One week. One campus. A new generation of young leaders.
That’s ASLU 2026.
This month, student leaders from After-School All-Stars chapters across the country came together at Pepperdine University for All-Star Leadership University (ASLU), a week of learning, connection, and action.
Centered on the theme “A Space Linking Us,” students strengthened their leadership skills, built lasting friendships, and returned home ready to create change in their communities.
Leadership in Action
ASLU students spent the week learning from industry leaders who challenged them to dream bigger and equipped them with real-world skills for the future.
Uriah Blackwell from Expand LA inspired students to embrace their role as advocates, while the National Academy of Sports Medicineintroduced careers in health and fitness. The Organization for Social Media Safety shared tools for navigating the digital world, and Tailored Brands offered professional interview tips to prepare students for future opportunities.
Guest speaker Bryce Wagner shared his journey supporting foster youth and improving lives through innovation before giving students the opportunity to test the virtual reality technology he created to help reduce stress for patients.
Beyond the Classroom
Leadership extended beyond the classroom through team-building with Kinflow, rugby clinics led by Rugby LA, and an unforgettable behind-the-scenes experience at the LA Kings training facility. From stepping onto the ice to designing custom jerseys and meeting professionals across the organization, students explored new career paths while building confidence and teamwork.
Turning Passion into Action
Using the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals as a guide, students developed Passion Projects focused on issues affecting their own communities. On the final day, each chapter presented an action plan they’ll continue implementing after returning home.
Whether they traveled from Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., or somewhere in between, students left ASLU with new friendships, greater confidence, and a renewed belief in the power of their voices.
Thank you to the organizations whose partnership made ASLU 2026 possible:
Tailored Brands, the Los Angeles Kings, Crypto.com, Danhakl Family Foundation, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM), and the Department of Labor.