LIT 2025-2026

• One easily accessible place where all LIT information is housed for all cohorts & all program years

• Ensure you stay on track as a LIT member towards your long-term goals

• Minimize communication SLACK messages to necessary information as main items will be on this site

HS Program: 100% 4-year college acceptance 

Postsecondary Program:

• At least 80% Postsecondary Leaders report socioemotional, financial & housing needs met

• 100% Postsecondary Leaders in 4 year colleges complete paid career internship

• At least 90% Postsecondary Leaders in 2 or 4 year colleges/universities persist year-to-year

• At least 90% Postsecondary Leaders in military or career achieve 1 salary promotion by age 21

• At least 90% Postsecondary Leaders in trade school complete certification

Alumni Program:

• 100% Alumni leaders contribute back to Las Vegas in a measurable way

• At least 80% Alumni Leaders achieve 1 salary promotion by age 27

• At least 30% Alumni Leaders serve as non-profit Board members by age 27 

• At least 30% Alumni Leaders achieved or working on graduate degrees by age 30

• At least 5 elected officials by age 30

Year 1-4 HS Program

1. Contract: Review LIT Member Expectations (this list) and Contract (provided at the end of this document). This is an online document, review and sign with your parent/legal guardian and staff will review. If you attend Orientation and Retreat Week, a signed contract must be submitted during that week. If you join the program after Orientation and Retreat week, you are to complete the contract by your 2nd LIT session to continue in the program. Failure to submit your contract on your respective day, means you are forfeiting your membership at LIT. 

2. Attendance:  Communication and accountability is an expectation as part of  your participation in LIT. Add all program dates and times to your calendar (located via LIT Member Site). If you will miss a session or an event, contact your Program Manager at least 3 days prior and arrange a make-up session or event.  LIT is aware of emergencies, illnesses, or pressing personal business that cannot be scheduled outside session times. If you are unable to report to session, or if you know you will arrive late, please contact your Program Manager immediately.  If you know in advance that you will need to be absent, please communicate with your Program Manager.  If you are unable to call in because of an illness, emergency or for some other reason, be sure to have your parents communicate with the Program Manager. Unless in the case of an emergency and you inform your Program Manager with less than 24 hours notice, you must arrange 2 make-up sessions or events within the month you missed. If you no call no show, you must arrange to attend study hall to complete make-up assignments within the week you missed and 2 no call, no shows within a semester is automatic removal from the program.

*This includes regular session attendance reflected on the LIT Member Site and #6 Monthly Events below. For example, if you have a no-call no-show to a session and no-call no-show to an event, this equals automatic removal from the program, because that equals 2. We want you to succeed in LIT, but we also want to prepare you for the real-world. Know what you are committing to and if something comes up, advocate for yourself.

3. Grades/Transcripts: You must check and turn in your grades bi-weekly via LIT Member Site. All grade turn-in surveys are linked on your cohort's announcements page. You must also submit your unofficial HS transcript to your Program Manager during the first week of session. Our theory on grades is that it's up to you to advocate for yourself and improve. We help create a system where you are accountable to both looking at them, turning them in and then doing something about it. If you are struggling and need support from a tutor* or access to instructional supplies, let your Program Manager know and attend study hall. It's your job to advocate to your teachers so they know who you are, that you are trying and use all strategies from staying after school/before school, getting extra work, making up assignments, etc to fix your mistakes. Students with Ds or Fs in core courses are REQUIRED to take summer school and get the fee waiver from their school. LIT will pay for summer school only if a student's fee waiver has been denied from the school - we will need proof of the denied waiver. We all review transcripts at parent meetings so your parents know your progress and lying on grade turn-in/ not submitting transcripts only hurts yourself since this is an optional program. If you choose to lie at an optional program, our group is not for you.

*At LIT, we don’t have official tutors, so it’s up to you to advocate for yourself.

4. Communication: All 2-way communication is done through Slack and opting in is required.  All leaders will be provided an LITLV email account and it is your responsibility to check it or forward to your personal email. If you OR your parent(s)/guardian(s) change your phone number, address or email address, re-submit the Updated Leader Information Form ASAP so we have your correct contact information (this can be found via LIT Member Site). This will be your responsibility to keep LIT updated on how to communicate with you and your parents. No leader/parent should be texting staff’s personal cell!

5. Member Standing: At LIT, we operate on a 3-strike system and those strikes follow you through the program. Strikes given on case by case and depending on the Program Manager. If students are in danger of being asked to leave for the semester (event attendance, grade turn-in), your Program Manager will communicate to you and your parents, so you can make-sure you stay in good standing, if you choose. Any student asked to leave LIT can reapply to the program for the following academic year - please be aware that you will only be invited back if there is space in that Cohort. For students removed from the program, you will have one week to submit your Grievance and Appeal Procedure Form. 

6. Monthly Events: When you RSVP for the event, you must attend, so please add it to your calendar. Program Managers will add you to the event text at least 4 days prior to the event with all logistics & create a parent text at least 2 days prior to the event. All transportation will be arranged and confirmed at least 2 days prior to the event. Snacks and water will be available at all events as well as transportation to and from the event from the office if needed-- make sure you communicate this. Attendance expectations on #2 apply to monthly events. If you will miss an event, contact your Program Manager ASAP and arrange a make-up event. 

At LIT, there are two forms of events - Community Service and Professional Development. Professional Development: These are events where you can gain new skills/knowledge as a leader. It is the process of learning and training to improve oneself. Here at LIT we want all of you to have access to events that are preparing you for your futures. Volunteer (Community Service): This involves actively helping a person or group of people for the benefit and betterment of the community. This is work that is not paid or expected to be paid for. Volunteers perform services to develop life skills and gain valuable experience. 

Note:

• Freshmen, Sophomores, and All New Leaders must complete 8 annual events (4 PDs & 4 Community Service)

• Juniors must complete 2 (can be a mix of either)

7. Retreat & Orientation: Towards the end of July, LIT will host a week-long MANDATORY All Cohort Retreat & Orientation. The purpose for both is to connect/re-connect with your cohort & make sure you understand the expectations of your program year. You will be expected to sign your Member Contract & Expectations Form along with the Onboarding Form. If you cannot attend, you must attend the make-up Orientation & Retreat. If you are unable to attend both, you are not allowed to start in the Fall at LIT.  IF YOU ARE A CURRENT STUDENT AND WANT A FAMILY MEMBER OR FRIEND TO JOIN, do not just bring them to program, direct them to the LIT Interest Form via the Official LIT Website. 

8. Professional Expectations: You are already a leader. Our job is to help bring out these leadership skills inside of you. We practice professional expectations at all times. This includes, but is not limited to, the following: 

• dress appropriately (Absolutely NO crop tops, brands with obscene names or graphics, wearing just a tanktop, pajamas, ski masks. Beanies and caps can be worn, but no obscene names or graphics.), 

• look someone in the eye when speaking/listening, do not be on your phone during program, use your leader voice

• do not curse or use harmful language towards other leaders, refer to Program Staff by their respective names (Ms./Mr. / Leader..)

• We will use names, gender pronouns, etc of your choice. We don't know unless you tell us. Do not be afraid to be yourself! 

• Remember you represent you, your family, your community and LIT as a member at all times. 

9. Summer Program: All students will participate in a summer leadership activity. If you have your own internship, camp, etc you will be applying for and are accepted to, that can count towards your LIT summer requirement, upon approval from your Program Manager. LIT will provide transportation to LIT Summer Programs, if transportation is necessary as outlined by Program Managers. LIT will not be responsible for transportation outside of LIT summer programs. Students with Ds or Fs in core courses must complete a summer leadership activity AND required summer school. For more summer school expectations see #3 above. If you do not participate in a summer leadership activity, you cannot continue in LIT during the fall semester. If you do not take a required summer school course or re-schedule it in your school day the following year, you cannot continue in LIT during the fall semester.

10. Annual Events: Required annual events for the HS Program typically include, but are not limited to: retreat, orientation, holiday party and out-of-state/in-state college tours. For Seniors, the following are mandatory events, Senior Scholarship Celebration, Senior Send-Off and Senior Trip. Questions on attendance, see #2 above.

11. Harassment or Abuse: At LIT we take harassment and abuse seriously and will not be tolerated. If you feel you have been a victim of harassment or abuse by a peer, a staff member, a volunteer or any other person you come in contact with at LIT, fill out the incident report form - this can be found on the LIT Member Site along with QR Codes in the restrooms of each LIT Suite. If you feel you have witnessed harassment or abuse by a peer, a staff member, a volunteer or any person any LIT member has come into contact with because of LIT, fill out the incident report form. LIT will conduct a confidential investigation regarding all tips and following state mandating reporting laws. If the incident includes a complaint against LIT's Executive Director, LIT's Board of Director Executive Committee will investigate the incident. LIT does not tolerate discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status, in any of its activities or operations and is an equal opportunity employer. Incident report link: https://forms.gle/hp2fUvekPbQYrEmC6. For LIT's Full Policies on Harassment or Abuse & the full incident report guidelines, please the Incident Response Procedure via the LIT Member Site. ALL LIT VOLUNTEERS & STAFF MUST READ & SIGN AN ACKNOWLEDGEMENT DOCUMENT BEFORE WORKING WITH STUDENTS. Please note, all LIT staff members & adult volunteers are subject to a background check prior to being employed or volunteering for LIT. All LIT Adult Volunteers & Staff Members must complete the following to work with students: tinyurl.com/litvolunteeronboardingsurvey.

For students, serious infractions such as violence or direct defiance of a specific direction or expectation that could cause harm to self or others will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis and could result in automatic dismissal. LIT is not a school, we are a free after school program that empowers the next-generation of community leaders. We choose to be here and you choose to be here. If LIT culture or program does not work for you, you may leave at any time.

Safety: Do NOT attend in-person events or program sessions if you do not feel well or if someone in your household does not feel well. LIT will follow all CDC safety guidelines.

12. LIT Culture: At LIT we push you to be the person best version of yourself that you can be. This includes incredibly high expectations as well as always holding a mirror up to your decisions and choices and discussing with you how you think you could have improved if necessary. We are highly disciplined, accountable and honor and recognize systemic racism and structural inequities in our society. We are a social justice group. We discuss issues from why Black Lives Matters is important, why we must change laws to support undocumented individuals to what it feels like to be from a marginalized or oppressed  group to white supremacist culture and how to be a white ally. After almost a decade of this work, we know that LIT programming works. Our goal is to show you you are a leader and help you develop a critical consciousness of how you look at the world. This can be uncomfortable at first, but we believe this is a sign of learning and progress. LIT is unlike any school program or club you've experienced before, we ask you to keep an open mind and open heart to what we are trying to accomplish and remind you that we are a free and optional program, so you may leave at any time. We are only as good as our membership and thank you for bringing your best version and sharing that with us.

13. Transportation: LIT is a community group-- we will help you problem solve a solution to make sure you can come to program. LIT does not offer transportation to and from session, but will offer this for LIT events. By signing the contract your parent(s)/guardian(s) give permission for you to be transported by LIT and agree to hold harmless unforeseen incidents of harm or death in LIT transportation of students. Students are never to be transported alone (without an additional student(s)) with a LIT volunteer or staff member unless written and signed consent from parent(s)/guardian(s). LIT can also offer public transportation passes and parent(s)/guardian(s)  understand LIT is not responsible for actions that occur during transport and all students have all options to get their own transportation to/from events. Parents(s)/guardian(s) can also serve as volunteers for the program by going to through the regular Adult Volunteer procedure see #11 above

14. Parents: We do this work with you, not to you. Parent(s) and/or guardian(s) are integral to our work. Your parents must know what LIT is, what your expectations are and that your whole family is part of LIT. All parents will receive text messages from remind. Parents must attend 1 parent meeting per semester. Parent Meeting dates will be provided at the first session. We highly encourage ALL parents to be at the meetings (and typically have a 90%+ attendance rate), but we do understand work schedules, etc. If parents do not attend, but students attend that will count for attendance. If students and parents miss the meeting, they owe a make-up meeting together to be completed by the end of that month. Attendance rules in #2 also apply to parent meetings.

*Separate Parent Contract to be reviewed and signed

We want to make sure that every Leader has the support they need. If you are having a hard time, need to talk or find help, please let us know. If you ever have an issue or something uncomfortable happen with another Leader, a volunteer, staff member, or anyone in your life, we can help give you support, but only if you let us know. Please reach out! You can let us know about something with your contact information to get in touch, or anonymously using this form