Programs: An Experiential Approach to Learning
L!FE Leadership Programs are focused on experience-based learning that challenges students to discover and pursue their interests and to understand the immediate and potential opportunities that lie before them. We foster both the development of entrepreneurial skills along with the emotional grit and intelligence needed to put those skills to use.
Our Experiential approach to learning encourages our students to engage with real-world challenges and situations and to discover innovative and workable solutions.
Workshops
Trips to businesses & community development sites
Round-table discussions with business & community leaders
Participant-created presentations
Internships - training & placement
Mentorship
"The L!FE program gives students classroom and practical tools to help them achieve their goals, and pairs them with local entrepreneurs who act as advisors, learning many valuable business, project and planning skills they can use for the rest of their lives".- Robert Topey, Parent of L!FE Graduate
Entrepreneur-ISM Intensive and Extensive*
BUSINESS FUNDAMENTALS | MARKETING | BRANDING | WRITING | FINANCIAL FLUENCY | PUBLIC SPEAKING
In-tensive: A 3-week program where participants learn to lead beginning with a personal inventory of their skills, followed by an ideation phase designed to identify a problem or opportunity in need of attention, to building a strategic plan of action, proposal, budget, and pitch that is both clear and compelling. Proposals range from a personal project, to a new business, advocacy or the completion of an assignment.
* Ex-tensive: Customized schedules for consecutive days, multi-week evening, weekend and summer programs
"It was really inspiring and thrilling to see my son, besides video games and soccer, have the entrepreneur inside kick-in to give-out this great idea." -Natasha Powell, Parent of L!FE Graduate
Excellence Corps
Excellence Corps cultivates students’ visions for the future of their city and provides opportunities to be actively involved in making these visions a reality. Through experience-based learning that builds leadership, goal achievement skills and networking relationships for academic, career and civic responsibility, Excellence Corps fosters a deep understanding of the changing nature and needs of neighborhoods and communities.
Beginning with a training intensive, Excellence Corps helps develop future community leaders by providing experiential workshops, classes and fields trips. Topics of learning include: the community's history, neighborhoods, businesses and social initiatives; active citizenry (meeting with community, business, city leaders); fundamental business skills (marketing, branding, finance, business acumen); the role of the media; conflict resolution; public speaking skills (storytelling, audience engagement, improvisation and presentations) and more. Culminating in a Town Hall Presentation, students present what they’ve discovered and their intended goals moving forward. After the training intensive, students have an opportunity to put what they’ve learned into action during the following weeks by working throughout the city four days a week accompanied by one day a week in the classroom for debriefing, team building, conflict resolution, planning and processing of what they’ve experienced.
Click here to read more about our launch of Excellence Corps of Detroit at Cass Technical High School this summer 2018.
L!FE PRIME Internship Training Program
Using a three-phase program, we facilitate internships for our students with local businesses and organizations. Our work here begins with helping students conduct a thorough self-evaluation, hone their communication skills, and prepare for the work environment. We also work with our mentoring partners to make sure they are fully supported in creating meaningful and productive internships within their organizations. Post-internship, L!FE PRIME guides students in building their resumes and LinkedIn profiles, and in beginning to cultivate their professional networks.
PHASE 1: Preparation
- Communication skills
- Practical proficiencies
- Etiquette
- Personal branding
- Public speaking
- Interview skills
- Training for internship
PHASE 3: Follow-up
- Resume
- Cover-letters
- Networking
- Thank-you's
- Self-Assessment
- Interview coaching
PHASE 2: Internship
- Mentorship
- 1-on-1 calls
- Group calls
- Setting goals
- Reports & reviews
- Evaluations
- Ongoing support
* Customized schedules for semester, year-long & summer programs
L!FE: 5TH GRADE FORWARD
L!FE’s 5th Grade Forward begins in 5th grade and follows the students through middle school and high school, advancing the curriculum and opportunity as the students advance in school. Throughout 5th Grade Forward, L!FE's curriculum is focused on entrepreneurial thinking, positive social engagement, self-directed change, and a healthy awareness, understanding, and relationship to personal potential while providing basic skills and instruction within subjects essential to a strong leadership foundation. These classes include elementary level courses in design thinking, internal and external personal and social culture, personal financial fluency, improvisation, research, and story analysis.
L!FE CLUBS
L!FE Clubs are launched by inaugural graduates of L!FE programs as a way for students to continue to build their projects (or start new ones), support one another during the process, host guest speakers and round table discussions, participate in field trips, present Idea Slams, and more. L!FE Clubs are a safe place to work on projects within an open network of communication and support.
L!FE Clubs are open to all students who want to participate, and are led by L!FE program graduates. Student leaders create their L!FE Club mission statement, projected goals, programming and events.
L!FE Clubs meet weekly at a regularly scheduled time with L!FE instructors for continued support and direction. Ideally, there is a designated space where L!FE Club members can study, work on projects, do research and congregate.