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STUDENT LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT

Helping Kids Become Leaders

Children & teens often think they aren't leaders, but leadership grows with experience. Instead of believing only a few can lead, we should embrace that everyone has leadership potential needing just the right opportunities to flourish. Peers not Fears offers these chances to all students, at any skill level.

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Why do we need leadership skills?

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Peers Not Fears emphasizes that leadership skills, like confidence and decision-making, are learned not innate. Our mission is to equip kids with these skills intentionally through our programs, rather than leaving them to learn from life's trials alone. We focus on nurturing confidence, resilience, and awareness, preparing kids to face challenges with empathy.

 

Our monthly Leadership program offers teens a platform to enhance their decision-making, independence, and courage, ensuring they receive the leadership opportunities they need. Are you a parent concerned about your teen's leadership skills? Let's explore how we can support their growth together. 

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How do we develop leadership skills?

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We design and offer content aimed at fostering accountability, team-building, and confidence through various online programs and a six-session course addressing common obstacles to leadership. Targeting non-profit youth groups and elementary to high school students, our initiatives strive to fill the gap in student leadership development often overlooked by schools. We advocate for inclusive programming that nurtures leadership qualities in all students, challenging the educational status quo by empowering youth to lead. It's crucial to actively support and listen to students aspiring to make a difference, truly embodying the role of educators in inspiring the next generation. What steps are you taking to empower these future leaders?

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Are you ready to bridge the gap?

 

 

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PEERS NOT FEARS

VISION

To build a stronger tomorrow by empowering high school students through leadership.

MISSION

Provide foundational and personalized leadership skills to high school teens, regardless of age, race, socioeconomic status, and gender.

High Fives

Donna Furlong, M.Ed.

Upper Elementary Principal, Grades 3-5

Hillsboro-Deering Elementary School

We hired Lorraine to work with our paraprofessional staff. We wanted to present them with something current, relevant, and thought-provoking. Mission accomplished.  Lorraine’s topics of discussion helped build our team of educators into a team of learners where trust was developed, vulnerability showed, and our teachers walked away stronger for it. And the best part is that when they signed off from the PD, it didn’t end there. All of the topics are relevant enough so that they still come back around every day and have us reflecting differently on how we see the world and each other.

Hi, I am Lorraine!

Leadership is Developed

I believe that we are all developing leadership. Students are under the assumption that leaders are born, but I know that we are all developing as leaders

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Too many of us, myself included, don't see ourselves as the leaders we are. I am on a mission to change that myth. Leaders are not born they are developed, we need to provide opportunities for us to grow as leaders. Making mistakes is part of the process, and while the stakes are high in developing leaders the ultimate growth of a positive school culture is worth it!

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After spending 20 years in the classroom I realized that we were not only perpetuating the myth, we were using it to our advantage. I didn't see myself as a leader, I was just a teacher, just a mom, just - just - just. When one (or several) of my students told me they were leaders I knew I had to redefine leadership for myself, so I could change my belief in others. 

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Lorraine, CEO of Peers Not Fears

PEERS not FEARS

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I know that there is a lot of fear in schools, and so much of that fear is built into relationships with our peers. If we see our peers as leaders and ourselves as leaders, we can start seeing community!

Melissa Minery

School Counselor/Student Services

Spark Academy of Advanced Technologies

Lorraine worked with our first-year students over a period of weeks to develop leadership skills. Our students looked forward to her engaging activities. What I really appreciated was the time she took to write thoughtful observations for each of the 25 students who participated. She positively reinforced the students' strengths and gently encouraged them to approach challenges in new ways. I look forward to working with her again.
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