Leader's Challenge
Encyclopedia
Leader's Challenge is a Colorado
, USA, based nonprofit organization
that provides leadership training to high potential students through experiential education
programs. Their mission is to create civic and service minded youth by developing leadership skills, inspiring purpose, and developing engagement in their communities.
Leader's Challenge operates three programs, serving around 750 high school students annually.
. The organization initially offered one program serving 60 eleventh grade students at 10 high schools in metro-Denver
and Boulder
.
In 2006, the organization expanded, with the introduction of a program aimed at high school seniors, and the absorption of the long-established Colorado Close Up program.
As of October 28 2009, Leader's Challenge was shut down due to financial difficulties.
, service learning and civic engagement
. Beginning with a four day Summer Academy, students develop knowledge, skills and behaviors related to leadership and active citizenship, including self confidence, team building, conflict management
, critical thinking and problem solving skills.
Throughout the year, teams of students at 35+ schools along Colorado's Front Range
participate in monthly Challenges and service projects designed to involve them in their local communities while exploring topics such as community building
, the role of media in society, leadership in the workplace, and state and local government.
IGNITE culminates with each school team identifying a need in their community and partnering with an outside organization to implement a project that helps that need.
Throughout their senior year, students participate in monthly seminars centered on issues related to global leadership, including intercultural communication, diplomacy
, economics and development. In addition, they examine topics such as indigenous cultures, historic and current conflict, the role of women, human rights
, and policies concerning the environment, health, and service.
The cornerstone of Global Challenge is an international trip over Spring Break, in which students live and work with citizens of either Costa Rica
or Slovakia
, and have the opportunity to experience their culture and customs firsthand while making a difference in the community.
While visiting Denver, students have the opportunity to observe the state legislature and courts, meet with elected officials from each branch of government, and work with lobbyists and business leaders to discuss how they can impact their communities.
Participants return home from Colorado Close Up with the knowledge and skills to identify problems and draw on local resources to create change in their communities.
Colorado Close Up was absorbed by Leader's Challenge in 2006.
s.
The program fee for each program is as follows:
IGNITE: $875
Global Challenge: $475/$2000 (the program fee and trip fee respectively)
Colorado Close Up: $250
Leader's Challenge is able to provide financial assistance to families in need for all three programs.
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
, USA, based nonprofit organization
Nonprofit organization
Nonprofit organization is neither a legal nor technical definition but generally refers to an organization that uses surplus revenues to achieve its goals, rather than distributing them as profit or dividends...
that provides leadership training to high potential students through experiential education
Experiential education
Experiential education is a philosophy of education that describes the process that occurs between a teacher and student that infuses direct experience with the learning environment and content. The term is mistakenly used interchangeably with experiential learning...
programs. Their mission is to create civic and service minded youth by developing leadership skills, inspiring purpose, and developing engagement in their communities.
Leader's Challenge operates three programs, serving around 750 high school students annually.
History
Leader's Challenge was founded in 2000 by Tommy Spaulding, who serves as President/CEO of Up with PeopleUp with People
Up with People is an international education organization founded in 1968 by J. Blanton Belk, building from roots in the similar "Sing-Out" program of 1965. Up With People is best known for their musical performances by international casts consisting of 70–100 students from, on average, 20...
. The organization initially offered one program serving 60 eleventh grade students at 10 high schools in metro-Denver
Denver, Colorado
The City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Denver is a consolidated city-county, located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains...
and Boulder
Boulder, Colorado
Boulder is the county seat and most populous city of Boulder County and the 11th most populous city in the U.S. state of Colorado. Boulder is located at the base of the foothills of the Rocky Mountains at an elevation of...
.
In 2006, the organization expanded, with the introduction of a program aimed at high school seniors, and the absorption of the long-established Colorado Close Up program.
As of October 28 2009, Leader's Challenge was shut down due to financial difficulties.
IGNITE
The flagship program, IGNITE is a year-long experience for high school juniors focusing on leadership developmentLeadership development
Leadership development refers to any activity that enhances the quality of leadership within an individual or organization. These activities have ranged from MBA style programs offered at university business schools to action learning, high-ropes courses and executive retreats.- Developing...
, service learning and civic engagement
Civic engagement
Civic engagement or civic participation has been defined as "Individual and collective actions designed to identify and address issues of public concern."-Forms:...
. Beginning with a four day Summer Academy, students develop knowledge, skills and behaviors related to leadership and active citizenship, including self confidence, team building, conflict management
Conflict management
Conflict management involves implementing strategies to limit the negative aspects of conflict and to increase the positive aspects of conflict at a level equal to or higher than where the conflict is taking place. Furthermore, the aim of conflict management is to enhance learning and group outcomes...
, critical thinking and problem solving skills.
Throughout the year, teams of students at 35+ schools along Colorado's Front Range
Front Range
The Front Range is a mountain range of the Southern Rocky Mountains of North America located in the north-central portion of the U.S. State of Colorado and southeastern portion of the U.S. State of Wyoming. It is the first mountain range encountered moving west along the 40th parallel north across...
participate in monthly Challenges and service projects designed to involve them in their local communities while exploring topics such as community building
Community building
Community building is a field of practices directed toward the creation or enhancement of community among individuals within a regional area or with a common interest...
, the role of media in society, leadership in the workplace, and state and local government.
IGNITE culminates with each school team identifying a need in their community and partnering with an outside organization to implement a project that helps that need.
Global Challenge
Global Challenge is a year long experience for high school seniors designed to expand students’ worldview and explore leadership in a global context, beginning with a 3-day Summer Academy.Throughout their senior year, students participate in monthly seminars centered on issues related to global leadership, including intercultural communication, diplomacy
Diplomacy
Diplomacy is the art and practice of conducting negotiations between representatives of groups or states...
, economics and development. In addition, they examine topics such as indigenous cultures, historic and current conflict, the role of women, human rights
Human rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
, and policies concerning the environment, health, and service.
The cornerstone of Global Challenge is an international trip over Spring Break, in which students live and work with citizens of either Costa Rica
Costa Rica
Costa Rica , officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a multilingual, multiethnic and multicultural country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east....
or Slovakia
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
, and have the opportunity to experience their culture and customs firsthand while making a difference in the community.
Colorado Close Up
Colorado Close Up has been the state's largest civic education initiative since 1979, bringing students from across Colorado to the state Capitol for three days.While visiting Denver, students have the opportunity to observe the state legislature and courts, meet with elected officials from each branch of government, and work with lobbyists and business leaders to discuss how they can impact their communities.
Participants return home from Colorado Close Up with the knowledge and skills to identify problems and draw on local resources to create change in their communities.
Colorado Close Up was absorbed by Leader's Challenge in 2006.
Fees
Each Leader's Challenge program requires a fee which covers all costs associated with participation, including materials, staffing, facilities, accommodations, meals, and honorariumHonorarium
An honorarium is an ex gratia payment made to a person for their services in a volunteer capacity or for services for which fees are not traditionally required. This is used by groups such as schools or sporting clubs to pay coaches for their costs...
s.
The program fee for each program is as follows:
IGNITE: $875
Global Challenge: $475/$2000 (the program fee and trip fee respectively)
Colorado Close Up: $250
Leader's Challenge is able to provide financial assistance to families in need for all three programs.