Registration is now open for a brand-new youth leadership development summer program designed to nurture critical thinking, polished public communication, and ethical leadership among young people, ahead of welcoming its first group of participants this coming August. Titled Building Titans: Young Leaders Summer Academy 2026 (BTYLSA 2026), this intensive one-week training program is open to two groups: adolescents aged 12 to 17, and young adults between 18 and 24 years old. Throughout the program, attendees will engage in rigorous intellectual exercises that challenge conventional thinking, analyze pressing contemporary global and local issues, refine their oral communication capabilities, and unpack the core characteristics that define an effective, responsible leader.
BTYLSA 2026 will be hosted on the Eustace Hill Campus of the Antigua and Barbuda College of Advanced Studies (ABCAS) — previously known as ABIIT — located in Coolidge, running from Monday, August 17, 2026, through Friday, August 21, 2026.
Kieron Murdoch, program director of BTYLSA 2026, shared that the initiative was originally structured as a two-week event scheduled for mid-August. However, organizers restructured it into a condensed five-day intensive, timed just before the start of the new school year, to accommodate existing summer events for young people including the popular Carnival season, which draws widespread youth participation.
“Our team has curated a high-impact, five-day intensive curriculum built around three non-negotiable core pillars: leadership, public speaking, and debate,” Murdoch explained. “Outstanding leaders must be able to articulate their vision and ideas clearly to mobilize others, which makes public speaking an inherent, foundational part of our program. While many young people feel intimidated by the idea of formal debate, mastering this skill is more essential today than ever before. Debate builds rapid analytical reasoning, sharp research abilities, active listening habits, and the rare, invaluable ability to think critically under pressure in real time.”
Murdoch went on to highlight the program’s core guiding philosophy, pushing back against common misconceptions about what leadership entails. “Far too often, young people are taught that leadership is just about climbing social hierarchies or padding a resume for college or future jobs,” he noted. “We want to help our participants understand that true leadership is not about holding a title or a position. It is about ethical leadership. It means having the moral courage to stand up for marginalized community members, defend the causes you believe in, and choose what is right over what is popular or convenient.”
To meet the needs of different age groups, organizers will split participants into separate cohorts by age range, ensuring activities and discussions are tailored to each group’s developmental stage. For participants traveling from St. John’s, daily round-trip shuttle service will be available for those who need it, and the program will run daily from 8:45 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Every attendee who successfully completes the full 5-day program will receive an official BTYLSA 2026 certificate of participation to recognize their work.
For meals, participants have the choice to bring their own snacks and lunches, or purchase affordable meal options that will be offered on campus each day. Registration rules require that all participants under the age of 18 must be signed up by a parent or legal guardian, while young adults aged 18 and older may complete their own registration. To sign up for the academy, interested applicants can access the registration form via the program’s link and complete enrollment by submitting the form and paying the required enrollment fee.