Letting Everyone Achieve Dreams, LEAD, program prepares youth for success
HOUSTON - Tweens and teens have a unique opportunity to learn how to become future leaders of Houston!
LEAD, which stands for "Letting Everyone Achieve Dreams", teaches them everything from achievement skills to problem-solving and goal-setting. Once kids get on board, they get to go on fun and free trips across the country.
"LEAD starts with sixth grade students and research has found that getting students at an early age is really more impactful and more effective in helping them," explains Dr. Dejon Hawthorne, the Executive Director of LEAD.
The organization covers 30 different zip codes in the greater Houston area.
"That's over 450 students this year in those 30 zip codes. We're really intentional about going to zip codes with high crime rates, with low graduation rates and we're really trying to change the life trajectory of a child," states Dr. Hawthorne.
It's a big job that they take very seriously.
"We don't do it alone! We are so fortunate that we are a year-round program. We go into schools. Our proven curriculum talks about things like respect, communication, how to deal with anger. It also talks about different things like habits and setting healthy goals. In addition to our work in the classroom, we have Saturday exposure, where we're extending the reach of students so that they see more of our diverse and wonderful community. We go to financial literacy courses. We also go to museums, we go meet with entrepreneurs and to other partners, to college and career fairs. Finally, during the summer, we have both camp LEAD in Texas where we go to the great outdoors. Then, we have our summit experience in Jackson, Wyoming, where we go climb mountains," says Dr. Hawthorne.
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These are incredible opportunities that the kids would probably never get to experience if it weren't for LEAD.
"We do not charge for these trips, and our Saturdays don't have a fee, as well. We want their faithful participation. The faithful participation of the students is their payment, and the reward is these wonderful experiences," describes Dr. Hawthorne.
She says they are always looking for partners and volunteers, and certainly more children to get involved.
Anyone interested in learning more can go to https://www.houstonlead.org