Since 2016, young people from throughout the Abraham Lincoln National Heritage Area have come together to experience and learn from LEAD: The Spirit of Lincoln Youth Academy. Selected as emerging young leaders from their communities, the youth gather for retreats, classes, seminars, and presentations to explore the qualities that made Abraham Lincoln such a great leader in his day. They learn why those same qualities are important in our leaders today, and how, as individuals, they can apply those qualities as they develop their own leadership skills for the future.
During LEAD, the Emerging Leaders:
- Explore Lincoln’s life and times by visiting various sites and locations throughout the National Heritage Area to see how individuals were able to make a difference in their communities and affect change in their state and their nation.
- Examine how people in today’s world face many of the same challenges as those faced by Lincoln and other leaders of his day – including issues such as racism through a series of group discussions, projects, and presentations.
- Discuss the leadership qualities of honesty, empathy, humility and perseverance to help incorporate those qualities into their own lives as they return to their communities.
“My favorite part was learning how other leaders lead, so I can become a leader, too. I will use what I’ve learned to become a leader and to teach others how to be leaders.”
– Madeleine Luna
