Program Leads Local Students to Succeed

WAUKESHA – Students from Waukesha North High School and Waukesha Academy of Health Professions are participating in a Lead to Succeed program, collaborating with college student mentors in service-learning projects that benefit area non-profit organizations.

Under the auspices of the University of Wisconsin-Waukesha Pre-College program, Lead to Succeed provides a structured curriculum that focuses on leadership skills based on individual student interests. Students explore career interests, network in the community, and identify their personal strengths and weaknesses.

The projects originate with the community organizations needing assistance and expose students to skills most in demand locally. This year, students are working on designing a trail for a Waukesha park, raising awareness about the National Children’s Study, providing a social networking workshop for unemployed community members, building/marketing a recycling demonstration table for elementary school children, and other projects.

Since its inception in spring 2008, this program has had an estimated $25,000 impact on the Waukesha community through its projects.

Project partners this year include: Workforce Development Center, City of Waukesha Parks, Recreation and Forestry Department, Waukesha County Department of Parks & Land Use – Recycling & Solid Waste, the Salvation Army, La Casa de Esperanza, the National Children’s Study, and Friends for Health in Haiti. In addition to their proposals, each organization helps find a sponsor for the projects. Sponsors this year include the Waukesha School District, Wells Fargo, and ProHealth Care.

In November, the program launched in Milwaukee as well, undertaking projects that benefit the water industry and expanding opportunities for students in the program. With more interest from community members, the program can continue to expand.

On Dec. 12, Lead to Succeed will hold a leadership conference at UW-Waukesha for all the students who have participated, allowing them to network and draw on each other’s experiences.

For more information about the program or to learn how to get involved, contact Vena Namukasa at (262) 521-5218 or vena.namukasa@uwc.edu or Karin Gratz at (414) 456-1733 or kgratz@communityconnectionsconsulting.com.

Lead to Succeed is an industry-drive youth leadership development program in which high school and college students work on service-learning projects to support local non-profit organizations.