The SFNO District 2026 Young Lasallian Assembly (YLA) took place from July 19-24 at Saint Mary’s College in Moraga, California. Originally created in 2019 to commemorate the 300th anniversary of Saint John Baptist De La Salle’s death, the program, now in its fourth year, has evolved over the years. With the theme of Lasallians, Act Boldy, YLA 2026 brought together roughly 220 students, moderators, and Lasallian Collegian volunteers from each of the secondary schools in the District.
This year’s program featured a unique element where participants were placed in one of three tracks that focused on faith, service, or community. In reflecting on the week’s experiences, Jeffrey Ramon, the Campus Minister and Director of Lasallian Formation at Saint Paul’s School in Covington said, “YLA 2026 once again proved the powerful witness of the young people and educators in our district. The unique element of this year’s YLA that involved placing students into specific tracks of study allowed for students to dive deeper into the areas of faith, community, and service. This along with the Parmenie reflection groups made the week feel more personalized and allowed students to form different levels of connection with fellow YLA participants and moderators. By week’s end YLA participants journeyed back to their school communities inspired by the call to “act boldly”. In addition, the educators who accompanied the young people returned with renewed faith and hope in Young Lasallians of today that they will, as the One LaSalle Prayer states, be the change they wish to see.”
The week began on Sunday with an Opening Mass, opportunities for participants to begin getting to know each other through icebreakers and school introductions, and time in their conference tracks. Monday began with a keynote address given by Carrie Davis, the Director of Mission and Ministry at Saint Mary’s College of California. The keynote delved into the conference theme of acting boldly while highlighting several conference participants who do this in different ways. Along with the Opening Keynote, participants also attended breakout sessions on Monday and met with their Student Committee work groups and their Parmenie small reflection groups. Parmenie groups met each day and served as a place of reflection, processing and community building. Each student committee was tasked with a project that they shared with all conference participants on Thursday and Friday as part of the program schedule.
Along with time in Parmenie groups and Student Committees, Tuesday’s schedule featured three conference Track specific keynote addresses, an Idea Swap where each school presented on hallmark programs and activities offered in their school communities and even a talent show to wrap up the day’s events. Wednesday, named FSC Day for each of the three tracks (Faith, Service, and Community), had participants engaging in a mini-retreat, student leadership workshops, or a day of service. The conference concluded with Student Committees sharing the product of their hard work throughout the week with a series of student led presentations and activities on Thursday and Friday.
In reflecting on her time at YLA 2026, Ava McGinty, a senior at Justin-Siena High School, shared, “My week at YLA was one of growth, inspiration, and building connections. I learned many valuable lessons, including confidence in and tips for public speaking, what it means to be a good leader, and personal stories from guest speakers in the community. I loved how we had the opportunity to meet and interact with students and faculty of other schools. I made so many new friends from all over our Lasallian district, and activities like the FSC day at DLS Concord, the Idea Swap, and the T-shirt Swap really facilitated building connections and inspiring creativity…I will carry my experience at YLA with me through my senior year, and I hope to implement some of the ideas I learned there to make our school community better. I cannot recommend enough that every person at a Lasallian school, whether they’re interested in faith, service, or leadership or not, attends YLA at least once. It is truly a unique, incredible experience.” This year’s assembly was truly a celebration of the Lasallian mission and the invaluable place that Young Lasallians have in this shared mission.
YLA 2026 was an impactful and memorable experience for students, educators and Lasallian Collegians alike. When recalling his experiences of the week, Trigo Salgado, a Sophomore at Saint Mary’s College of California spoke of the memories made and the impact the week had on him. “My memories as a Lasallian Collegian at YLA are ones filled with growth, community and laughter. YLA offered a space to learn more about myself while forming connections with people through service and meaningful conversations. Looking back, I am truly thankful for the lasting memories made that have shaped who I am today.”
