We believe every student has the potential to be a great leader who gets big things done.
That’s why we offer a free, step-by-step leadership program designed to help students:
- Develop real-world leadership skills
- Creating meaningful change in their communities
- AND get credit toward graduation
In the state of Ohio, Lead4Change is an Industry Recognized Credential!
(CQ07, worth 3 points toward high school graduation to be specific 😉)
Here’s how the program works:
Enroll for free
Sign up, and you’ll get instant educator access to our ready-to-use leadership lessons. They’re simple to follow and easy to fit into your schedule. No student logins or accounts to manage!
Facilitate the lessons
Everything you need is in your Lead4Change dashboard—no extra prep required. Working in teams as small as three or as big as a whole class, your students will put their leadership skills into action by creating and completing a service project to meet a need in their school or community.
Participate in the Optional Lead4Change Small Grants Program
Your students can extend their service project impact by participating in the small grants program and competing for up to $10,000 in grant money from Lead4Change for their school, club or a nonprofit in their community.
Submit documentation to receive credit
Upon completion of your students' service project, you’ll upload the requested work samples for each team in your member dashboard. The Lead4Change team will review the work, and upon review of completion, you’ll receive a digital certificate to print for participating students. Submit the certificate to your administration to receive high school credit.
And the best part? Lead4Change is completely FREE! This program will create a more rewarding year for you and your students.
Plus: Students who complete the Lead4Change Curriculum and submit a Service Project receive 3 credits toward graduation!
Learn more about Lead4Change
Since its inception in 2012, over 2 million students and educators have participated in the Lead4Change Student Leadership program, creating meaningful change in schools and communities nationwide.
The Lead4Change program has equipped students nationwide to:
- Identify real needs in their communities
- Develop creative solutions
- Take meaningful action
Hear inspiring stories of impact
Chemo Comfort
Just like the students behind these inspiring stories, your students have the potential to create real change—they just need the right tools.
Want to explore how Lead4Change can work for you?
Set up time with Ali, one of our instructional coaches for a quick chat on how to implement it in your classroom.
Lead4Change success stories near you
Every year, thousands of schools nationwide are utilizing the Lead4Change program to create real change in their schools and communities. Learn how a handful of the schools near you used this service-learning framework in 2024.
The Need: After learning that there are 50-100 people who are homeless in their community every night, this team decided to raise money to provide canned food goods to their local community members in need.
The Project: The students hosted two fundraisers where they sold concession stands at school events that allowed them to purchase a total of 833 cans for donation! Not only that, but they found ways to include students with disabilities in their project so that they too could give of their time to serve the community. They split the canned goods between two local food pantries.
The Result: The students delivered a total of 833 canned food items to two separate food pantries. Lead4Change accepted their proposal of $3,000 which allows the school to purchase an ice cream maker and a popcorn popper — two items they will used to continue to sell concessions so that they can use the proceeds to support projects like this in their community.
The Need: These young adults with special needs partnered together to serve two local animal shelters that needed donations in order to continue to provide good food and care to their pets waiting to be adopted.
The Project: The students set out to raise $100 and collect 50 bags of pet food for donations. They created flyers, posted in the local newspaper, and created awareness in their community about their donation boxes that were placed around the city at different businesses.
The Result: The students were able to collect $372 and 30 bags of pet food for donations through their efforts! Lead4Change accepted their $2,500 proposal so that they could create their own biscuits and treats for the animals in the shelter. Additionally, they will use the funding to distribute more collection boxes around the city and draw more awareness to their cause.
The Need: Bring mental health awareness and support specifically to farmers who rarely receive the support and resources they need to help them improve their mental health.
The Project: These students hosted a 3-day Dodgeball Tournament at their school to raise money for FarmAid, raising $255 in total and bringing the entire school together to support their cause.
The Result: The students raised $255 and Lead4Change accepted their matching proposal of $255 to be donated to FarmAid and support the mental health of farmers in their community.
The Need: After serving warm meals at a local homeless shelter, these Juniors and Seniors noticed that beyond nutrition, these community members also needed basic hygiene and personal care items.
The Project: These students rallied resources from the local community and school to create 25 hygiene kits to donate to the homeless in their community.
The Result: The students reached their goal and excelled in supporting the personal hygiene and mental health of the homeless in their community. Lead4Change accepted their $3,200 proposal to be able to provide 25 hygiene kits monthly for the remainder of the year.
The Need: Some students with disabilities are excluded from participating in regular school activities because they are either not invited or unable to. Additionally, the school struggles to consistently raise money to help with extracurriculars and service projects.
The Project: The students realized that the school was negatively impacted by the exclusion of students with multiple disabilities — particularly 3 students. And that both those students and the school at large would benefit from their inclusion. So these NHS high school students started making and selling popcorn at the school and included students with disabilities in the process.
The Result: Lead4Change accepted their $500 proposal to purchase supplies for one month of popcorn supplies that would allow their NHS chapter to become profitable and create more service opportunities.
The Need: Develop a safe and fun environment for middle and high school students to make friends and develop social skills because so many struggle with making friends, bullying, and mental health.
The Project: The students created a group at school called “Lunch Chats” — a safe and fun environment where students who don’t have many friends, lack social skills, and confidence can come together for lunch, snacks, games and make new friends! Their group became Teen Mental Health First-Aid Certified so that they could guide students facing crisis. 20 students benefitted from their hospitality and care.
The Result: They have already seen many benefits from their Lunch Chats group and have encouraged 20 younger students who did not have many friends and lacked social skills. Lead4Change accepted their $1,000 proposal to continue to provide snacks and games for Lunch Chats through the next school year.
The Need: Provide healthy food at no cost to people in need in their city.
The Project: The students partnered with a local non-profit that allows low-income residents to shop for nutritious food at no cost. Through that partnership, the students learned of “food deserts” in the Cincinnati area —pockets of the city where healthy and free food is unavailable to those in need. The students volunteered for 4 consecutive months with this local non-profit to help feed those in need in the city.
The Result: The students filled a great need and raised awareness to this need in Cincinnati and developed a strong relationship with the Liberty Street Market Freestore Foodbank. Lead4Change accepted their proposal of $1,500 so that next year, they can use bus transportation to take more students to serve at more foodbanks in the city in order to serve more in need and create more awareness.
The Need: Support disadvantaged women in the community struggling with hunger, poverty, support, and opportunity.
The Project: Students sought to collect purses and wallets to offer a since of dignity and collected hygiene products to donate to individuals to cover their basic needs. This would also help them to prepare for job readiness, like the students at Trumbull Career and Technical Center, and give them the ability to show up for new jobs with proper hygiene.
The Result: More than 58 purses in total were collected and filled with hygiene products, makeup, notebooks, personal items and other goods for women. Another 32 women’s wallets were collected as well as some nice clothing items. All given to women in need in the community through a local non-profit called The Beatitude House. Lead4Change accepted their proposal of $3,000 to purchase and provide basic hygiene products, personal items, and clothing to 100 more women in their community.
Testimonials
The lessons provided in Lead4Change are truly life-changing. (My students) are stronger and more confident as leaders and members of the team.
Laura Ramos, WA | High School Adviser
Teamwork was also a crucial skill gained during this project. Students learn to navigate collaboration not just within their own group but also with external volunteers and adult partners. This broadened their understanding of teamwork dynamics and the importance of effective communication across different age groups and roles.
Katie Mosher, OH | High School Adviser
This project totally transformed my communication skills. Learning to explain complex ideas clearly and concisely was a challenge, but it made me a better communicator overall.
Lead4Change High School Student, OH
Participating in service projects through Lead4Change fosters a sense of empathy and civic responsibility in my students.
Rebecca Leitzell, PA | High School Adviser