About
The Loft Leaders Academy at The Teen Loft at ImaginOn is designed to equip teens in grades 7-12 with leadership and interpersonal skills to be successful in life, work, college, relationships, and beyond.
The Loft Leaders Academy application will open up to a new cohort each fall. Each accepted Loft Leader will be required to commit to attending and participating in all aspects of the Academy. There are only 10 open slots per cohort.
History
Loft Leaders Academy began in the Fall of 2022 when a staff member from the Teen Loft at ImaginOn saw a need for increased resume-building opportunities for local teens. LLA is a College & Career Connections program offered by Charlotte Mecklenburg Library.
Mission
To equip teens with leadership and interpersonal skills to be successful in life, work, college, relationships, and beyond.
Vision
To create spaces of learning and opportunity to foster potential in young leaders and make an impact in our community through service-based leadership.
Statement of Purpose
The Loft Leaders Academy exists to bridge opportunity gaps and increase social capital in urban youth through educational workshops, mentorship, and service-learning.
Program Breakdown
Phase 1 (4 months) – monthly educational workshops on the foundations of leadership
Each applicant is invited to interview. During the interview process, applicants are given an interview tips sheet with interview questions to study. This experience is intended to give participants a feel for what they should expect during a job interview.
Workshops are inspired from the Powerful Youth leadership curriculum.
Phase 2 (4 months) - leadership in action: monthly meet ups to plan cohort service project, mentorship activities, Leadership Gala
Cohort Service Project: The final group activity of the Loft Leaders Academy is the planning and execution of a cohort service project. During Phase 2, Loft Leaders will perform a community needs assessment and learn how to plan a service project. Loft Leaders will use skills learned in Phase 1 and a SMART goals model to assess resources, identify a need, and plan how to effectively meet that need.
Mentorship Activities: Participants in Loft Leaders Academy will get several opportunities to meet and ask questions of leaders in careers of interest. Either attendance at 2 Mentorship Nights or participation in the Loft Mentorship Program is required to fulfill the LLA mentorship requirement.
Leadership Gala: Participants are celebrated and their achievements are recognized in a gala that takes place at the end of Phase 2. The Gala will feature volunteer guest speakers. The Gala will also be an opportunity to reflect on each participant's progression towards their individual leadership goals. The Gala is a formal event intended to introduce participants to the experience of participating in a classy event and to set the standard for the excellence we know they can achieve.