Now Accepting Applications ~ Grades 10-12
NextGen
Leadership
Build the Skills That
Create Opportunities.
NextGen Leadership Lab is a hands-on, credential-bearing experience for high school students who are ready to discover who they are as leaders and step into college and career with the confidence and skills to back it up.
70%
of young adults feel unprepared entering the workforce
1 in 4
Gen Z students can write a professional email
38%
of employers avoid recent grads due to soft skill gaps
#1
employer ask: communication & self-management
*The Program
This Is Where Your
Leadership Story Begins.
Most high school students are capable of far more than they've ever been asked to demonstrate. They have ideas, instincts, and energy but no one has given them the framework to channel it.
NextGen Leadership Lab changes that. In one powerful, structured experience, students build real, transferable skills.
And they leave with proof. Not just memories. But artifacts they created, a certificate they earned, and a clearer sense of who they are and where they're going.
Led by experienced coaches who know how to bring out the best in high schoolers
Small cohorts mixing students from multiple schools for richer peer learning
Hands-on activities that produce real, tangible outcomes — not worksheets
Curriculum built around what colleges and employers say students are missing
Every student walks out with a verified certificate of completion
“Equip high school students with the self-awareness, communication skills, and team leadership capabilities they need to succeed, and give them the credentialed experience to prove it.”
Self-Leadership
Know who you are. Build your personal brand.
Team Leadership
Lead with invitation, not command.
Communication
Tell your story. Connect with confidence.
Experiential Proof
Leave with experiences, not lecture notes.
✦ The Reality
The Gap Is Real.
So Is the Opportunity.
Colleges are documenting it. Employers are paying for it. Students who develop these skills early don't just catch up, they get ahead.
84%
of hiring managers say high school graduates are not ready on soft skills
SHRM Research, 2024
70%
of young adults say they felt unprepared when entering the workforce
Gallup, 2024
1 in 4
Gen Z students can network professionally or write a professional email
LinkedIn Learning, 2024
38%
of employers actively avoid hiring recent college graduates due to soft skill gaps
Intelligent.com, 2025
✦ Curriculum
Four Pillars That
Change Everything.
Every activity is built around these four areas and chosen because they address the most frequently documented gaps for students entering college and the workforce.
01
Self-Leadership
Who are you…really? Students build a personal brand they can actually articulate: in a college essay, an internship interview, or a conversation with someone who could change their future. Most adults still can't do this. Our students leave able to.
02
Team Leadership
Great leaders don't dominate, they elevate. Students learn their role on a team, how to bring out the best in the people around them, and how to build something bigger than themselves. These are the skills managers beg for and schools rarely teach.
03
Communication
Students learn to read a room, adjust their message, and connect with confidence — with peers, adults, and professionals. From the handshake to the presentation, they'll learn the communication moves that open every door.
04
Experiential Proof
Great leaders don't dominate, they elevate. Students learn their role on a team, how to bring out the best in the people around them, and how to build something bigger than themselves. These are the skills managers beg for and schools rarely teach.
✦ WHO THIS IS FOR
Made for Students Who
Are Ready to Rise.
This experience is created for students at a meaningful moment in their lives, when they’re beginning to imagine what comes next, ready to invest in themselves, and open to encouragement, challenge, and growth.
You Might Be the Right Fit If...
💡You're in 10th, 11th, or 12th grade and starting to think seriously about life after high school
🔥You have drive and potential but haven't had the right environment to develop it
🗣️You want to be more confident speaking up, leading a group, or talking to adults
🌱You're open to being challenged, getting feedback, and growing through it
📋You want something real on your college application and a credential you actually earned
Parents & Teachers: Nominate a Student Who...
⭐Shows leadership potential that hasn't had a real outlet in class, on a team, or at home
📈Would benefit from stronger communication or self-advocacy skills
🎯Is coachable and willing to be challenged and willing to grow from it
🏫Needs a confidence breakthrough that a classroom alone can't provide
🌟Is at a turning point and ready to step into who they're becoming
Applications are reviewed to ensure every cohort is a strong, motivated, and balanced group so every student gets the experience they came for.
✦ FOR PARENTS AND TEACHERS
You Know They're
Capable of More.
You've watched your student grow and you've also seen the gap between where they are and where they want to go. The gap isn't talent nor ability.
It's the skills no one is teaching them. Communication. Self-advocacy. How to walk into a room with confidence. How to work on a team under pressure. How to talk to an adult professionally. How to answer "Tell me about yourself" without going blank.
NextGen Leadership Lab is built for exactly this moment. Before college. Before their first real job. Before they need these skills without a safety net.
💼
Real Workforce Readiness
84% of hiring managers say high school grads aren't ready on soft skills. Your student won't be in that group after this experience.
🎓
College-Ready Communication
Students learn to advocate for themselves in interviews, office hours, and high-stakes conversations.
🌟
A Credential That Actually Matters
Students leave with a verified certificate they can include in college applications, scholarship essays, and job interviews.
✦ Logistics
Need to know
Location: TBD
Date: Thursday, May 21, 2026
Time: 9am to 12pm
Drop-Off Time: 8:30-9:00am
Meals: Snack Provided
What to bring:
Your high energy and positive mindset.
Any medications needed.
Cost: $150
Need based scholarships available.
✦ Applications
Take the First
Step Forward.
To nominate a student, please fill in the form below. If you have any questions, please reach out to us in the contact section.