Leadership Development Syllabus

Comprehensive leadership development program for middle and high school students covering leadership mindset, communication, problem-solving, teamwork, and service project implementation.

Leadership Foundations

Explore leadership values, develop interpersonal skills, master verbal and written communication, and build empathy and teamwork abilities.

Strategic Thinking

Learn SMART goals, SCAMPER creativity tools, systems thinking, and how to design and implement real-world service projects.

Personal Growth

Complete leadership assessments (MBTI, StrengthsFinder, DISC), develop grit and resilience, and embrace civic responsibility and social justice.

Course Sessions

Unit 1

Understanding leaders, leadership values, and problems in the world

Session 1 - Inspiration: Anyone can be a leader, YOU can be a leader
Session 1.2 - Reflecting: Who are good leaders? Who would you like to be like?
Session 1.3 - Analyzing: Key values of different leaders and leadership theories
Session 2.1 - Aligning: Key values with various leadership theories
Session 2.2 - Analyzing: World problems and how leaders have created solutions
Session 2.3 - Reflecting: Who do YOU care about? Who do you want to help?

Unit 2

Creating leadership mindset and incorporating it into personality

Session 3.1 - Intro: Your personality, Difference in mindset and personality, Developing leader mindset
Session 3.2 - Interpersonal Interaction: Productive Relationships, Empathy, Teamwork activity
Session 3.3 - Communication: Verbal & Nonverbal Communication, Active listening, Listening activity
Session 4 - Communication Part 2: Writing (Grant proposals, speeches, emails), Practice activities
Session 5.1 - Learning and Reasoning: Researching solutions, Systems Thinking, Not afraid to fail
Session 5.2 - Group Dynamics: Group development, Organizational Behavior, Creating change
Session 5.3 - Personal Behavior: Ethics, Responsibility to Change, Positive attitude, Confidence, Passion
Session 6.1 - Self Awareness: Leadership assessment (MBTI, StrengthsFinder, DISC), Receiving feedback
Session 6.2 - Grit: Importance of resilience and perseverance, Growth Mindset
Session 6.3 - Civic Responsibility: Diversity and Inclusion, Social Justice and Responsibility, Service

Unit 3

Getting involved in service work

Session 7 - Intro: Easy ways to get involved in service (virtually, locally, mentorship)
Session 8 - Strategic Planning: Organization, Creating schedule, Mission, Vision, Goals
Session 9 - Project: Step 1 Major Project - Find what problem you want to focus on

Unit 4

Creating Goals and Scaling up Service Projects/Goals

Session 10.1 - Intro (SMART Goals): Introduce SMART Goals, Why goals are important for long term projects
Session 10.2 - Building Goals: How to define a goal (resources/funding/impact), Creating timeline, Being adaptable
Session 11 - Application: Applying skills learned in class - goal for STEM solution
Session 12 - Project: Step 2 Major Project - Define goal

Unit 5

Develop Solutions through Creative Thinking, Foresight, and SCAMPER

Session 13.1 - Intro (SCAMPER): How to develop solutions, Creative Thinking, Foresight, Introduce SCAMPER
Session 13.2 - SCAMPER: SCAMPER in detail
Session 14 - Application: Apply skills learned - entrepreneurship activity
Session 15 - Project: Step 3 Major Project - Develop Solution

Unit 6

Creating a team that makes the solution happen

Session 16 - Intro Teamwork and Leadership: Driving team forward, Importance of leader, Designating team roles
Session 17 - Application: In-class practice - logic and game activity
Session 18 - Project: Step 4 Major Project - Working with team to make solution real

Unit 7

Delivering results of service project

Session 19 - Work Time: Completing final project
Session 20 - Work Time: Completing final project
Session 21 - Project (Completion): Step 5 Major Project - Present final project results and improvements for next time

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