Assumption High School, 3 Students
Louisville, KY
Advisor: Mary Ann Steutermann
Students across the country are stepping up to solve real challenges in their communities. At Assumption High School, a team of students saw a need and took action—demonstrating the power of empathy, care, and commitment to service. Their project, Fostering Future Friends, is a testament to what’s possible when young leaders take charge.
The Need
Children entering the foster care system often arrive with little to nothing of their own. This project aimed to provide emotional and physical support by assembling backpacks filled with essential items—such as blankets, water bottles, coloring books, and more—to communicate a simple but powerful message: you are loved and not forgotten. The team set a goal to assemble 30 backpacks to support children in this critical moment of transition.
The Project
To kick off their efforts, the students created a template letter to send to local businesses requesting donations. They also organized a school-wide “dress down day,” inviting students to contribute $2 to participate. When initial responses from businesses were underwhelming, the team regrouped and tapped into personal connections. They identified community ties through family members, leading to a breakthrough: a grandparent connected them locally with Fives Intralogistics Charitable Foundation—which generously donated $5,000 to the project.
The Result
Although they missed their original deadline, the team exceeded their goal and ultimately assembled 50 backpacks—20 more than planned—and delivered them to a local foster care service. Through their efforts, Lead4Change also fulfilled a grant request of $4,800 back to Fives Intralogistics Charitable Foundation, to continue their partnership and assembly of the backpacks.
Empowering Students to Lead with Purpose
These students didn’t just have a great idea—they had the leadership skills to bring it to life. That’s exactly what Lead4Change is all about.
Lead4Change is a free leadership curriculum that helps middle and high school students:
✅ Identify real needs in their communities
✅ Develop creative solutions
✅ Take meaningful action
Just like the students behind Fostering Future Friends, your students have the potential to create real change—they just need the right tools.
Bring Leadership to Your Classroom
Help your students lead, serve, and make a difference with our free, ready-to-use curriculum.
Every student has the potential to be a great leader who gets big things done. Lead4Change unlocks that potential—empowering them to see a problem, take action, and create lasting impact in their communities.
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