Taylor, left, and Gabrielle Cowan participate in a social media interviews at the National PAL Youth Leadership and Mentor Summit in Washington, DC on July 11.

Two teens from Selma joined hundreds of other young leaders from 22 states in Washington, D.C., last week for the National Police Athletic/Activities League’s 2025 Leadership and Mentor Youth Summit.

The Cowan sisters joined more than 300 exceptional young people chosen for the Summit from more than 2 million youth served by PAL programs each year. Groups represented 71 PAL chapters from across the country.

The theme of the four-day gathering was for youth to develop leadership traits that will position them for success in school and beyond.

“PAL has definitely taught me a lot of core values that I will need in life,” said Taylor Cowan, who wants to make a career in the computer field. “I’ve learned to network here. I definitely see that helping me in the next few years to get a good job.”

“Community. Home,” Gabrielle Cowan responded when asked what Selma PAL means to her. “Lifelong friends that you can talk to.”

“Having an adult mentor and belonging to a PAL chapter helps keep youth on a healthy path. It helps guide them to prosperous futures,” National PAL CEO Chris Hill said. “Supporting local PAL chapters reduces juvenile crime and violence and makes communities safer and stronger.”

National PAL and its local chapters work in almost every state promoting the prevention of juvenile crime and violence by building relationships among kids, cops, and communities through positive engagement.