Designed to educate and train rising 10th and 11th grade students to become the next generation of civic leaders and social changemakers. Students receive over 400 hours of advocacy and identity based learning while improving their public speaking skills and gaining confidence to take action. Cohorts are composed of a racially and economically diverse group of 20- 24 students from both public and private high schools across the Greater St. Louis region. Our award winning curriculum includes overnight retreats, monthly meetings, and our hallmark 2-3- week “Transformational Journey.”

Partnering with local school districts and organizations, we provide targeted programming and leadership training. Our community programming includes immersive school experiences, Informative Workshops on delicate topics, Courageous Conversations to encourage understanding, and Cross District Partnerships to engage students with spatially diverse perspectives. We arm participants with the tools to identify inequity, advocate for positive action, and leave them with sustained commitment to improving their community at large through creating a "culture of change."

This year-long experiential learning program caters to 7th through 9th grade students from across the region, and introduces them to history, culture, and identity through the Black and Jewish lens. Emerging Changemakers is modeled after our High School Leadership Program and is scaled appropriately for younger students with a social emotional learning focus. We place emphasis on experiential learning, identity exploration, relationship-building, and identifying and advocating against bullying. Students meet monthly in different locations across the region and embark on a 3-day Changemaker Immersion Trip to Chicago, Illinois in the summer.

Launching back in the summer 2026, students will take part in cohort- based training with corporations, local businesses, and nonprofit organizations. Participants will learn the importance of I.D.E.A. in all career fields and each cohort will engage in professional development opportunities, including networking events and leadership skill-building workshops.

A summer camp for rising 6th through 9th graders, Camp LEAD introduces and reinforces social change concepts and ties them to leadership skills in a way that challenges our participants to have “Courageous Conversations.” Camp LEAD features four different week-long sessions, each with a different theme such as activism through art, environmental justice, and cultural exploration. Campers can apply for one, two, three, or all four sessions! Each session culminates in a capstone showcase where campers get to present their final projects.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us anytime.