Yolobe held its first teen-driven expo Saturday, with an aim of promoting its philosophy that life only gets better.
The fledgling social networking site — it is aimed at high schoolers, and its moniker is short for “Your Life Only Better” — offers users the chance to connect with companies offering jobs, internships, mentorships and other opportunities.
Its founder, David Douglas, has likened it to LinkedIn, except it is youth-focused and its reach is local so far. Yolobe also provides career and college advice for those intent on broadening their horizons.
“This is a great way to network and have a good start in the career world,” said Eriana James, 17, of Midlothian, a Hillcrest High School student.
The event at the Tinley Park Convention Center was organized by teenagers and drew national and local organizations. Students from seven area high schools recruited 100 organizations including Coca-Cola, Exelon, Chase Bank, the U.S. Army and Navy, volunteers, school administrators and community leaders to participate. The overall goal of the expo was to bridge the gap between teens and the community.
“This is a great way to get connected with people in the community,” said Annette Galeas, 16, of Midlothian, a Bremen High School student.
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The event also aided prospective college students, according to Alexis Simmons, 16, of Hazel Crest, a Hillcrest student.
“I want to attend the University of Illinois-Urbana and study psychology,” she said, “This is a really good opportunity to meet people and gain connections that may be helpful in the future as well.”
The expo was divided into four themed “cities,” each with its own set of activities, challenges and entertainment for teenagers and vendors to participate in: the Circus of Success, Prestige Boulevard, The “Grid” and Light Your Way.
A highlight was a “Before I Die” wall, where teenagers were encouraged to write down a goal they hope to accomplish in their lifetime.
“It is a fun way to make people think and decide what they want to do with their lives,” said Brittany Jones, 15, of Midlothian and Bremen High School. “They can set up an obtainable goal and it is interesting to see if they can meet it.”
Founded in 2013, Yolobe is a digital start-up based in 1871, Chicago’s premier innovation hub for early stage technology companies.
Kelly White is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.