INTRODUCING DR. S. L. YOUNG
Family
Contribute to your support system to maximize everyone’s potential for success, even if your support system isn’t defined by traditional family lines.
Education
Learn as much as possible about a range of topics throughout your life, as learning shouldn’t be tied to specific moments.
Community
Be available to support others’ journeys, as community development requires everyone’s efforts around you.
Dr. Young Making a Difference
Dr. Young was honored to be asked to recite Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s "I Have a Dream Speech" at the 2025 Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) of Prince George's County.
Dr. Young was surprised and overwhelmed with extreme joy for being recognized with the "Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Trumpet Award" by the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) of Prince George's County.
Dr. Young celebrated students graduating at the Northern Virginia Community College's commencement. Dr. Young wasn't scheduled to be on the cheer line, but he filled in for a moment. Then, he understood that some students might not have any there cheering for them. So, Dr. Young chose to be their cheerleader.
Dr. Young received the “Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Drum Major Innovative Service Award” from the U.S. Department of Education’s Center for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships, in collaboration with the White House Initiative for Educational Excellence for African-Americans.
Dr. Young received the "Distinguished County Service Award" from Volunteer Arlington (a program of the Leadership Center for Excellence). This award is given to an individual or a group (through volunteerism) who has demonstrated outstanding commitment and care to Arlington, VA citizens.
This song reflects on the Black experience in the United States. It's an anthem to the strength, courage, and determination of my people. Dr. Young wrote this song in 2021. Yet, it's seemingly more important now with the increasing attacks on teaching U.S. Black history and actions actively being implemented during Trump's second term to erode human/civil rights protections.
Voting is a privilege that's granted to U.S. citizens (with few exceptions). It's our civic responsibility that shouldn't be taken lightly. Anyone who doesn't vote shouldn't complain about anyone who was elected. Voting doesn't take much time to let your opinions known. Your vote could be the difference to drive your vision home. So, Go Vote!
Belief is an often overlooked part of achieving success. Sometimes things aren't accomplished because it's not believed that something is possible. Therefore, block your doubts and work toward your goals, even if you don't truly believe something is possible. Don't let your dreams not happen because you don't realize that you have the belief and power to make it come true.
Everyone should celebrate their achievements. It doesn't need to be big. Life can be challenging, so intentionally take moments to recognize your accomplishments. Begin the day by minimizing negative thoughts to focus on the positive things you want to do. Even if things don't go as planned, always try to appreciate the things you have at this moment. Then, work toward your goals to achieve successes for yourself and others.
Dr. Young's Student Engagement Conceptual Framework
Dr. Young developed his "Student Engagement Conceptual Framework," during his dissertation work in Educational Leadership and Organizational Innovation at Marymount University.
During Dr. Young's doctoral research, he examined the impacts of behavioral, cognitive, and emotional engagement on undergraduate nontraditional students' academic performance in a community college environment. Dr. Young coined the term "developmental opportunities" to describe this phenomenon. Also, he explored the effects of external factors, past learning experiences, and intangibles that might adversely impact students' engagement. For these items, Dr. Young coined the term "conditional stimuli" to describe this phenomenon. Collectively, developmental opportunities and conditional stimuli can either prevent or cause students' lack of engagement.
Even though this model was developed specifically for Dr. Young's research on undergraduate nontraditional students in a community college environment. It has implications for students at all levels of academic studies, as he also delved into student engagement research for the K-12 population.
Dr. Young's dissertation can be accessed at: proquest.com/docview/2903795718
Don’t devalue any positive struggles toward an endpoint because completion and success feel the same no matter the way you started.
Challenging moments help to define each of us. The choices made during these times often reflect someone’s true nature.
You start with a blank slate. The way
you fill it is up to you... choose wisely.
Don’t devalue any positive struggles toward an endpoint because completion and success feel the same no matter the way you started.
______________________
Challenging moments help to define each of us. The choices made during these times often reflect someone’s true nature.
You start with a blank slate. The way
you fill it is up to you... choose wisely.
Learn about Dr. Young's book "Choosing to Take a Stand: Changed Me My Life and My Destiny."
Learn about Dr. Young's book "Turning Darkness Into Light: Inspiring Lessons After a Near-Suicide."
Learn about Dr. Young's book "Above Expectations - My Story: An Unlikely Journey from Almost Failing High School to Become a College Professor."
This video introduces Dr. S. L. Young who leveraged his experiences overcoming significant challenges and setbacks to inspire others to succeed. Throughout his academic journey, Dr. Young was directed to leave high school due to poor performance, and he was put on probation at two schools in higher education. Nevertheless, Dr. Young persevered, was resilient, and demonstrated the things that are possible by believing in and applying yourself.
Dr. S. L. Young was honored to be featured in Costco Connections magazine (December 2023) in the article "Be the Change: Costco members find ways to improve the lives of others". This article provides information about Dr. Young's outreach to opportunity "at-risk" communities to share invaluable lessons from his journey from being a struggling student and someone who nearly ended his life to earning his doctorate degree.
Dr. Young shares his experiences with workplace attacks, which drove him to leave several leadership positions instead of being complicit to unethical activities. These choices, unfortunately, led to difficult time for Dr. Young, which resulted resulted in him nearly ending his life. Dr. Young's testimony is a powerful first-hand account of the negative psychological impacts of abusive workplaces. Massachusetts Bill H.1882 - An act to establish psychological workplace safety. The bill sponsor is Massachusetts State Representative - Jessica Giannino.
This celebration occurred after the successful defense of Dr. Young's dissertation. This was the first time that he was introduced as "Dr." by Dr. Gwen Felder (his second tenth grade principal who helped to convince him to not drop-out of high school). This video illustrates that "happiness" can be experienced after negative setbacks, as Dr. Young nearly ended his life in March 2014. Also, in the room was his brother, Johnnie, who saved his life.
This song was written by Dr. Young nine years after his near suicide. After choosing to not end his life in March 2014, Dr. Young decided to purposely live. After fighting to recover after experiencing severe depression, he dedicated his life to one of service by primarily teaching others to prepare for their futures, including over 500 incarcerated individuals. This outreach resulted in him receiving numerous awards. Additionally, in May 2023, he successfully defended his dissertation. Therefore, Dr. Young hopes that his lived-experiences and this song will help you to choose to stay another day too!
Dr. Gwen Felder reflects on her journey with Dr. Young (one of her former students). Dr. Felder shares her feelings about Dr. Young's accomplishments after he nearly dropped-out of high school after failing 6 of 7 classes and missing over 1/3 of the school year. Additionally, Dr. Young graduated high school at the bottom 8% of class with a 1.52 GPA but completed his doctorate degree with a 4.0 GPA. Dr. Felder is a definitive example of the impact that one caring educator can have to transform a life.
Dr. Young joined Maggie Linton on her podcast "The Shared Path". He updated Mrs. Linton and her audience on his journey to earning his doctorate degree, along with rediscovering his happiness. Dr. Young shared reflections on the lessons he's learned, along with providing suggestions for others to reclaim their life to live on purpose.
This song was written and sang by Dr. Young ten years after his near suicide in March 2014. After choosing to not end his life, he chose to purposely live. Dr. Young made it through the darkest days of his life by focusing on and fighting to make it to tomorrow. Over the past decade later, he's dedicated his life to one of service by primarily teaching others, including over 500 individuals who happened to be incarcerated. Additionally, in March 2023, he successfully defended his dissertation. Therefore, Dr. Young hopes that you'll hold on and choose to stay another day too!
Dr. Young delivered inspirational guidance to the Lynnhaven School's graduating class. He encouraged the graduates to be the pilots of their lives to make intentional and purposeful decisions to live the life of their dreams. Dr. Young emphasized the necessity to leverage good decision-making processes to determine their path versus unnecessarily surrendering their ability to make informed decisions to guide and develop their futures.
Dr. Young discussed "belief" as an important factor of one's success, along with the components of "belief" at the Shirlington Branch Library in Arlington, VA. During this video, Dr. Young delivered his inspirational message to his audience. Yet, he was convincing himself to want to live and fight to save his life.
Dr. Young discussed strategies to help struggling students succeed. This is a must watch presentation for teachers, administrators, counselors, parents, and struggling students. This presentation is based on Dr. Young's journey from at-risk student who was directed to leave high school in the tenth grade after failing 6 of 7 classes to becoming a college professor.
Dr. Young delivered a quick inspirational message prior to his graduate school doctoral commencement. Many times, he was told that he couldn't do any better, wouldn't be able to perform well in higher education, and shouldn't apply to college because others didn't believe him. Yet, he continued to pursue his dreams, believe in himself, and refuse to allow others' critical examination of his potential to prevent him from making the seemingly impossible possible.
Dr. Young received an acknowledgement from the extremely talented musician Mudbone during a "live" performance. This was unbelievable and greatly appreciated! Prior to this song, Mudbone discusses the advice that Dr. Young gives to anyone who is pursuing a dream to achieve success. From now on... he'll also answer to "Sly Hustle!"
Dr. Young received the "Distinguished Service Award" from Leadership Arlington for his work teaching hundreds of inmates. Dr. Young's services are provided through his multi-award winning nonprofit organization "Saving Our Communities at Risk Through Educational Services - socartes.org), which he founded in December 2012.
Dr. Young delivered the commencement address at the Fairfax County Public Schools - Interagency Alternative Schools (IAS) Graduation. This is a highly unlikely and almost unbelievable commencement address. In the tenth grade, Dr. Young was directed to leave high school after failing 6 of 7 classes and missing over 1/3 of the school year in this same school district. He graduated high school on-time, but in the bottom 8% of his class with a 1.52 GPA.
In sharing this video, Dr. Young hopes that someone who is thinking about ending their life will reconsider to push past a challenging moment to make it to another day.
Dr. Young chose to stay, and he hopes that you will, too.
Dr. Young shares information about overcoming his educational challenges, helping struggling students, and helping educators to reach opportunity "at-risk" students.
Dr. Young was supported during his recovery by a mother (Mary Hanson) whose son (Brian) died-by-suicide. During time, Dr. Young never saw her until this moment.
At 12:35 (click here to watch), Dr. Young thanks Mrs. Hanson for helping to save his life.
Click here to order a copy of “Turning Darkness Into Light.”
Dr. Young appears on the Dr. Phil Show to discuss his experiences with unethical workplace bullies that led to him nearly ending his life.
Dr. Young has a candid conversation (for the first time since his near-suicide) about the day his brother (Johnnie) prevented Dr. Young from ending his life.
Dr. Young shares his inspirational story about his survival after a near-suicide on the "Oh My Goff Show." This is the Fox 5 WTTG segment.
Dr. Young discusses social entrepreneurship, along with the factors that drove his efforts to give-back to opportunity "at-risk" communities.
Dr. Young at the Shelby County Schools’ Youth Conference.
Dr. Young captured a moment of appreciation after speaking with aspiring journalists at the George Mason University's annual Washington Journalism and Media Conference (WJMC).
Dr. Young with former Arlington County Sheriff Beth Arthur and his nonprofit organization’s (Saving Our Communities at Risk Through Educational Services – SOCARTES) hero — Program Manager Kristen Cane.
This picture was taken to recognize Dr. Young for being “Volunteer of the Month” for his work with inmates at the Arlington County Detention Facility.
Dr. Young speaking at the Project Management Institute (PMI) – Washington, DC Chapter’s “Project Management Symposium."
Dr. Young with Arlington County Sheriff Jose Quiroz at the 2024 Volunteer Appreciation Luncheon.
Sheriff Quiroz is one of the most passionate advocates for the human treatment of those who happen to be incarcerated. He leads through a focus on compassion, redemption, development, and transitional services to help returning citizens to successfully reintegrate into their communities.