Cultivatinginnovativeteen-Leadershipprogramming: Building Evidence of Impact

Abstract

The Teen Excellence in Leadership Institute (TELI) was created to provide meaningful leadership and civicengagement experiences to teens. We integrated Chickering's Theory of Identity Development and the 4-H Citizenship Framework to develop program objectives and a model, consisting of four components: understanding of self, developing a network, community problem solving, and advocacy. This study aimed to determine the overall effectiveness of the program, highlight areas for program improvement, and provide a proof of concept for the model. Results on select 4-H Citizenship Common Measures indicated statistically significant gains in the four components of the model for cohorts one and two. Focus group data revealed five themes: diversity, connection, skill development, practical application, and learning about self. Evaluative results substantiate program impact and areas for continued program development.

Developing Leadership Talent in Adolescents and Emerging Adults: A Systematic Review

“…Of the 38 studies, 8 (21.1%) examined programs focused primarily on leadership development. Seven of those studies focused on leadership programs for all students (Bush et al, 2019; Conner & Strobel, 2007; Halsall & Forneris, 2018; Lucas & Goodman, 2015; Mitra et al, 2010; Schilling et al, 2007; Schneider et al, 1999) and one study examined a leadership program for students identified as gifted or academically advanced (Chan, 2003). Nearly half of the studies (47.4%; n = 18) examined programs that had leadership as one component, but not the sole focus.…”

“…The authors suggested this was due, in part, to off-campus workers’ engagement in jobs that held them accountable for production or performance and required them to manage their time between employment, academic, and social commitments. Students in the Teen Excellence in Leadership Institute (TELI) for 4-H and FFA students attended 1 weekend session where they learned foundational skills and leadership competencies (Bush et al, 2019). Next, they planned and implemented a group project with a mentor and other students from their home program to apply the skills they learned.…”

“…For undergraduate students in an honors program for teacher education, the rigor of the research they conducted with faculty members, combined with the application of that research in educational contexts helped students engage with the curriculum and gain some understanding of the leadership skills required for careers in education (Howley et al, 2012). Mentoring and modeling components, such as explicit training in process-based collaboration, were vital parts of leadership development programs (Archard, 2013; Bush et al, 2019; Eva & Sendjaya, 2012; Lee et al, 2008).…”

“…The prevalence of school and community contexts in this review suggests that diverse approaches are being implemented in school settings and beyond (Bush et al, 2019; Hilliard et al, 2019; Kagay et al, 2015; Lee et al, 2007, 2008; Lee & Olszewski-Kubilius, 2006; Schneider et al, 1999). However, there was also a clear understanding in the research that school and community contexts were a source of structural inequity (e.g., financial resources, personnel) and that leadership development opportunities were not equally available to all interested individuals (Carruthers & Busser, 2000; Conner & Strobel, 2007; Guest, 2018; Halsall & Forneris, 2018; Jones-Morales & Konrad, 2018; Langram, 1997; Mitra et al, 2010; Preus et al, 2016; Schilling et al, 2007; Weinberger, 2014).…”

“…University-based contexts were the focus of 28.9% of the articles in the review (n = 11), with three focusing on undergraduate courses (Howley et al, 2012;Lucas & Goodman, 2015;Salisbury et al, 2012), three on university-based extracurricular activities (L. Coffey & Davis, 2019;Fuller et al, 2017;Gassman et al, 2014), and five on adolescent summer residential programs (Chan, 2003;Feldhusen & Kennedy, 1988;Lee et al, 2007Lee et al, , 2008Lee & Olszewski-Kubilius, 2006). Secondary school-based contexts were explored in 31.6% (n = 12) of the studies with four studies focused on leadership curriculum (Archard, 2013;Eva & Sendjaya, 2012;Langram, 1997;Schneider et al, 1999) and eight that examined leadership in extracurricular activities (Bush et al, 2019;A. Coffey & Lavery, 2018;Guest, 2018;Hartzell & Hong, 2016;Kagay et al, 2015;Mitra et al, 2010;Preus et al, 2016;Weinberger, 2014).…”