This unique resource presents a comprehensive approach to developing student leadership. It serves as a field guide for conducting leadership classes in schools, camps, and retreats.
By participating in group leadership activities and building on their newly learned skills, students gain the confidence needed to become leaders in school activities, athletic programs, and clubs—and later develop into good citizens, parents, members of the workforce, and participants in their communities.
The accompanying CD provides PDFs of all the reproducible forms and student handouts. Reproducible forms and handouts are also available as a download on the Reproducibles tab above.
Inspiring Leadership in Teens is written and designed for teachers, trainers, and youth leaders to help foster leadership skills in middle and high schools students. The author provides 80 skill-building group activities that will inspire and challenge young leaders to develop their personal strengths, aspirations, and beliefs.
The program is presented in six units:
- Creating a Learning Community
- Studying Leadership: Researching Inspiring Leaders
- Creating Leadership Portfolios
- Understanding Communication
- Leading Groups
- Living Peace: Personal Aspirations and Beliefs
“By understanding themselves as leaders, students can be confident in their skills and continue to build on these experiences as they become leaders in school activities, athletic programs, and clubs, and then develop into good citizens, parents, members of the workforce, and participants in their communities.”
—Ric Stuecker
Unit 1—Creating a Learning Community
Activity 1.1: Forming Groups: Group Puzzles
Activity 1.2: Forming Groups: Name Tags
Activity 1.3: Learning Names
Activity 1.4: Learning Some Facts About Each Other
Activity 1.5: What We Think About
Activity 1.6: Rules We Can Live By
Activity 1.7: Rules: What Happens When . . .? What Happens If . . .?
Activity 1.8: Taking Personal Responsibility
Activity 1.9: Working Together: A Ball Game
Activity 1.10: Interviews: Presenting . . .
Activity 1.11: Distinguishing Types of Intelligence
Activity 1.12: Seven Ways to Be Smart
Activity 1.13: The Tree of Me
Activity 1.14: What I Need to Succeed
Evaluation Meeting
Unit Resources
Unit 2—Studying Leadership: Researching
Inspiring Leaders
Phase 1: Defining Criteria for Inspiring Leaders
Activity 2.1: Defining Inspiring Leadership
Phase 2: Assigning Students to Publishing Companies and Positions
Activity 2.2: Publishing Company Kickoff
Activity 2.3: Completing a Job Application
Activity 2.4: Obtaining Effective Letters of Reference
Activity 2.5: Creating a Strong Résumé
Activity 2.6: Interviewing for a Job Position
Activity 2.7: Creating Publishing Companies
Phase 3: Research
Activity 2.8: Finding an Inspiring Leader to Study
Activity 2.9: Refining Research and Writing Skills
Phase 4: Presentations
Activity 2.10: Creating and Giving a PowerPoint Presentation
Activity 2.11: Creating a Publishing Company Display
Phase 5: Evaluation and Awards
Activity 2.12: Evaluating Individual and Team Performances
Activity 2.13: Holding the BlueBerry Awards Ceremony
Student Guide: Your Team’s Publishing Company
Unit Resources
Unit 3—Creating Leadership Portfolios
Phase 1: Inspiring Leadership Self-Assessment Workshop
Activity 3.1: Taking a Leadership Self-Inventory
Activity 3.2: Acquiring Characteristics of Inspiring Leaders
Activity 3.3: Exploring Personal Integrity and Responsibility
Activity 3.4: Making Personal Agreements
Phase 2: Creating a Personal Mission Statement
Activity 3.5: Exploring Personal Dreams
Activity 3.6: Discerning What I Value in Life
Activity 3.7: Identifying Characteristics I Admire
Activity 3.8: Understanding Strengths and Roadblocks
Activity 3.9: Identifying Contributions I Hope to Make
Activity 3.10: Creating a Personal Mission Statement
Activity 3.11: Simplifying My Personal Mission Statement
Phase 3: Advertising Your Inspiring Leadership Strengths
Activity 3.12: Making a Personal Brochure
Unit Resources
Unit 4—Understanding Communication
Activity 4.1: Understanding Learning Styles
Activity 4.2: Discovering the Learning Styles of Others
Activity 4.3: Negotiating One to One
Activity 4.4: Shutting Down Communication
Activity 4.5: Communicating with Head and Heart
Activity 4.6: Understanding Power and Influence
Activity 4.7: Face to Face: Using Eye Placement and Body Position
Activity 4.8: Using Your Voice
Activity 4.9: Using “I” Messages
Activity 4.10: Negotiating Agreement (Skit)
Activity 4.11: Negotiating Agreement (Role-Plays)
Unit Resources
Unit 5—Leading Groups
Learning Center 1: Understanding the Stages of Team
Formation
Activity 5.1: Understanding the Team-Building Process
Activity 5.2: Guiding the Team Through Stages: Strategies
Activity 5.3: Understanding Leadership Roles
Activity 5.4: Card Towers
Activity 5.5: Silent Puzzles
Activity 5.6: Great Escape
Learning Center 2: Understanding Leadership Styles
Activity 5.7: Identifying Leadership Styles
Activity 5.8: Experiencing Types of Leadership Styles
Activity 5.9: Making Team Agreements
Activity 5.10: Understanding Levels of Agreement
Activity 5.11: Holding Effective Meetings
Activity 5.12: Holding Effective Meetings: Practice
Learning Center 3: Making Presentations
Activity 5.13: Assessing the Audience
Activity 5.14: Identifying Audience Leaders and Barometers
Activity 5.15: Organizing a Presentation
Learning Center 4: Planning—Making Positive Changes
Activity 5.16: Developing a Compelling Vision
Activity 5.17: Moving from Vision to Plan
Activity 5.18: Identifying and Solving Constraints
Activity 5.19: Creating Action Plans
Activity 5.20: Scheduling Activities
Unit Resources
Unit 6—Living Peace
Activity 6.1: Wellness Wheel: Personal Health Assessment
Activity 6.2: When Am I in My Power?
Activity 6.3: Touching My Spirit: What Is Greater Than I Am?
Activity 6.4: Personal Transformation
Activity 6.5: Affirmations
Activity 6.6: Setting Boundaries
Activity 6.7: Asking for Forgiveness
Activity 6.8: Personal Dilemmas
Activity 6.9: My Spiritual Journey
Activity 6.10: This I Believe
Unit Resources
Appendix: Using Inspiring Leadership in Teens in Schools and in Workshop Formats
Reproducible forms and handouts for this title are available on our downloads page.
