MCC Daily Tribune

Liberty Partnerships Program Races to Success at Albany Youth Summit 2026

Each year students from the 57 Liberty Partnerships Program (LPP) projects across the state ("From Fredonia to Long Island") gather in Albany to spend 3 days working on leadership development, college and career exploration, social emotional intelligence and networking. For the first time in 12 years, all 4 MCC representatives attend Edison Career and Technology High School!

Cyrus (3rd year LPP student, active in two summer programs to date, advocate for recruiting new students.)
DiVon (3rd year LPP student, active in two summer programs to date, advocate for recruiting new students and student retention.)
Khemani (6th year LPP student — recruited in 7th grade, active participant for all 7 years, advocate for student retention.)
Cheyanne (1st year LPP student, advocate for recruiting new students and student retention.)

When students arrived at dinner the first night, they were randomly assigned into different tribes, and prepared to participate in Survivor-like challenges. Students quickly demonstrated what is the most magical part of the annual summit, which is how quickly individuals in a competition setting can let down their guard and become a unit with near strangers. Over the next 36 hours, students worked with their tribes to earn points participating in events, showing positive teamwork, and even showing up to all meals and meetings as a unit.

The students were already excited to hear that the theme for next year is “Survivor: Return of the Heroes” which will welcome back students who have participated in past years for an all star finale to the grant cycle. LPP staff is beyond proud of this group of students and how they showed up and showed out (in all the right ways!) to represent RCSD, MCC and Rochester with endurance, energy and positivity.

Liberty Partnerships Program is funded by New York State Education Department.

Elizabeth Frizzell
Liberty Partnerships Program
05/06/2026