Varsity
Leadership
Academy
Helping Youth Rise Above to Become Value-Driven Leaders
Varsity Leadership Academy (VLA) believes that leaders who make an impact are defined by understanding their “why.” Our mission is to help high school students grow in their leadership and find the values that drive them, so they can transform their teams and communities for good.
The
Need
Gen Z is facing a unique set of challenges due to the aftermath of the pandemic and a tense political climate, in addition to personal challenges such as instability at home.
74%
deal with feelings of loneliness
66%
experience feelings of high anxiety
35%
admitted to suicidal thoughts in the last 3 months
*Global Youth Culture: Insights from a Digital Generation, OneHope. USA Data. Please note these are not necessarily clinical levels of depression or anxiety. Teens interpreted for themselves the terms provided and self-reported if they felt they had experienced them.
The
Solution
Gen Z is one of the most cause-driven generations. They want a noble challenge and to create change.
By pairing them with leaders from the community, we can equip them with values that lead to transformation. We believe we can empower the next generation to make a positive impact on themselves, their teammates, and the world around them.
Outcomes
We believe in measuring the impact of values-based leadership and working to continually improve the Academy so that we can reach and raise up more Varsity Leaders. These are our core outcomes we aim to deliver on:
-
Bridges to Belong
Teams grow in unity and help others feel seen and valuable
-
Bridges to Believe
Students grow in their leadership and belief in their influence
-
Bridges to Become
Students know how to use their influence to reach out and serve others
Pillars of VLA Transformation
We help students and teams take their leadership to the next level with a 6-session per semester program that helps them learn values they can take with them even after graduation.
Leadership Values
Through our student-led, facilitator-guided course, students will build emotional intelligence, resilience, accountability, and unity with self-assessments and application steps weekly.
Influence by Community Varsity Leaders
VLA community leaders, also known as facilitators, will guide students on a weekly basis and serve as a mentor and resource for their growth. They will empower students to self-evaluate and apply leadership values to help others in the community.
Outreach and Servant Leadership
Students will put the lessons into practice by serving their local community through a strategic bridge-building outreach, with the goal of carrying these values of service well beyond the program.
Community Varsity Leaders / Facilitators
Our community varsity leaders, also known as facilitators, act as guides that inspire students to lead with their values, participate in interactive team discussions, and set actionable goals for leadership development and service in their community.
Get Your Team Started with VLA
Are you a high school coach, admin, or other school leader that wants to get your team involved in VLA? By signing up, you’ll help your students access resources to build bridges and grow in their self-confidence. Once you fill out a form, we will set up a meeting with you to go over all the details.
Support the Movement
Your generosity enables us to reach the future leaders in our community.
By providing a scholarship, one-time, or monthly donation, you can help us reach and raise up high school students and give them the tools to belong, believe, and become value-driven leaders.