Pathways to Leadership
Pathways to Leadership (PTL) is an all-encompassing social-emotional and leadership development program in local middle schools to teach and grow the future leaders of Charleston! Our work currently is with Simmons-Pinckney and Morningside Middle, two Title I schools with unlimited potential that feed into our two partner high schools. The goal of PTL is to help middle schoolers become comfortable with who they are, where they are, and where they are going so that they can effectively lead their peers when entering high school. Our programming meets students where they are in their SEL and leadership journey and teach the necessary skills, knowledge, and mindsets for them to face any challenges with confidence.
Each grade arc follows the pattern of exploring one of four themes. The year always begins with the question “Who Am I?” and is followed by “Who are You?” Having an understanding of who they are and who their peers are is essential to fulfilling their potential of being leaders. The second half of the year then focuses on “Who Are We” and “Where Am I Going” with an emphasis on service and goal-setting. The full year of programming gives students the full scope of where they fit into this world and how they can make change in their communities by leading.
We partner with Charleston Promise Neighborhood to deliver a three-year arc that inspires students to be the best version of themselves, exposes them to new experiences, and pushes them to begin thinking about their future, passions, and where they fit in the world. Our work meets with students in school and over the summer to ensure that students get consistent programming all year and opportunities to find their passions and strengths. We rely heavily on community partners to bring their expertises to our students and show just how big and exciting the world can be for them to explore!
The Arcs
Sixth Grade - PTL begins in the sixth grade where students have the opportunity to build relationships with each other and with our program. They come from different elementary schools and sometimes do not know each other! They surely do not know us! Until students feel comfortable with their surroundings and any new faces, the work cannot begin. This phase is focused on developing their self-awareness, confidence, communication skills, and relationships. These baseline skills are imperative to learn before any leadership training can occur! Whether it is completing a strengths finder, practicing yoga, or working in teams towards a common goal, our sixth graders find out who they are and where they fit among their peers and school.
Seventh Grade - We build off of the foundation established in sixth grade with a deeper dive into self-advocacy, empathy-driven service towards others, and an understanding of their power. Students learn more about their city and their school, how their voice needs to be heard, and what type of leader they can be to drive progress forward. The seventh grade arc is one of inspiring students to grow their weaknesses and that of their community. Once students have a clear vision of who they want to be and what they want their surroundings to look like, they are able to begin the process of career-planning and making the changes they want to see in their school and neighborhoods.
Eighth Grade - Students continue to grow their social-emotional intelligence and leadership abilities by becoming more introspective of themselves, their passions, inspirations, and plans for heading into high school. While eighth grade will continue to grow the SEL and leadership work from the previous two years, students will also take a serious look forward. The transition from middle to high school is daunting and incredibly important. Having a strong start to high school as a freshman, where the stakes take a dramatic step up, can be a make or break year for students. We introduce them to the challenges and pitfalls of high school, the opportunities through the CTE pathways, and the habits they can adopt to ensure success.
Students discovered their leadership style and how to activate their strengths!
Students were taught about leaving their mark on the world because they are the future leaders and problem solvers of society. One practice they completed was writing a letter to their future self.
Students wrote their observations of a pair of shoes to describe the story about the person behind the shoe. This was the beginning of a lesson on empathy and practicing not judging a person until you have walked a mile in their shoes.
Our PTL Community Partners
