Leadership Broward Launches ‘Follow the Leader in You’ Program for 8th-Grade Students

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Team-building activities include Broward College Tigertail Lake Recreation Center ropes course. {Leadership Broward}

By Sharon Aron Baron

Leadership Broward is relaunching the Follow the Leader in You — or FLY Program, a free program for eighth-graders attending Title 1 Broward County Public Schools.

The FLY program was created to reach potential youth leaders to encourage and inspire them to find and follow the leader in themselves.

Two critical components of the program include reorienting participants’ self-perception to recognize the leadership qualities they possess and leading participants to recognize and reinforce the leadership qualities they see in each other.

“The goal of the FLY Program is to help develop meaningful qualities and provide these motivated students with important skills that will help them reach their full potential as they continue to grow personally, academically, and professionally,” said Ashley Boxer, vice president of external affairs at Broward Health.

Over the course of three program days, nearly 100 eighth-grade students will participate in the Leadership Broward’s FLY Program.

The first program day takes place in a classroom setting with facilitators working with students to define leadership, develop emotional intelligence, self-awareness, time management, and goal-setting. The skills that the students learn during this day will empower them and prepare them for their high school years.

The second program day involves team-building activities, including the Broward College Tigertail Lake Recreation Center ropes course, offering students extraordinary learning opportunities about risk-taking, performing under pressure, collaboration, and support dynamics among team members.

On the third program day, the program concludes with leadership training that reinforces what was learned the first two program days, a high school and college readiness training by Broward College, a wrap-up debrief, and a leadership intention walk.

Student Benefits

Develop leadership and communication skills
High School & College Readiness
Interact with business and community leaders
Meet a group of peers from different Broward County schools

“Impactful leaders are made, not born,” said Ellice Martinez, associate vice president, community partnerships, and institutional events at Broward College. “Broward College recognizes the significant impact on our community that Leadership Broward has made over the years and the impact they will have on these eighth-grade students. This program will help these students to define and recognize the leadership qualities they possess and those qualities they see in others.”

The program will begin with an orientation on Tuesday, April 13, and the session schedule includes:

Session One: Saturday, April 17
Session Two: Saturday, May 1
Session Three: Saturday, May 8

Breakfast and lunch will be provided each day. The program will be held following the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and local health & safety guidelines, including mask-wearing and physical distancing. Face masks will be provided to each student.

“Shutts & Bowen and I are proud to sponsor the next generation of Broward County students and future leaders,” said Jamie Wasserman, a partner in the firm’s Fort Lauderdale office. “As a graduate of the Leadership Broward program, I know firsthand the impact that programs like this can have on adults. My hope is that together we can mold these students into the leaders we all know they can be.”

Interested students can apply by visiting leadershipbroward.org/fly. There will be a special focus on recruiting from the Prosperity Broward designated zip codes 33309, 33311, 33313, 33319, 33023, and 33069.

The deadline for applications is Tuesday, March 30, 2021. For more information about Leadership Broward, visit leadershipbroward.org/.

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Sharon Aron Baron

Sharon Aron Baron is the Editor of Tamarac Talk, Coral Springs Talk, Margate Talk, Coconut Creek Talk and Parkland Talk. Tamarac Talk was created in 2011 to provide News for the residents of Tamarac and is the #1 News Source for Residents.