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Training the Leaders of Tomorrow Today

standupleadership.org

A SUNY Geneseo student is helping to train high school students to be the leaders of tomorrow.

History major from Phoenix, Arizona, Brandon Gaylord, created and organized the "StandUp Leadership Program."

He says it's a program designed to provide high school students the same kind of leadership opportunities that SUNY students get.

"We recognize that a lot of students don't get these opportunities elsewhere, but they are expected to know a lot of these skills, such as team building.  So we're stepping in and offering a chance to learn these skills in a collegiate setting."

Around 128 students from area high schools are participating in the program.

It includes team-building sessions and workshops on topics like public speaking, the power of being an introvert and active listening.

"What we do is we reach out to the schools and we ask them to identify students who are underserved but have potential.  Each school has different dynamics, so we leave it up to the school to define what underserved is.  But we really want students who have potential, but who are a little bit more introverted and shy, but could step out and really stand up and be a leader if someone gave them a chance."

Gaylord says the program would not have been possible without the support of the SUNY Geneseo community, and he hopes to bring it back next year.

There's more at standupleadership.org.

Credit standupleadership.org
Brandon Gaylord