The Young Leader

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Summer College Programs for High School Students in Europe

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If you’ve ever wanted to travel to Europe then GLA’s travel programs are for you.

These experiences can be thought of as summer college programs for high school students, as they’re great for students  getting ready to attend college for the first time in the fall or the year after. Just think about setting foot in an unfamiliar place, starting a new journey, and best of all being able to share the experience with others who you meet for the first time in college that few others your age will have had.

To the UK

1. England, Scotland, Wales, and…

If you decide to go to the UK you’ll be able to see lots of destinations crossed off your bucket list! Not only are you going to visit these places, but you’ll also be exposed to the country’s art and culture — Big Ben, Parliament, and the Tower Bridge are just a few places you’ll stop. These places are incredible to see and even better for a selfie or picture to be taken and posted to Instagram!

2. Coasteering, like cliff jumping?

Of course, while you’re sight seeing, there are fun activities planned too. You’ll be coasteering – yes this is a real thing – and so much more. Imagine learning how to fish first hand from a local fisherman too!

3. Help do your part.

While this all sounds like a lot of fun, you’ll also be helping out the local community and making a difference. You’ll be volunteering to help youth who are at risk and learning how London is working to solve issues like food waste and homelessness. By the time you’re done here, you’ll practically have seen the world and know how to make a difference in it.

To Spain

1. Water so clear you won’t see what hits you (except you can)

When in Spain you’ll be able to watch Barcelona’s flamenco dancers and maybe learn a few moves of your own. Then there’s the Mediterranean beach where you can get your tan on or kayak in and see wildlife through the clear waters. But if action is calling your name then bullfighting is for you – or at least touring the stadium.

2. Foodie, artist, linguistic, or…

There are so many opportunities to dive into the Spanish culture. If you’re a foodie then taking a cooking class and learning how to make authentic food is just for you. But if you’re more into art, then walk the streets and see architecture from famous people like Picasso or Gaudi. Perhaps you’ve always wanted to try and learn a new language. Well classes are offered and you can try out your skills at a local marketplace.

3. Leave your mark

Sometimes the best way to make an impact is by listening. In Spain, you’ll focus on service projects helping those in need. Think of making lasting relationship and hearing people’s stories of where they come from and how it all happened.

So what pre-college program will you choose to travel to? The world is yours, so why not see it and make lasting memories in it!

Contributed by Samantha Watkins

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Summer Nursing Programs for High School Students – How Teens Can Get on the Right Foot Early

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Ever wanted to go abroad and make a lasting difference with others through medicine and health? Well, now you can! GLA offers several ways to improve the pathway to nursing through their summer nursing programs for high school students, which is the perfect first step if you’re thinking of entering the medical world later on in your college/career path.

On the Dominican Republic: Global Health Initiative™ you are able to work with at-risk families, young children, and community leaders. While there, you’ll learn practical skills critical to success in the medical field as a nurse, while expanding your knowledge base through working in areas of health, sustainability, and education. This kind of experience really shapes up for a future in nursing for those who can handle the grit and grind of the job.

If the Dominican Republic isn’t calling your name, then check out the Ghana: Building Healthy Villages™ program. It offers similar initiatives like focusing on improving health conditions, but with a twist of even more limited resources in rural west Africa. Nearly four-fifths of Africa’s population lives on less than one dollar a day, so it is a challenge to improve healthcare while maintaining minimal costs. Here, you’ll work on the ground to understand how public initiatives that tackle a problem before it festers can help reduce the burden on the healthcare system, lowering the number of patients who are eventually seen by nurses and doctors.

In both places you will get to see first-hand how a clinic operates, and how different developing countries handle their approach to medical care. Unlike nursing programs for high school students in the United States and Europe, it becomes clear early on that nurses are rarer and even more critical to short and long-term care in countries with fewer resources. You will also understand what being a future nurse can look like if you choose to work outside developed economies.

Where else can you go overseas and learn life lessons that are directly connected to becoming a future nurse? Not only are you able to shadow people in the field, but you are able to work with them and get to know them on a personal level. Ask them questions! Get into the nitty gritty! See the daily hardships and obstacles, but also understand the rewards. Think of the joy you’ll bring as you help people enter a medical system that isn’t always as accessible as it seems they should be.

For more info on nursing summer programs for high school students, and other programs in the Medicine & Public Health field, click here.

Contributed by Samantha Watkins

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Three Really Creative Teen Entrepreneur Ideas For Starting a Business

Have you ever wanted to run your own business, but you’re not sure how to start?

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Welcome fellow entrepreneur! Here’s a 5-step process as well as 3 ideas to kickstart your very own business:

Step 1) Discovering and Specifying Value Proposition

Step 2) Reflecting Personally and Building Passion

Step 3) Vetting Preliminary Feedback (Market Research)

Step 4) Researching Models and Meeting Influencers

Step 5) Replanning Organization While Implementing

See this non-profit student organization manual for a detailed example, methods, and templates for our process.1. Start a student organization with your friends!

Businesses are first and foremost about exchanging value with people. Consider the following questions:

  • Who do you currently know?

  • What do your friends enjoy?

  • Where do you all spend most of your time?

  • When do you all experience a need that you can’t fulfill?

  • Why are you all unable to fulfill this need?

As you answer all of these questions over and over again, you’ll begin to discover many possible business ideas.  Chances are that you and your friends spend most of your time in school, and you all have some kind of common interest. If that’s true, then start a student organisation around that interest!Most schools support and encourage student clubs—your school will likely give you all the help you’ll need :)Many years ago, my friends and I started an Ultimate Frisbee Club. It was admittedly unsuccessful, but we learned.

As Entrepreneur Thomas Edison once said, “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.”

2. Find your passion and go from there!

Is there anything that gets you incredibly excited; something that really gets your nerd on? Once you can pin down your exact passion, you’ll find it much easier to inspire others because you’re genuine.

3. Get experience abroad and learn from experts!

High school travel abroad is certainly not common, but you’ll find that many teens like you made it happen. Your school might have an office you can reach out to for either starting a club or traveling abroad.

After one teen, Oliver Oglesby, decided to travel to the Dominican Republic with Global Leadership Adventures’ “Building a Sustainable World” Program in Summer 2013, his passion for sustainability was ignited. Oliver then applied all the experience and perspective he gained to later co-found Project Ascensión. A summer business camp or program for high school students can be a great starting point for success.

“Every person can make a difference in their own way. You just have to open your eyes to realize how!”

–Oliver Oglesby

What kind difference do you want to make? We’d enjoy hearing your pitch and helping you along!

Contributed by Nick Fochtman

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5 Reasons Why Health & Hygiene are the Most Important Tools You Can Promote in the Developing World

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If you’re interested in public health and caregiving back home—why not promote it abroad?

Hey there, health volunteers! Here are 5 reasons why you should apply your passion to the developing world:

1. There is an overwhelming need

If you’ve always wanted to volunteer but weren’t sure how you could help, then consider the importance of health. Many of the luxuries that we take for granted in first-world countries—such as clean running water—are not standard elsewhere. There are billions of people without these daily necessities.

2.  Health and hygiene are universal

Let’s say that you pull up a map of the world. You then close your eyes and point to a random part of the world map. Wherever you end up pointing to has health and hygiene as an essential need. This may seem obvious when you point to well-known countries; this may not be so obvious when you point to the ocean (sailors and seagoers have to be meticulously, even obsessively clean and also mindful about their nutrition).

3. Everyone’s affected

Nobody’s immune to sickness or disability. Infants, children, young adults, parents, and the elderly are all at risk. If you’re looking for a meaningful area to volunteer in, then choose health and hygiene since it impacts everyone.

4. Small improvements make huge impacts

It’s a cliché but one that’s certainly true. If you install a water purification system for a village, this greatly improves the health of everyone living there and especially for children yet to be born.

Your contribution will help generations.

5. YOU can help right now

Absolutely! You don’t need any specialized knowledge or experience to make an impact here. All you need is a genuine interest and a willingness to learn from others.

What have been your goals and experiences with promoting health and hygiene? We’d enjoy hearing your story!

Contributed by Nick Focthman

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