Leaders In Training

Leaders in Training (LIT) is a unique leadership and empowerment program designed to guide participants through a process of exploring and identifying personal goals, neighborhood involvement, and commitment to mentorship among peers. Through a 38 week curriculum and less intensive summer camp, participants ages 13-17, learn the skills necessary to accomplish their goals and dreams and remain committed to their communities. The program is built on a four year schedule based on student’s grade level. Each year builds on the previous.

Freshman-Transition into High School
Sophomore-Developing your identity
Junior-College preparation
Senior-Real world readiness

During the program, youth explore and identify neighborhood needs and develop group action plans that allow them to utilize their talents and engage the larger community in neighborhood transformation projects. Youth participants are also introduced to the personal action plan concept, which involves setting and pursuing goals. Each week, groups discuss important topics of development and leadership skills including bullying, self-esteem, emotions, healthy relationships, positive decision making, and violence as well as providing other valuable life skills. Participants learn and develop mentorship skills in order to guide and encourage other young people to identify and achieve their own personal goals and work toward neighborhood and community building.

Our Goal: Our youth will be able to solve problems constructively, improve communication and relationship skills, as well as set and achieve goals. We hope that through specialized activities that build self-esteem and cooperation, our students will become critical thinkers who are aware of social and cultural differences in their community and seek to change things for the better.