about us
Our Mission
Young Visionaries Youth Leadership Academy’s (YVYLA) mission is to empower youth & young adults throughout San Bernardino County. Vision: Young Visionaries Youth Leadership Academy’s vision is to provide the tools necessary to succeed, deliver innovative programs, services, and resources, that help guide youth & young adults into making positive life choices while building a healthier community.
Organizational Overview
Young Visionaries Youth Leadership Academy offers a wraparound delivery service approach (both short-term and long-term) which allows youth & young adults who are experiencing multiple challenges to receive personalized collaborated support and establish a strength-based relationship, which will increase retention, resiliency, and completion rates (positive outcomes)
about Young Visionaries
Young Visionaries Youth Leadership Academy is an award winning nonprofit organization proudly serving the youth of San Bernardino County since 2001. The organization’s purpose is to help enrich the lives of young people through life building activities and instruction in the areas of education, employment, health, mentoring, and community service.
Since its founding YVYLA has provided services and resources to over 200,000 community youth with training in a number of subjects; academic development, violence prevention, employment development, leadership and life skills development, and teen pregnancy prevention to name a few, in addition to delivering some of the area’s most memorable events for youth entertainment.
YVYLA has received a host of awards for outstanding youth service and youth outreach and boast a long list of commendations, illustrating the recognition of our good work, from public and elected officials, as well as other prominent members of the community.
Young Visionaries has a long list of associations and an extensive network of community partners, both in the public and private sector.We believe in collaboration and have worked in partnership with or under contract for a number of those community partners.
Furthermore, our work has been frequently chronicled in local newspapers, radio shows and television news to date.
By being steadfast and zealous in a highly competitive and ever changing industry, Young Visionaries works tirelessly to provide effective services for at-risk youth emphasizing and encouraging the use of the 3 Es, Education, Empowerment and Engagement.
Rigid in our focus but flexible in our approach, YVYLA continues to develop new programs where we recognize a need in an effort to leave no youths issues unchecked.
It is through this holistic approach to addressing all of the youths individual needs that we effectively serve the young people of the Inland Empire, the largest and fastest growing region in Southern California; where we are faced with the daily challenge of decreasing the risks of a rising population of disadvantaged, low-income youth by training them in the skills needed to lead mature, responsible, healthy, independent adult lives.
In doing so Young Visionaries not only creates more productive citizens we build better, safer communities.
Young Visionaries Founder
about Dr. terrance Stone
Mobile
(909) 910-7327
Office
(909) 723-1695
tstone@yvyla-ie.org
Dr. Terrance L. Stone received an honorary doctorate degree in Humanities L.H.D and an inspirational leader who has dedicated his life to empowering young people and helping them discover their true purpose. In 2001 he founded and is CEO of Young Visionaries Youth Leadership Academy, President of Terrance Stone School and Community Consulting.
With over 200,000 at-risk youth reached, Mr. Stone is a nationally and state-certified gang intervention and prevention specialist who has helped diffuse conflicts between gangs and set up a workforce development program that provides training and jobs for young people. He and his male career members have also started a men mob, which has expanded to greet students on over 50 campuses in California, that encourages and changes the attitudes of many young people towards education.
Dr. Stone's advocacy work has been recognized nationally and internationally, including several awards such as the West Coast Hip Hop Community Influencer Award in 2023 and the Unforgettable Hearts Award in 2023.

As an author of the book "How to Move in a Room Full of Vultures," he encourages young people to realize their potential and understand that they have everything they need to succeed. Dr. Stone is also an avid philanthropist, providing food baskets for thousands of families during Thanksgiving and toys and food baskets during Christmas.
His vast professional affiliations speak to his involvement in his community, paving the way for him to establish himself as a leader and a role model. Dr. Stone has also been featured in various publications, including the New York Times and MSNBC, as well as in television and radio interviews.
Professional Affiliations:
- State and National Certified Gang Intervention and Prevention Specialist
- Past San Bernardino County District Attorney Office Community Commission Member
- San Bernardino City Chief of Police African American Advisory Committee
- San Bernardino County Probation JJCC Executive Sub Committee on DJJ
- San Bernardino County Sheriffs Information Exchange Committee
- San Bernardino County Superior Courts Gang Consultant
- San Bernardino County Community Vital Signs Board Member
- San Bernardino Countywide Gangs and Drugs Taskforce Board Member
- Excelsior Charter School Board Member for San Bernardino & Riverside Counties
- Cooperative Economic Empowerment Movement (CEEM) Board Member
- Southern California Black Chamber of Commerce – High Desert Chapter President
- Inland Economic Growth & Opportunity (IEGO) Coordination Council Member
- San Bernardino County Equity Element Committee (Racism is a Public Health Crises)
- San Bernardino County Workforce Development Board Special Populations Committee
- City of Victorville Community Services Advisory Committee
- Young Visionaries President/CEO
Sincere efforts have resulted in Mr. Stone receiving hundreds of awards
- 2025 TransFormNation Legacy Impact Award
- 2025 Community Action Parnership: Dr. Margaret Hill Helping People Changing Lives Award
- 2025 Richard T Fields Bar Association - Community Service Award
- 2025 National Gang Crime Research Center – Spirit Award
- 2024 JPMorgan Chase Community Icon Award
- 2024 The Deborah Robertson Foundation’s Hardy Brown Sr. Exemplary Service Award
- 2024 IEHP Inspire Award
- 2023 Inland Empire Choice Lifetime Achievement Award
- 2023 Cal State San Bernardino Presidents Medal
- 2023 Southern California Black Chamber Presidential Award of Excellence
- 2023 Bishop Ron Allen Award-California Association of Code Enforcement Officers
- 2023 Official West Coast Hip Hop Community Influencer Award
- 2023 BFSSA Cal State San Bernardino The Village Award
- 2023 10th Annual Unforgettable Hearts Award
- 2022 Non Profit of the Year
- 2022 Children Deserve Success Award from SBCSS 2020 Martin Luther King Community Service Award
- 2019 Distinguished Service in Civic and Community Service Award
- 2018 Tom Bradley Community Service & Distinguished Citizen Award
- 2018 Todays Leadership Spark Creating Leaders Through Youth Enrichment Award
- 2018 DVL Icon Award
- 2017 Boy Scouts of America Whitney M. Young Jr. Service Award
- 2016 Dignity Health Community Service Award
- 2015 Model of Excellence Award
- 2014 Beacon of Light Award
- 2014 Shine the Light On Child Abuse Award
- 2013 Best of the Best for Inland Empire Business
- 2013 Sprit of the Entrepreneur Award Winner for Social Entrepreneur
- 2013 Inland Empire Unit of National Association of Social Workers Public Citizen of Year Award
- 2012 Trail Blazer Award
- 2012 Senator Man of the Year Award
- 2012 Unforgettable Hearts Award
- 2011 Gertude Whetzel Award
- 2011 Man of Valor
- 2010 Community Pillar Award for Fairness
- 2010 Executive of the Year Award
- 2010 Time For Change Pioneer Award
- 2010 San Bernardino County Education Medal of Honor Award
- 2010 CAHPERD Emmett Ashford Community Spirit Award
- 2008 Juvenile Justice & Delinquency Prevention Commission San Bernardino County
- 2008 Unsung Hero Award
- 2008 Black Rose Award
- 2008 Social Lites Community Service Award
- 2007 Amanda Guruge Lifetime Commitment Award
- 2007 Man of Valor Award Jubilee House of Praise
- 2007 Molina Healthcare of California Community Champion Award
- 2007 People’s Choice Inc “Leaders of Youth Award” Recipient
- 2006 Excellence Award Recipient
- 2006 Citizens of Achievement Award Recipient
- 2006 Youth Outreach Award Recipient
- 2005 “Inspiration to Youth” Good Samaritan Award Recipient
- 2005 Social Action Trailblazers Award Recipient
Published Articles:
Inland Scene Magazine, New York Times, California Wellness Foundation Grantee Magazine, MSNBC, San Bernardino County Sun, Inland Valley News, The Black Voice, Press Enterprise, San Bernardino Police Officers Associations On our Watch Magazine, Inland Living Magazine, Precinct Reporter News, The Inland Empire Weekly, The San Bernardino American Newspaper, The Colton Courier Weekly and more
Television:
Preachers of LA, Comedy Central, TBN, TCC, PBS, HBO, CNN, TWC, HLN, Channel 54 Azteca Noticias, Channel 3 Public Access, In the Public Interest Talk Show, Channel 11 FOX, Channel 7 News and many more
Radio:
NPR, Q104.7, Wild 96.1 FM, KCAA Radio 1050, V100FM, Power 106, 99.1 KGGI, KFROG, KLOVE (Bahamas Radio Station) and Australian Radio Station and many more
By being steadfast and zealous in a highly competitive and ever changing industry, Young Visionaries works tirelessly to provide effective services for at-risk youth emphasizing and encouraging the use of the 3 Es, Education, Empowerment and Engagement.
Rigid in our focus but flexible in our approach, YVYLA continues to develop new programs where we recognize a need in an effort to leave no youths issues unchecked.
It is through this holistic approach to addressing all of the youths individual needs that we effectively serve the young people of the Inland Empire, the largest and fastest growing region in Southern California; where we are faced with the daily challenge of decreasing the risks of a rising population of disadvantaged, low-income youth by training them in the skills needed to lead mature, responsible, healthy, independent adult lives.
In doing so Young Visionaries not only creates more productive citizens we build better, safer communities.
Board Of directors
Meet OUr team
