Student experiences matter most when they change what happens next.
This summer, 220 Youth Leadership hosted students and staff from Mission: St. Louis for several days of leadership development, college exposure, reflection, and new experiences in Chicago. The trip was made possible through our partnership with the Missouri AfterSchool Network.
Students participated in workshops at Roosevelt University, toured the campus, completed leadership activities, and experienced Chicago through an architecture river cruise, deep-dish pizza dinner, and a visit to the Bean.
The students enjoyed the trip, but more importantly, several began thinking differently about their future.
Exposure made the future feel more real
Students hear about college, careers, leadership, and opportunity all the time. That is different from walking onto a college campus, exploring a new city, and seeing themselves in a place they may not have considered before.
After returning home, several students began researching Chicago colleges. Mission: St. Louis staff shared that Roosevelt University, where the workshops and campus tour took place, may see future applicants from the group.
The value of exposure is that it turns a distant possibility into something students can picture more clearly, and our team finds deep meaning in helping students in this space.
Students left with more than memories
The experience earned strong feedback from students and staff, with every student who completed the survey rated their likelihood of recommending the experience to others a four or five out of five. Students rated the event 4.6 out of 5 for being worth their time and 4.3 out of 5 for helping them think differently about their future. Staff rated the experience 4.7 out of 5 for being meaningful and engaging.
Six students also earned the Missouri Future Ready Credential at the Initiate level by completing a 220 mini-course and participating in the Chicago leadership summit.
The strongest outcomes showed up in what students planned to do next. Students reported looking into scholarships, joining clubs, working toward stronger grades, putting themselves out there more, and building toward a more stable future.
Reflection helped turn the experience into action
The Chicago activities were memorable, but the reflection work helped students connect those experiences to their own lives.
Students highlighted the architecture tour, Chicago landmarks, time with peers from other schools, reflection activities, and trying new things as their favorite moments. Staff pointed to the letters students wrote to their future selves, the way they revised their next steps, and the support they gave one another across school groups as highlights from their perspective.
We know reflection is a key component because students need time to process what they saw, connect it to their goals, and decide what they will do differently afterward.
What we learned
The clearest recommendation from students and staff was simple: give the experience more time.
Future events should keep the parts that worked, including city experiences, student reflection, peer connection, future-self letters, next-step planning, and credential recognition, while creating more room for activities and exploration.
A strong partnership with lasting impact
This trip showed what can happen when leadership development, college exposure, and real-world experiences are brought together intentionally.
Students did not just visit Chicago. They returned home considering new colleges, new goals, and new possibilities.
Thank you to the Missouri AfterSchool Network for making the experience possible and to the Mission: St. Louis team for trusting us with their students.
220 Youth Leadership works with schools and youth-serving organizations to help students build leadership, workforce readiness, and real-world skills. Experiences like this give students a clearer view of what could come next and help them begin taking practical steps toward it.
