Shaping the Leaders of Tomorrow

• Growth Mindset

• Goal Setting

• Civic & Social Awareness

Theme A: Believing in the Power of Yourself (Growth Mindset)

Youth will participate in monthly youth-led activities that focus on the leadership quality of self-awareness through the concept of a growth mindset. through application and experience, youth learn to cultivate their innate qualities and skills and understand that challenges are growth opportunities. associated activities should be designed to empower and encourage youth to believe in the power of themselves and their brain.

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Theme A: Desired Youth Outcomes

1. Understand the steps to short-term and long-term goal setting (smart)

2. Identify steps to achieving a specific goal.

3. Gain time management skills.

4. Understand the importance of evaluation

Theme B: Imagining the Future and its Possibilities (goal setting)

Youth will participate in monthly youth-led activities that focus on goal setting as a critical social-emotional development skill that helps leadership development. associated activities should be designed to provide the crucial foundation for future success, as successful leadership includes developing a vision with goals and implementation steps.

Activities under this focus are centered around smart (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and timely) goals that the youth set for themselves or as a group.

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Theme B: Desired youth outcomes

1. Build a sense of identity and leadership

2. Embrace positive behavior

3. Increase comfortability with taking personal risks and resilience in the face of failure

4. Encourage and enhance motivation and better work relationships

5. Achieve higher performance levels

Theme C: Taking Action in Politics and Societal Issues (civic & social awareness)

Youth will participate in monthly youth-led activities focusing on political, economic, and social conversations that help them become agents of positive change in their communities. civic engagement and social awareness are critical components of leadership. associated activities should empower and encourage youth to contribute to and improve their communities.

Theme C: Desired youth outcomes

1. Take the perspective of and empathize with others from diverse backgrounds and cultures

2. Understand social and ethical norms for behavior

3. Recognize family, educational, and community resources and support.

Building a Better Future

• Career Exploration

• Cultural Exposure

• Life Skills Experience

Theme A: Exploring Career Options (Career Exploration) ​ Youth will participate in monthly youth-led activities that expose them to people, activities, and experiences that spark conversations about potential career aspirations. Youth should have the opportunity to get an up-close and personal perspective of underrepresented careers and better understand requirements and skillsets. ​ Theme B: Discovering Countries and Their Cultures (Cultural Exposure) ​ Youth will participate in monthly youth-led activities that identify and solicit unchartered experiences in life. These experiences should push the youth out of their comfort zones and immerse them in a foreign cultural experience. ​ Theme C: Expressing Your Best Self in Everyday Life (Life Skills Experience) ​ Youth will participate in monthly youth-led activities that focus on cultivating personal life skills such as self-reflection, critical thinking, problem-solving and interpersonal skills. While youth may be familiar with some activities, this is an opportunity to look at different things or explore new adventures. Youth should create a passion for being exposed to things that require them to think differently, use their skills to solve problems and develop a love for maximizing life.

Making a Difference One Tree at a Time

• Community Service

• Environmental Impact

• Final Presentation

Theme A: Being the Change We Want to See (Community Service Project) Theme B: Planting for the Planet (Environmental Project) Theme C: Sharing Our Experience with the World (Final Presentation)

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Youth leaders must select at least one recommended activity below to accomplish:

• Community Service Project. Youth will participate in a required youth-led group community service project that focus on promoting social change through youth giving of their time and talent to improve their communities and the world.

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• Environmental Project. Youth will participate in a youth-led group environment project that focuses on their collective ability to improve and protect the environment at scale by planting at least one tree. Additional environmental activities are encouraged (i.e., plant flowers at school or park, take care of them, or support a community garden).

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Final Presentation. Youth will participate in documenting their YLI journey and lessons learned through a presentation or video. This activity may include using PowerPoint, Google Slides, their cell phone camera, a video camera, or computer program to capture their leadership discovery.