psychology on the path to becoming a psychiatric nurse practitioner. Rooted in a “why” focused on building a brighter future for herself and her peers, she’s motivated by collective positivity and purpose. Bella carries forward Michael Jackson’s reminder to “dream of tomorrow” grounded in love as the ultimate truth.

Sy’ria Brooks is a senior in Therrell High School’s IB Career-Related Programme who pairs academic rigor with high-impact leadership and service. As HOSA chapter president, she led her team to a third-place finish at the State Leadership Conference and into the second round at the International Leadership Conference, while also competing as a varsity softball player, contributing to the National Honor Society, and working at Chick-fil-A, sharpening discipline and customer service. Formerly active in Dunwoody High’s Black Student Union, she organized cultural programming that highlighted Divine Nine organizations and HBCUs. A dedicated Hands On Atlanta volunteer who also loves to travel, she plans to study Biology (major) and Spanish (minor) at Xavier University of Louisiana on the path to becoming a pediatrician delivering culturally competent care to underserved communities. Driven to be the representation she once lacked, she lives by the motto: “Be who you needed when you were younger.”