Leadership

The American Youth Foundation prides itself on preparing our participants to be the leaders of tomorrow. Our alumni have gone on to become community leaders, business owners, CEOs, members of Congress, and Senators. In addition to discovering and achieving personal Best, we put a lot of emphasis on the idea of “serving humbly” so that our youth today stray from worldly self-advancement and instead begin to think about the relationship between success and selflessness. All of our programs teach aspects of leadership, but below are the school and community partnerships that focus on leadership learning.

Michigan middle school leadership initiative

The Michigan Middle School Leadership Initiative is designed to assist middle school students in becoming agents of positive change within their communities through:

• Developing the natural leadership abilities of all participants by providing concrete leadership tools,
• Increasing awareness of civic action opportunities for middle school age students, and
• Creating an active network of middle school age leaders in our state.

To accomplish these outcomes, AYF is partnering with local middle schools to select teams of 6th-8th graders who have been identified as emerging student leaders. They may not be students who already hold leadership positions, but are those who have been recognized by school staff as positive role models with a desire to make a difference. Each school will also be responsible for selecting one faculty member who will act as an advisor/mentor for the team.

Elementary Leadership Camp (ELC)

This program is designed around the concept that elementary age students can be active participants in their local community and have the capacities to positively affect their surroundings. Our goal is to provide students opportunities to gain self-confidence, identify areas of personal strength and begin to understand their ability to affect the world around them. Students participating in ELC are incoming 4th, 5th, and 6th graders brought together from area elementary schools.

Leadership Institute

The Leadership Institute is a progressive initiative being formed with different communities and school partners who want the AYF experience. This program will guide emerging student leaders to maximize their natural talent and make a positive difference in their schools and communities. It will promote positive leadership skills in high school students through mentorship and educational activities, impact elementary students through experiential activities that create mentoring relationships, and create a network of trained adult mentors and educators to provide a continuum of support.
 
For more information on our Leadership Programs, please contact Adam Russell, 231-861-2262 x1111.