Shuvom's Story "I’ve learned that life is best approached with confidence."LONG ISLAND CITY YMCALEADERS CLUB, TEENS TAKE THE CITYWhen I moved to Long Island City from Bangladesh, I was still figuring out who I wanted to be. A neighbor once told me, “You’re going to be a good man,” and that moment stuck with me.I joined the Y’s Teens Take the City program in sixth grade. At first, I just wanted to earn some community service hours—and maybe make my dad proud. But I quickly got involved. I ran for mayor, then public advocate—lost both—but won best writing and best speaker awards. In eighth grade, I finally won: comptroller.People joke that I love money. And it’s true—but because I want to use it to fund what matters and make things fair.What’s stuck with me most is helping others. I once calmed a teammate down before a speech, and months later, she told me that moment changed everything for her. That’s the impact the Y has—it helps us grow, then gives us the chance to lift others up.One day, I want to be a public advocate and a businessman. But more than anything, I want to be remembered for what I did with the opportunity the Y gave me.