The Clinton Center’s Student Presidential Leaders Series is a multi-session educational program for high school students designed to inspire the next generation through curriculum and activities rooted in social engagement.
Watch the video to hear from past participants and scroll down to see more information.
The Student Presidential Leaders Series (SPLS) engages high school students to develop their leadership skills, explore the importance of civic participation, and learn how to turn knowledge into action. Through this program, students will build the capacity to be leaders today and in the future.
This year, 30 high school students (9th through 12th grades) will be selected to participate in the program where they will create connections with their peers from across the state, get inspired by established leaders, and learn how to make a meaningful impact.
Designed with accessibility and long-term impact in mind, the Clinton Foundation offers this program at no cost to participants.
Students can expect to walk away with:
• Improved leadership capacities • Tools and strategies to promote psychological safety, allyship, diversity, and inclusion • Real-world experience in addressing social inequities through service projects • A strengthened commitment to civic participation and social justice
Students will receive tools, strategies, metrics, and techniques to:
• Build a foundation for leading complex and meaningful social change.
• Explore the realities and inequities that negatively impact their respective communities.
• Foster a shared aspiration for creating equitable, inclusive change as Arkansas’s next generation of leaders.
• Bridge the gap between reality and aspiration by focusing on systemic solutions.
The Student Presidential Leaders Series’ in-person retreat provides students with the opportunity to learn, connect, and grow as leaders in a psychologically safe space that empowers them to identify structural injustices and develops new tools to lead to systemic change.
The retreat is facilitated by Just Communities of Arkansas (JCA), an organization with nearly 60 years of expertise and experience in facilitating difficult but necessary conversations. Participants can build new relationships with others around the state, creating a unique network of solidarity and capacity for leading change. Through facilitated dialogue, organic discussions, and hands-on activities with real-world applications, participants will gain a sense of unity, urgency, empowerment, and enlightenment to look within themselves and each other to lead positive, equitable change.
Returning SPLS participants will have advanced focus groups to develop their leadership further and drive for social change.
December 2023 (Date to be determined by SPLS participants)
(Virtual)
The second session of the Student Presidential Leaders Series, a virtual touchpoint, provides a platform for participants to share their post-retreat experiences. Participants will discuss how they’ve applied their leadership skills at school and in their communities, highlighting specific outcomes and impacts of their efforts.
This session also offers space to address any challenges and to share success stories, fostering an environment of shared learning and resilience. The focus is not just on the individual’s growth, but how this growth is catalyzing change within their respective communities. It reinforces our commitment to outcome-oriented, impactful leadership.
February 2024 (Date to be determined by SPLS participants)
(Virtual)
In anticipation of Global Youth Service Day (GYSD)—a worldwide event celebrating the energy, spirit, and potential of youth—the third session of the Student Presidential Leaders Series concentrates on each participant’s individual leadership milestones.
This virtual meeting, facilitated by the Clinton Center, provides a nurturing space for our emerging leaders to reflect on their journey. They’ll share personal milestones, insights gained, and the challenges they’ve tackled, showcasing their evolution as leaders primed to make a difference.
As we prepare for GYSD, we will use session three to better define each participant’s unique path, underscoring their commitment to invoke positive change within their communities. This will serve as the foundation for GYSD where we will celebrate their progress.
Initiated in 1988, Global Youth Service Day (GYSD) is the leading worldwide event, underscoring the significance of youth contributions to our society.
This final session of the Series will bring together our Student Presidential Leaders cohort one last time. We’ll also invite students across the state to take part in this year’s GYSD program. At the heart of this event is the shared ambition of our young leaders to effect transformative change in their communities.
The session has three components:
Networking: GYSD will provide an environment for young leaders to connect with their peers, facilitating the growth of a supportive network.
Leadership Stories: The Student Presidential Leaders will share their personal leadership journeys with peers from across the state, offering valuable insights into the experiences of young leaders.
Local Service Project: This hands-on initiative allows students to apply their leadership skills in a real-world community setting. This service project goes beyond mere participation; it serves as an experiential learning opportunity that demonstrates practical leadership.
By sharing these experiences, insights, and ambitions, we aim to encourage a sustained commitment to positive community change among our young leaders.
Leadership to me means inspiring others without being a burden on them, it means just inspiring them to do what they can while also guiding them along the way.
2023 Student Presidential Leaders Series Participant
Making an Impact
The Clinton Center’s Student Presidential Leaders Series brings together a group of 30 high school students who seek to make an impact on their communities. Throughout the year-long experience, students will grow in leadership ability, civic engagement, and vision.
