HEY, YOU—
In school, students are taught algebra, Homer’s The Odyssey, and battles of the Civil War; they’re not taught how to become more self-aware, more compassionate about their community's needs, or how to make meaningful change. It’s time to fix this.
Anyone can be a leader, an entrepreneur, a self-starter, and a change-maker. Every student has the capacity to make a difference.
At the Carlsbad Student Leader Academy, you will be enriched by a unique, life-changing opportunity to redefine how you see yourself and your community and the impact you want to leave on the community.
Are you ready?
The City of Carlsbad, in partnership with the YouSchool is offering an experiential leadership academy with an interactive curriculum and a proven methodology to catalyze high school-aged students who are residents in Carlsbad to reach their fullest potential as emerging leaders. Over 270 students have participated in the Carlsbad Student Leadership Academy in the past few years and are looking forward to welcoming a new session for the Fall of 2024.
WHAT PAST STUDENTS HAVE SAID…
“My perspective has been drastically altered… I am walking out of this a deeper and more thoughtful person”
“The CSLA has helped me answer questions that I would have never thought about before. I have discovered more about myself and it has allowed me to learn about many new people.”
“I feel like I made a new family… and feel like the skills I had already have been magnified”
“I feel more confident in my abilities to lead and have a voice”
“CSLA inspired me to be more confident and pursue my dreams of becoming whoever I wanted to be. Since engineering as a whole is still very male-dominated, I was unsure if I was ready to take on that challenge as a career. But, after participating in CSLA, I knew that I was capable of taking on anything as long as I worked hard and stayed true to myself.”
ABOUT THE PROGRAM
PHASE ONE: SELF-AWARENESS In the first phase students will go through a self-awareness curriculum designed and facilitated by the YouSchool- a self-discovery based program that helps High School students understand their life through the lens of story, and take charge of getting the resources to reach their fullest potential to tell a compelling story with their lives. Video Overview.
PHRASE TWO: SELF-LEADERSHIP What does it mean to be someone who takes ownership of their personal growth and opportunity to influence others for the sake of the common good? How does this fit into an overall vision for designing a meaningful life? How do you teach the concepts of leadership to students who are developmentally wired to figure life out on their own? Those are the questions we wrestle with as we designed this interactive, student-centric program. We know students need an opportunity to reflect and process mature topics like personal responsibility, inner drive, opportunities to influence others, and growing into potential. That’s why we created an interactive curriculum that guides students to reflect in writing, video, and through guided discussions with peers and role models. Video overview.
PHASE THREE: COMPASSIONATE SERVICE Through our YouLead course on compassionate leadership and service, we guide students through a framework of curiosity, awareness, empathy, and compassionate action. We give students the opportunity to design their own exploration project, diving deep into a social issue to understand its implications, and design potential solutions to address real-life problems. Video overview.
THE WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE, HOW
WHO CAN APPLY -- High school-age Carlsbad resident AND/OR other students who reside in another city and currently attending school in Carlsbad (grades 9-12). This program is at NO COST to you. Students will be contacted to confirm participation.
WHAT TO EXPECT -- An experiential, challenge-based leadership development program in a peer setting.
WHEN -- 9 am - 1 pm for 2 sessions: on Saturday, Oct 19th and Saturday, Nov 2nd (student must be present for both sessions).
Lunch and snacks included.
WHERE -- In-Person sessions at Pine Community Center – Activity Room
HOW TO APPLY -- Students interested click here to apply.
LED BY Katrina Waidelich, YouSchool Guide, and Carlsbad High School Teacher
Katrina Waidelich (she/her) has worked in education for 14 years as a teacher, curriculum designer, and trainer. Katrina has dedicated her career to developing authentic, relationship-based experiences in conjunction with high academic standards. She centers her classroom on empathy and understanding, challenging students and educators to be open to hearing new stories, and sharing their own. Katrina supports educators in the integration of technology, development of student-centered practices, integration of social-emotional learning, and cross-curricular planning. Katrina serves as an education ally to marginalized populations by serving on her district’s Equity and Inclusion Committee, adopting restorative justice practices, and amplifying historically underrepresented voices in curriculum. In her free time, Katrina spends time cultivating her relationships with nature, her family, and her community.
SPONSORING ORGANIZATIONS
