NextGen Leadership Academy

NextGen Academy Program Accomplishments 2020January - May:Held biweekly meetings over zoom with a team of 5 volunteers, which included previous NGT Ignite directors as well as previous Momentum directors. The proposition and planning revolved around further development and expansion of the High School anti-bullying program, as well as the summer Ignite program. Both Momentum and Ignite are highly successful programs that help teens deal with their own anxiety and depression while at the same time, mentoring their peers, expanding their capacity to care for others. They become role models for their peers and work on creating caring communities within their schools and social environments. Over the course of five months the team strategized on ways in which Momentum and Ignite could be sustainable without an ongoing full year NGA program. The NGT website was restructured to reflect a new model program. Early in the year, Eric went to a Challenge Day Training with the hopes creating a working relationship with them. The pandemic shutdown impacted the forwarding of both programs. The consensus of the team was that we needed to pause and regroup once things returned to normal.Facilitated Celebration of Life service for NGA alumni graduate. Organized an NGA weekend reunion for her peers offering support during a difficult time.Interviewed NGA founder, Jeff Adshead, for the writing of a book about NGA.Worked with an NGA alumni, Sam Orman, on the development of a survey questionnaire. Weekly coaching calls and daily check-ins. Survey sent out to 150 graduates with a 50% response rate. The questionnaire included an area for stories, anecdotes, and real-life outcomes from their participation in the NGA program. We asked for "the real, the raw, the ridiculous." It also included a scale where the outcomes could be measured. June-December:FOCUS on Book - NGT WayThe book will be about the curriculum of an NGA year and include curriculum from Summer Challenge, Ignite, Fusion and Momentum. The book is for educators, administrators, corporate trainers, coaches, parents, and all those who want to expand their understanding of social/emotional learning and leadership training. This book is challenging me to express accurately events that happened related to leadership training and creating an intentional community and have that training and community be worthwhile and useful to the world. Compiled data from surveys. Sifted through, organized and transcribed hours of video footage from 10 years of NGA activities. Initial format of book established with 54 chapters following a typical NGA year. First 100 pages written. Ongoing:Coaching, counseling supporting NGA graduates in personal well-being, career, and marriage relationships. Wrote 11 letters of recommendation for scholarships, job appointments and graduate studies. NGA graduates often ask our counsel and support. We've had numerous couples and individuals stay with us from a few days to a few weeks - taking time for personal retreat - to reflect, heal and renew themselves. We are working with several couples on the planning, design, and implementation of ongoing spiritual retreats. To be launched in 2022.