Members of LEAP
Founder and President
Zarah Khan
Board Members
Uzma Khan
Claudia Akel
Joshua Jomarron
Guests and Speakers
Councilmember Ariel Meyer of Pinecrest, Florida USA
Commissioner Micky Steinberg of Miami-Dade County, Florida USA
Mayor Rachel Streitfield of North Bay Village, Florida USA
Vice Mayor Rhonda Anderson of Coral Gables, Florida USA
Chair member Claudia Akel of the Social Impact Movement
Professor David Kelly of the University of Miami
Associate Professor Douglas Ruley of the University of Miami
Chair member Joshua Jomarron of the Social Impact Movement
Juliana Gorina of the University of Miami
Michele Drucker of the Florida Parent Teacher Association
President Scarlett Lanzas of UNA-USA Miami
Director Teddy Lhoutillier of sustainability at the University of Miami
Lecturer Theresa Pinto of the University of Miami
Participants and their Experiences
Adam Khan Rizvi
During my time in LEAP, I worked on projects that focused on protecting Florida’s environment. I helped build a mock bill and worked with a group to make a presentation about it. We spent time researching, writing different sections, and figuring out how to explain our ideas clearly. Sometimes we changed things last minute or had to combine everyone's parts, which took a lot of teamwork. We also had to practice speaking and answering questions. A lot of the work was group-based, so we were always sharing feedback and trying to make sure everyone was on the same page. I also got to listen to guest speakers and learn about how real environmental laws are made. LEAP showed me that small actions can add up when people work together. This program helped me see that even kids can make a difference by speaking up and trying to help the planet.
Giovana Walder
I learned a lot about composting. Though I knew about the process before, I didn’t truly understand the legal barriers and the challenges surrounding industrial composting. I also learned about the contracts between cities and incinerators, which was shocking to learn for me. I gained valuable leadership skills since I believe I did my part in guiding and helping my group with our presentation. Writing the bill also helped me understand how certain laws in different cities/states are framed and what challenges arise when writing them. The law we chose to write faced a lot of legal barriers that I wouldn’t have known about without this program and without the help of the commissioners who reviewed our work. Overall, LEAP really helped me understand more about our legal system, which was one goal I had in mind when joining the program, and about the environmental challenges faced in our communities.
Naisha Cheruku
LEAP was incredibly fun and eye-opening. I learnt how to better voice my opinions in a group, because every voice and perspective counts when we’re all working in a group to make something better. I learnt that different people are good at different things, and that helps immensely when working in a team, because it shows that everyone has something different to contribute. I learned how to network with speakers that came to the meetings, and I further honed my public speaking skills thanks to the LEAP final presentation. I think one thing about the LEAP final presentation that was different from regular school presentations was the emphasis on how we should all try to blend our speaking volumes and speak in our own style together to make it pleasing to the audience. That was a real skill that we were able to practice that could be used in the real world.
Ali Abdulreda
Throughout LEAP, I learned how to write a bill for city council members. I basically experienced life as a politician for a few weeks, and I do have to say it was very fun. I had also learned cooperation and teamwork skills with random people I had never spoken to before. I also learned about the political and environmental spectrum of Miami and its current financial issues, including the poor black community that is struggling with government monopolies and environmental corruption within their neighborhoods. I, however, really loved the whole spiritual vibe of the meetings we had. Where all people met up and were ready to debate/share ideas within the group. It felt like a really nice environment.
Amaya Augustin
LEAP taught me about Florida’s environmental issues, the power of policy, and the impact youth can have. I grew my confidence and teamwork skills. LEAP helped me grow as an individual and inspired me to stay engaged in environmental work moving forward. Meeting professionals in the field showed me that real change starts at the community level. Going forward, I want to use what I learned through LEAP to raise awareness in my school and community. I plan to get involved in local clean-up efforts, advocate for eco-friendly practices, and speak up about important environmental issues. I also want to encourage my peers to take action, whether through clubs or social media. LEAP showed me that small efforts can lead to big change, and I’m excited to keep building on the leadership and teamwork skills I developed during the program.
Zain Khan
In the LEAP program, I learned how to format and write a bill. I learned how to be very specific in writing these bills, so there could be no loopholes. I have also learned the legal process of whether or not bills are going to be passed or not. There are also multiple problems I learned about in the LEAP sessions, such as development happening on the wetlands, and incineration waste affecting entire lower-income communities. Some other problems include the wastage of food in schools and the use of many plastic bags everywhere. During the LEAP project, we learned how to present our bills so they could gain the attention of people, and hopefully, they would present them to the higher-ups. I learned many other skills and tricks while participating in my LEAP summer internship, but overall, these were the main things I learned across the 6 Saturdays.
Miguel Farina
During my internship with LEAP, I gained a deeper understanding of both environmental issues in Florida and the legislative process behind creating change. I learned how food waste in public schools contributes significantly to environmental harm and how composting can be a sustainable solution. Through research and collaboration, our team worked on drafting a bill to implement composting programs in Miami-Dade public schools. This experience taught me how local laws are made, the importance of data in building a strong argument, and how to engage with government officials. I also improved my public speaking and presentation skills by sharing our proposal with commissioners. Most importantly, working with a group of passionate individuals helped me stay motivated and think creatively. This internship showed me that young people can play a real role in shaping a more sustainable future.
Abbrielle Meyer
Throughout my internship with LEAP, I learned how to write bills, understand certain Florida statutes, as well as learned not to be scared to let my voice be heard. Throughout the program, I was able to work collaboratively with amazing, like-minded people and understand the severe impact that the government has on the environment. This ultimately allowed our vision for our bill to come true, and by the end of LEAP, though accomplished, I felt bittersweet about not attending another session. Going forward, I can advocate for myself and environmental issues, and further understand the legal processes of making the Florida statutes that we follow today. This program has also instilled in me a sense of responsibility to take matters into my own hands when it comes to understanding the impact of certain issues on the environment; therefore, I see myself becoming progressively involved in more programs similar to LEAP in the future.
Adam Alcin
Through the LEAP internship, I gained insights into many Florida statutes when brainstorming environmental solutions. The process of creating the solution helped me gain skills to build policy and learn the framework for it. When presenting our solution to city commissioners, I learned a lot about municipal governments. I also learned about team building and governmental process insights. Moving forward, the skills and knowledge I gained through the LEAP program position me to make meaningful contributions to environmental policy and advocacy. My understanding of Florida Statutes and policy frameworks will be invaluable whether I pursue environmental law, public policy, or government work. The experience of presenting to city commissioners has given me the confidence to engage with public officials and advocate for environmental causes at the local, state, or federal levels.
Contact Us:
zarah@leapyouth.org
+1 (786) - 493 - 1234