LEADERSHIP ACTION PROJECT

 

2026 Leadership Prompt: Leaders Among Us

Leadership isn’t just about titles, fame, or power. It’s about making a difference. Every day, people around us step up to lead in ways big and small. They might be family members who support others during hard times, students who stand up for fairness and inclusion, teachers who inspire curiosity, or community members who take action to solve local problems.

A true leader is someone who acts; who sees a challenge and decides to do something about it.

For this project, you will identify someone (or a few people) you believe are “leaders among us.” This person doesn’t need to be famous. In fact, some of the most powerful leaders are the ones who lead quietly but consistently.

You will explore:

• What issue or challenge do they care about?

  • Why is this issue important to them and to others?

• How do they take action to make a difference?

  • Who do they inspire or help through their actions?

  • How do they overcome challenges or obstacles along the way?

• What leadership qualities do they show?

  • Are they courageous, compassionate, determined, or creative?

  • How do they motivate or influence others?

  • What makes them a role model worth learning from?
     

Your Task: 

1. Create a Leadership Profile (poster, slideshows, video, podcast, etc.) that highlights this person (or people) and the issue(s) they focus on. Your profile should tell their story in a way that informs, inspires, and shows how real leadership happens around us every day.

2. How can you use what you learned about this person (or people) to make a positive impact (big or small) in your community?

 

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GLOBAL VOICES LITERARY ANALYSIS

 

​Prior to the competition, students should have engaged in a sustained study of one or more books. Choosing from a list of six (6) possible titles written in different formats, students will compose a creative response, which may be a poem, an original song with lyrics and musical score, letter to a major character, a letter from a major character to a leader or influential person connected to the time or struggle, a piece of art, or an additional scene or sequel event to the story. 

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Book Options

1. Rise Up: Ordinary Kids with Extraordinary Stories by Amanda Li

2. Cuba in My Pocket by Adrianna Cuevas

3. A Good Kind of Trouble by Lisa Moore Ramée

4. Pathfinders: The Journeys of 16 Extraordinary Black Souls by Tonya Bolden

5. Hidden Figures (Young Readers Edition) by Margot Lee Shetterly

6. Miles Morales: Shock Waves by Justin A. Reynolds

 

MATH QUIZ BOWL

 

Math quiz bowl teams will consist of three (3) members.  The team determines the division of responsibilities.  

 

All teams will compete at the same time and will have an equal opportunity to answer all questions. The moderator will provide each group with 5 questions to answer in 5 minutes. Groups will submit their solutions at the end of the given time frame. There will be a maximum of 30 questions covering topics in the areas of  Pre-Algebra, Algebra, Geometry, and Statistics and Probability. Answers will be either correct or incorrect. There will not be any partial credit for solutions. One round of the competition will involve a hands-on challenge.

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STEM CHALLENGE

 

The STEM Challenge will bring four (4) members of the group together to work on a challenge presented the day of the competition. Teams will be provided a STEM-based challenge and the materials allowed on the day of the competition. Teams will not need to bring any materials nor prepare anything ahead of time. Students will be judged based on their ability to complete the task in a time frame of 30-45 minutes. This element of the competition will demand strong communication and collaboration skills as well as creative thinking.