MYLC Alumni Spotlight: Liam Campbell

By Ashley Oldfield, YLD McIntyre Youth Leadership Challenge Co-Chair

Some say that the youth of today are the leaders of tomorrow. But in Liam Campbell’s case, he’s not waiting for tomorrow – he’s a leader now.

I first met Liam Campbell in May 2022 when he was selected as a finalist for the McIntyre Youth Leadership Challenge (MYLC), part of the North Carolina Bar Association’s annual Law Day celebration. The MYLC provides middle school and high school students an opportunity to demonstrate the qualities of good citizenship by identifying and researching an issue in their community and then presenting a potential solution to the issue in a speech before a panel of judges of the North Carolina Court of Appeals. As I listened to Liam present his ideas on the opioid epidemic that day, I knew that here was a young person with the potential to do great things for his community.

What I didn’t realize in 2022 was that Liam and his three siblings had already been making a difference in their community for the past several years. In 2018, they started Kidz That Care, a nonprofit which seeks to empower young people to get involved in their community by connecting them with various volunteer opportunities, such as volunteering with local food banks and homeless shelters. As Liam describes it, “all you need to do is show up and you can make a difference.”

Liam is now headed into his junior year of high school, but he’s not resting on his laurels. This summer he participated in the Summer Law Camp by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of North Carolina. This three-day program provides students interested in pursuing a career in the law an opportunity to learn about the legal profession and the criminal justice system. Liam especially enjoyed touring the Federal Courthouse in Charlotte and participating in a mock trial judged by U.S. Magistrate Judge David Keesler. In addition to the Summer Law Camp, Liam was also selected to participate in the North Carolina Governor’s Page Program which takes place in Raleigh each year.

Liam is a great example of the difference young people can make when provided with opportunities like the NCBF’s McIntyre Youth Leadership Challenge that challenge young people to be creative and take initiative in their communities. I look forward to watching him succeed in his future pursuits and inspire others along the way!