Leadership is the art of mobilizing others to want to struggle for shared aspirations.

The Heavener Leadership Challenge (HLC) uses principles from the best-selling leadership book “The Student Leadership Challenge” by Jim Kouzes and Barry Posner. We show students that leadership is a learnable skill.

Each semester, about 65 accepted students complete a self-assessment where they evaluate their leadership behaviors. Students then identify, understand and capitalize on the five practices of exemplary leadership listed in “The Student Leadership Challenge.”

Participants focus on learning about each practice through large and small group activities, and a TED Talk-style presentation by facilitators who have completed and now lead the program.

Throughout the program, students engage in action-based scenarios to experience the leadership practices in real time. Within HLC, each student finds an opportunity to increase their leadership ability and implement the leadership practices outside of HLC; whether it be at school, work, or other extracurricular programs. Students then share their results of their skill development at a final retreat.

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