Middle School Welcome Middle School Welcome
Welcome
WELCOME
Congratulations on beginning the Lead4Change Student Leadership program! Through the lessons in this program, your students will come to realize that their life matters and that they can make an impact in their school and community. This program will unlock the unique gifts of each student and help them develop into the great leader you know they can be.
We also want to thank you for taking the time to invest in your students. We recognize the effort it takes and will do all we can to equip you with the tools you need. Can’t wait for you to get going!
PROGRAM OVERVIEW
The Lead4Change lessons are rooted in a #1 New York Times Best Selling Leadership Book, Taking People With You by David Novak. Not only did David write the book, but the philosophy of Taking People With You is what David used to grow Yum! Brands into the largest restaurant brand in the world during his 17 year tenure as CEO.
It’s these same principles that your students will learn as they work through the Lead4Change curriculum and put their leadership skills into practice. Through this service learning framework, students will learn practical skills and then put them into action so they can grow not only as a leader, but as a citizen. Through each lesson, your students will learn:
- Communication
- Self awareness
- Teamwork
- Collaboration
- Problem-solving
- Goal Setting
- Action Planning
- Storytelling
- Marketing
- Self-Reflection
- Proposal Writing
Our simple lessons and easy-to-use platform will equip you with the tools you need to impact your students’ lives in a meaningful way. Plus, as your students put the lessons into practice, they’ll learn to have agency over their own lives and compassion for others – making your classroom a more supportive environment for everyone.
If you would like a free copy of David’s book, Taking People With You, click below.
REQUEST A FREE COPY
How does the service learning framework work?
Students must create a team – a team must be at least three students but can be as large as an entire class or club. Each module teaches a key leadership skill that students will then put into practice by completing an activity, either individually or with their team. Each module builds upon itself and guides students through creating their Lead4Change Project – a community service project aimed at resolving a need in their school or community.
The program culminates when your student team submits their Lead4Change Project(s) through our submission portal where, if all requirements are met, students can earn a completion certificate and even credit towards graduation in eligible states.
Additionally, you and your students can choose to participate in Lead4Change’s Small Grants Program and receive funding to continue, build on, or complete your service project! Lead4Change gives away over $150,000 every year to 20-50 student driven ideas. Your team can request up to $10,000 in funding, and the funding must go towards your school or a 501(c)3 nonprofit connected to your service project.
Through this program, your students will:
- Develop self awareness
- Work with a team
- Identity problems that need to be solved
- Set measurable and specific goals
- Create an action plan to achieve the goal
- Market a big goal
- Execute the action plan
- Create a proposal for their project that could win real money for the school or nonprofit
The program empowers students – but it also offers educators:
- A sense of higher purpose in their classrooms
- Sense of pride and accomplishment watching their students develop and come together to solve a critical need in their community
- Simple ways to enhance the way you lead your students
- A path to making your work as an educator more fulfilling
At Lead4Change, we believe every student has it in them to be a great leader who gets big things done. The tools in this program help unlock the unique gifts of each student to create real, lasting change in their communities.
You can download a printable list of hard and soft skills taught in the program below.
Social Emotional Learning (SEL)
The 5 core competencies of Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) are embedded as optional discussion questions for your teams, class, or individuals. The Lead4Change Program is often used by educators to incorporate SEL growth:
- Self-awareness
- Self-management
- Social awareness
- Relationship skills
- Responsible decision-making
Look for the {icon} anywhere in the lessons to incorporate a SEL discussion.
PROGRAM DESIGN
- The Lead4Change Student Leadership Program consists of 7 core modules. Within each module, there will be a lesson(s), a video(s), a workbook activity(ies) for students and a wrap up. Each lesson includes “Lesson Instructions” that instruct the educator on exactly what to say, do and show. You’ll follow the Lesson Instructions and facilitate the activity(ies) for each lesson with the accompanying Student Workbook.
- If you choose to participate in the Lead4Change Small Grants Program, there are 2 additional modules you’ll need to complete (Modules 8 and 9).
- Lessons must be accessed online through your Lead4Change dashboard.
- Your Lead4Change Project can be submitted anytime between October 1st and June 1st. Expect to hear back on the acceptance of your project and a possible grant within 4 weeks.
- The program is designed to work within a schedule that works for you, whether it’s over the course of one month or spaced out over several months. The 15 lessons inside the modules will take 30-45 minutes to complete. Additional work to complete the service project varies.
Google Classroom Workbook (coming soon)
Student Leadership Survey Links (coming soon)
*A note about this content: The videos are primarily taught by Koula Callahan and Tim Schurrer of David Novak Leadership. David Novak Leadership is 501(c)3 nonprofit created and funded by David Novak, former CEO of Yum! Brands. David Novak Leadership is on a mission to make the world a better place by developing better leaders. The program is adapted from David’s bestselling book Taking People With You: The Only Way to Get Big Things Done. Versions of this program have been taught to thousands of professionals all over the world, and this program builds on those same principles to bring your students the very best leadership development program.
[X] I acknowledge that only teams of at least 3 students are eligible to receive a completion certificate, school credit (in districts where applicable), or a grant.
[X] I acknowledge that projects must be conducted by students who have gone through the Lead4Change Leadership Program and not others.
[X] I acknowledge that projects must be submitted between October 1st and June 1st of the respective school year in order to be eligible for a grant, completion certificate, or school credit.
[X] I acknowledge that I, the educator, have reviewed the rules for participating in the small grants competition.
[X] I acknowledge that, should my students be the recipients of a small grant that the grant must go to a 501(c)3 non-profit or an eligible school.