YES 2026 Kick-Off Meeting

By Sherry Luo

On August 9th, 2026, YES officially began the 2026-2027 year with its annual kickoff meeting at the Grandion Venue in Frisco, Texas, marking the start of another exciting year. The meeting brought together YES members, officers, mentors, and guests to celebrate the organization’s accomplishments while looking ahead to the opportunities and goals of the year ahead of us.

The meeting began with our new president of 2026-2027, Vivian Zhou, and our VPs highlighting all of the memorable experiences, accomplishments, and milestones that shaped YES to what it is now today. Among these events consisted of our annual YES Launch, YES 5k Run, End-of-Year Celebration and fundraising through selling yearbooks designed by our historian team, and the Music of Love Charity Concert led by the YES orchestra. All of these events contributed to serve as a reminder of the growth of our organization and the impact it has made by its members.

Following the opening, community leaders and business professionals were welcomed to the stage to offer their perspectives and encouragement to students. Among the guests were Mark Hill, Mayor of Frisco; Laura Rummel, Frisco Mayor Pro Tem; Mario Tu, Plano City Council member; Bob Kehr; Katherine Chen Goodwin, Plano ISD Trustee; and Renee Sample, Frisco ISD Trustee, along with other local community leaders and business owners. Their presence highlighted the strong connection between YES and the broader North Texas community.

One main thing that Mark Hill emphasized is that the young people of Frisco are at the heart of the city’s continued success and future. He talked about investing into the next generation and highlighting how their potential can shape the community. Additionally, they carry forward the true meaning of opportunity and the American Dream. His remarks encouraged students to recognize the role that they can play in building an even stronger future for Frisco and beyond.

The kickoff provided members with an opportunity to meet the 2026-2027 leadership team and learn more about the many ways to become involved throughout the year from competitions and networking opportunities to volunteer initiatives and other YES programs like iLead, ILF, the International Leadership Foundation, and YLA, the Youth Leadership Academy. Members were introduced to a variety of avenues through which they can develop their skills, connect with others, contribute to the organization, and practice their public speaking.

The 2026-2027 kickoff meeting marked the beginning of another promising chapter for the Youth Entrepreneurship Society. YES hopes to inspire its members to each find their own inner entrepreneur and leader with a brand new leadership team, an extremely strong network of community leaders, and seemingly endless opportunities for competition, networking, and community service. As the new year begins, students are encouraged to take advantage of every opportunity given to them, build meaningful connections through the YES organization, and to continue striving for the stars.