Leadership & Career Development

Program Overview:
Leadership & Career Development (LCD) is an interactive, insightful and challenging class for all new OFL students.   The objective of this course is to help students transition from public school to our charter school, set life goals, and determine a plan of action for achieving their goals.  LCD is specifically designed to support each student’s personal growth and to assist them in making important life decisions.    Students participate in activities that help them discover their strengths and talents.   In addition, exercises that focus in on improving self-esteem and becoming more self-motivated are introduced.  Learning basic responsibilities of punctuality and consistency with assignments and schedules, students improve their communication, interpersonal and life skills so that they greatly enhance their chances of success.  LCD is an opportunity for students to identify with themselves as well as other students, while allowing expression of their feelings, sharing of their aspirations in a fun, small group setting, and dreaming about their future! 

Course Activities Focus on the Following Areas:

• The student’s dream or goals after they graduate OFL
• What are the student’s gifts & talents?
• Resiliency
• Choosing a positive focus
• Personal power
• Understanding yourself through Meyers-Briggs and Introvert/Extrovert testing
• Replacing negative self talk with a positive affirmation
• Changing results through responsibility
• Time Management
• Goal Setting
• Journaling

Program Facts:

• Four session class
• 2.5 credit units
• 2 ½ hours each session
• Student concurrently works on academic curriculum during LCD
• Currently available through the Academic Recovery program at select centers only.
  

Motivational Quotes

Whether you think you can or can’t, you’re right.

We are authors of our own lives… We can write a different script than the one we seem destined for… Why not start writing it now?

The future depends on what we do in the present

To accomplish great things we must not only act, but also dream, not only plan, but also believe.

Attitudes are contagious, is yours worth catching?

Desire + Belief = Dreams

Life is lived forward not backwards. Forget about the mistakes you have made in your past and push for the possibilities in your future!

Youth Impact

At left, Youth Impact students of the Canyon Country Experiential Learning Center interviewed Cameron Smyth (in back, third from left), the Mayor of the City of Santa Clarita

Program Overview:
Youth Impact exposes students to their community in a cutting edge way. During these 10-week classes, students travel by bus around their city interviewing influential people: judges, legislators, artists, entrepreneurs, etc. Through these interviews, students form a deeper connection to their community: they come to see the complex web of people who lead, shape, and try to improve their city. By coming face to face with professionals and asking meaningful questions, students also develop the professional demeanor and confidence that they will need as they become productive members of our society.

The list of people our students have conducted these group interviews with includes:

• Dan Baker: Long Beach Councilmember, 2nd District
• Judge Deborah Andrews: Superior Court Judge, Long Beach
• Frank Colonna: Vice Mayor of Long Beach
• Erin Gruwell: Author, Teacher, Lecturer
• Terry Harbour: Long Beach Fire Chief
• Paris Horton and Anthony Pantalano: Long Beach Public Defenders
• Sergeant Paul Lebaron: Community Relations Director, Long Beach Police Department
• Roger Maxwell and Chris Peyton: Professional Hockey Players, Long Beach Ice Dogs
• Karen Robes: Staff Writer, Long Beach Press Telegram
• Cameron Smyth: Mayor of Santa Clarita

Learn more about Youth Impact
Explore these web pages for more information about Youth Impact.

• Youth Impact Student Work
• Press
• Future Impact
• Future Impact Student Work