Lead4Change Honors Student Teams Leading Change in Local Communities
Students developed leadership skills and addressed issues in their virtual learning environments
NEWARK, Del., June 15 – Today, 39 middle school and high school teams have been selected as winners of the Lead4Change Challenge. The Lead4Change Student Leadership Program teaches students leadership lessons which include skills such as critical thinking, problem-solving, communication and collaboration. Students work to develop a service project that addresses a need in their community using these skills. The top five teams each earned a $10,000 grant for a nonprofit of their choice.
Lead4Change is the nation’s fastest-growing privately funded student leadership program. More than 1.5 million students across all 50 states have had the opportunity to grow as leaders through Lead4Change’s free curriculum. The lessons align to educational standards, including Literacy, Social Emotional Learning and Project-Based Learning.
Prizes were divided among Lead4Change Certified Schools, recognizing multi-year participation in the program, and non-certified schools who are participating in their first or second year.
The grand prize recipient team from certified schools is:
The FCCLA T-Bird Readers, Mohave High School FCCLA, Bullhead City, Arizona – The team changed their project when schools closed so they could create a virtual library of developmentally appropriate books for preschoolers. Students and educators were invited to create videos while reading aloud. The virtual library continues to grow. Michele Leyendecker, CTE Teacher and FCCLA Adviser, says “The leadership growth that these students leaders experienced, using the lessons to develop their project during such an uncertain time in our world, was truly a GIFT in itself! It really helped them refocus their attention on something positive.”
Receiving a special award, for demonstrating mentoring by student leaders is:
Odessa High School FBLA, Odessa, Washington – Working with Embrace Washington, this team advocated for and supported efforts to eliminate roadblocks and provide supplies for children in foster care. “The leadership skills these students develop as freshmen allows the chapter to succeed and grow. Upper-class students eagerly teach and mentor incoming students. This project had its risks, so we appreciated the lesson on You Have To Believe It Can Be Done” said FBLA adviser and Business teacher Terri King.
The four grand prize recipient teams from non-certified schools are:
White Bear Lake High School “Race to Reduce”, White Bear Lake, Minnesota – Students led and completed a variety of projects to improve sustainability of the state’s natural resources, including work with H2O for Life. Teacher Benjamin Butters says “ My goal as a teacher is to empower my students to take action and the lessons in Lead4Change provided me an excellent structure to achieve this goal.”
Community Navigators Community Builders “Corona Relief Crew”, Garner, North Carolina – To address the urgent needs of the homeless and those in nursing homes caused by the COVID-19 crisis, students collected items and made supply kits. Adult Leader Dr. Cleopatra Lacewell says “This experience has taught me when students have well-organized lesson plans, identified goals, and established team structures they can then perform as stellar leaders with minimum support.”
Cedar Crest High School FBLA “Falcon Feeders”, Lebanon, Pennsylvania – Students in the Introduction to Business course completed the lessons and project during the six weeks after schools closed. They worked to provide weekend food to students in need. “Having the ready- to-use Lead4Change curriculum at my disposal took away a bit of the overwhelming stress I was feeling as a teacher with six different preps in remote learning, said teacher Amy Sullivan. My students remained laser focused and accountable in a new way.”
Jersey Shore Senior High School “WeSHORECare” FBLA team, Jersey Shore, Pennsylvania – Students addressed homelessness and food insecurity in their area during Christmas and Easter with a variety of project activities. “Adaptability was the key for students,” says FBLA Adviser Dolly Oden. “I was powerfully impacted by the students using their leadership skills to turn their goals into action before and during the pandemic.”
Receiving a special award, for demonstrating excellent student leadership, is
Fleming County High School, “19-20 KYSCA” team, Flemingsburg, Kentucky – Taking the lead when they discovered Kentucky was the only state without a State Student Council Association, students worked to create a Kentucky State Student Council Association, affiliated with national SCA. “These students kept setting new goals, and dreaming bigger dreams throughout the entire school year” said Leadership teacher Paige Sloas. “They took initiative and did it all on their own.”
The Lead4Change Student Leadership Program is also awarding $500 charitable grants based on the outstanding works of the following teams:
Forest Park High School “For the People” FCCLA team – Woodbridge, Virginia
Menchville High School “Fare Share” team – Newport News, Virginia
Green County High School “Daniel’s Way” team – Greensburg, Kentucky
Ariton High School “Paw Pals” FBLA team – Ariton, Alabama
St. Paul’s Episcopal School “Saints for a Second Chance” team – Mobile, Alabama
Southwest High School “Mental Health Project Leaders” HOSA team – El Centro, California
Palm Beach Gardens Community High School FBLA teams “Ruth’s Fearless Leadership”
“Leadership 11” and “Leadership 22” – Palm Beach Gardens, Florida
Central High School FCCLA team – Woodstock, Virginia
John W Hubert Middle School FCCLA teams “Hands of Helpers” “Butterfly 2020” and “Income
Getters” – Savannah, Georgia
Rockmart Middle School FBLA team – Rockmart, Georgia
Pelham High School FCCLA team – Pelham, Georgia
Jared’s Heart of Success Youth Organization “C.A.R.E” team – Stone Mountain, Georgia
Seneca High School “Redhawk Rangers” team – Louisville, Kentucky
Gaithersburg High School “STEM Up @ GHS” team – Gaithersburg, Maryland
Lakeview Jr/Sr. High School “Peek-a-Boo Project” FBLA team – Columbus, Nebraska
CM Eppes Middle School “CME SGA/FBLA” team – Greenville, North Carolina
Tucker Creek Middle School “FBLA Mustangs” team – Havelock, North Carolina
Gwynedd Mercy Academy teams “B.O.L.D.” and “Mercy Speaks” – Gwynedd, Pennsylvania
Pleasant Valley High School “PV PA FBLA Lead4Change” team – Pleasant Valley, Pennsylvania
Rosemary Middle School “RMS Striking Cobras” FBLA team – Andrews, South Carolina
Blacksburg Middle School FBLA teams “The Shelter Helpers” “MCPS for Girls in Programming”
“Shooting Star Foundation” and “Dog Dudes”– Blacksburg, Virginia
Randolph Macon Academy teams “Ham for Haiti” and “Project Foster Soles” – Front Royal,
Virginia
Sky Valley Youth Coalition “Food Squad” team – Sultan, Washington
Muskego High School “Blanket Boosters” FBLA team – Muskego, Wisconsin
“For eight years, we have observed the students and their teachers who participate in Lead4Change learn and grow leadership skills that they will take with them into the future.,” said Diane Barrett, Executive Director of the Foundation for Impact on Literacy and Learning. “The impact on themselves and their communities, especially in this difficult year, cannot be understated.”
The Lead4Change program is inspired by Founder & CEO of David Novak Leadership, Co-Founder, retired Chairman and CEO of Yum! Brands and leadership expert, David Novak, and developed through a partnership of the Foundation for Impact on Literacy and Learning and the Lift a Life Novak Family Foundation.
“Student leaders emerged during this time of distance learning to make big things happen for their community. It was powerful to see how students continued to complete the online Lead4Change lessons and apply their leadership skills to a real need within their community.” said David
Novak. “We hope this experience sparks a passion in students and helps them see they are true leaders who can positively impact the world.”
Complete rules and details on the Lead4Change Challenge are available at http://www.lead4change.org/ To watch the action, get involved and learn more, follow Lead4Change:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Lead4Changeorg/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Lead4Changeorg
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About Lead4Change
The Lead4Change Student Leadership Program was created by the Foundation for Impact on Literacy and Learning and the Lift a Life Novak Family Foundation to encourage middle and high school students to hone leadership skills by completing a service project around a community need involving a public nonprofit.
About Foundation for Impact on Literacy and Learning
The Foundation for Impact on Literacy and Learning was established in 2003 as a public charity. The Foundation supports and builds alliances that enhance innovative, instructional programs and community outreach by providing the resources to promote new opportunities and participation. FILL is associated with the International Literacy Association. The foundation welcomes participation in efforts to engage, enlighten and inspire today’s students and educators by opening their classrooms to the real world. Find out more at www.fillprograms.org.
About Lift a Life Novak Family Foundation
The Lift a Life Novak Family Foundation was established in 1999 by David and Wendy Novak. The mission of the Lift a Life Novak Family Foundation is to lead the way with innovative programs that help people in need and develop future leaders. The Foundation focuses on creative partnerships that make a lasting impact in the primary areas of hunger relief, early childhood education, juvenile diabetes, military family support and leadership development. Since Lift a Life Novak Family Foundation began, it has helped thousands of people in need through grants and programming support. For more information on Lift a Life Novak Family Foundation, go to www.liftalifefoundation.org.
Contact:
Jessica Chen
G&S for Lead4Change 917.595.3055 jchen@gscommunications.com