Emerging Leaders Program (ELP)
We believe that today’s students are tomorrow’s leaders. The Emerging Leaders Program (ELP) offers a series of services and training workshops designed to fulfill Edu-Futuro’s vision of a “Classroom-to-Career” continuum of support that helps students to graduate from high school, enroll in college, and achieve professional success. Participation in ELP is open without discrimination to all youth, including (but not limited to) vulnerable student populations recognized by local school systems as Economically Disadvantaged (ED), English Learner (EL), and/or Hispanic youth. All ELP programs are completely free of charge.
Each year, hundreds of students participate in the Emerging Leaders Program’s five core initiatives: our afterschool ELP STEM Robotics clubs for youth in grades 6-8; virtual Pre-ELP high school preparation workshops, also for youth in grades 6-8; ELP-I college readiness and leadership workshops for students in grades 9-12; ELP-II year-long college enrollment mentorship and scholarships/financial aid guidance for high school seniors; and ELP-III college life guidance for students attending local postsecondary institutions.
ELP is much more than a college readiness program: our free courses open the doors of opportunity to a brighter, better future. We encourage you to apply, and to let Edu-Futuro become part of your personal journey!
ELP STEM Robotics
Edu-Futuro’s ELP STEM Robotics program offers opportunities for students in grades 6-8 to access quality academic enrichment and develop interests in STEM professions through participation in fun, cooperative team robotics activities. Youth meet weekly to work through a curriculum vetted by the Carnegie Mellon Robotics Academy, and aligned with national Common Core Standards. At the end of the school year, teams showcase their skills and knowledge in an internal competition. Students can also elect to return for a second year, where they further hone their skills using a more advanced curriculum, and participate in regional competitions.
Pre-Emerging Leaders
Pre-ELP is a virtual Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) program specifically designed to help students in grades 6-8 develop their leadership skills as they transition from middle school to high school. Sessions for the four-week program are conducted via Zoom and intended to cultivate vital emotional intelligence, self-awareness, self-management, and leadership skills in participating students. Throughout the program, students earn badges for demonstrating indicators of success, and each session concludes with a challenge of the week that enables participants to apply the concepts of SEL in real-life situations. Parents are encouraged to participate in an initial Kickoff Session that provides detailed information about the full course of our Pre-ELP workshops.
Emerging Leaders Program Part I (ELP I)
ELP-I is a six-week college readiness workshop series offered to youth in grades 9-11 three times per year, in the fall, spring, and summer. The program helps students graduate from high school and build a path to college by: developing interpersonal and study skills; providing critical information on postsecondary enrollment, scholarships, and financial aid; and fostering the self-confidence needed to become leaders in their own communities. ELP-I students participate in campus visits, as well as training workshops on such topics as resume preparation, job interviews, networking, financial literacy, public speaking, and the college application process. Youth are also matched with mentors and participate in speech and essay competitions that offer a total of $6,000 in scholarship prizes throughout the year.
Emerging Leaders Program Part II (ELP II)
The centerpiece of our youth services is the life-changing ELP-II program, which offers high school seniors who graduated from ELP-I a year-long series of invaluable educational workshops, and matches students with mentors who provide intensive one-on-one weekly sessions aimed at guiding participants through the college admissions, scholarship, and financial aid application processes. The program’s ultimate goal is to ensure that youth can graduate from high school, enroll in college, graduate with postsecondary degrees, and establish career paths that can break the cycle of poverty.
We are very proud to report that the 219 outstanding high school seniors who graduated from ELP-II during the last four years were collectively offered more than $29 million in scholarships and financial aid for their four-year college education. Past and present ELP-II graduates are currently attending the following universities: American University, Catholic University of America, George Mason University, George Washington University, James Madison University, Marymount University, Massachusetts College of Art and Design, Old Dominion University, Penn State University, Philadelphia Academy of Fine Arts, Radford University, Rhode Island School of Design, School of Arts in Chicago, Virginia Commonwealth University, Northern Virginia Community College, Virginia Tech, and the College of William and Mary.
Emerging Leaders Program Part III (ELP III)
The newest addition to the Emerging Leaders Program, ELP-III successfully extends our “Classroom-to-Career” continuum of academic support and guidance to students attending local colleges who also graduated from ELP-II. Through ELP-III, our mentors help participants navigate through the challenges of college life, providing training sessions on financial aid and essential life skills, such as: time management, effective study skills, and career exploration.
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