Lifelong Leadership Institute develops programs to offset pandemic-induced isolation

BY PAUL JUNOR

Since 2016, the Lifelong Leadership Institute (LLI) continues to make a big difference in the lives of black students all over the Greater Toronto Area through its signature program Leadership by Design (LBD).

It is committed to “Develop and implement leadership, mentoring, academic, and entrepreneurial programs for black youth.”  Now with $500,000 funding from the Ministry of Education’s Safe Return to Class Fund, it will be able to offer specialized programs called SummerUp 2021 which involves seventeen unique and individualized programs focused on academic excellence and career development.

Trevor Massey,Chair of  LCI in a promotional email shared SummerUp’s four objectives:

• To offset the pandemic-induced isolation and academic disruption that defined the 2020-21 school year.
• To reduce the erosion of knowledge and skill that so often results from summer break.
• To enhance self-confidence and academic readiness going into the fall semester.
• To provide opportunities for leadership development.

The programs are organized under three categories; academic, arts and aspirations. The seventeen distinct programs include the following six under the category of Academic:

• Blacks in Canada: Truths, Triumphs and Excellence
• Bright Lights in the Lab: The Science of the Brain
• Coding: Introduction to HTML, CSS and JavaScript
• Mathematics: Improving performance of Grades 11 and 12 Students
• Mathematics: Solving math problems in everyday life
• Tutoring: Study Buddy

There are three specific programs that will be offered under the Arts category:

• Multimedia training: Videography and Cinematography
• Photography: Shutter Power
• Black Youth Theatre Intensive: A Summer Mixtape (by Soulpepper Theatre Company). This program is filled and no longer accepting applications.

There are eight specific programs that will be offered under the Aspirations category:

• Coaching Future Entrepreneurs
• Dabale and Public Speech
• Financial Literacy
• Global Health – Mini Masters
• Becoming a Leader at School: Start with a Plan
• Writing: Interviewing Black Leaders
• Public Speaking: Speaking in Any Situation
• Leadership: It’s in You

The programs Blacks in Canada will be offered by TDSB’s educators, Gregory Birkett and Coleen Birkett and centred around three themes; truth, triumphs, and excellence. It will be offered over a four-week period from Wednesday, July 4^th, 2021 to Thursday, July 25^th, 2021. Students must have a suitable device and internet access and must attend an orientation session on Wednesday, June 23^rd, 2021 at 6:30 pm.

The Coding program will be offered to Grades 8 to 12 students over a two-week period from Monday, July 19^th, 2021 to Friday, July 23^rd, 2021 and Monday, July 26^th, 2021 to Friday, July 30^th, 2021. There will be an orientation session on Wednesday, July 7^th, 2021 at 6:30 pm.

The Photography program will be offered over a seven-week period in session one on Monday and Wednesday, except for Tuesday, August 3^rd. Session two will be offered over a seven-week period on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. There will be an orientation session on Thursday, June 24^th, 2021 at 6:30 pm.

The Public Speaking program will be offered in two sessions. Session one will be for Grades 9-10 students and will be held on Monday and Wednesday from 11:00 am-12:30 p.m. and Session 2 will be for Grades 11-12 students and will be held on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 11:00 am-12:30 pm. There will be an orientation on Thursday, June 17^th, 2021 at 5:00 pm.

The Multimedia Program will be offered over a seven-week period on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays to Grade 8 to 12 students. There will be an orientation session on Thursday, June 24^th, 2021 at 6:30 pm.

Information is now out and available and students are encouraged to apply as quickly as possible as there are limited seats available. For parents, guardians, caregivers and students interested in the SummerUp, their website is: https;//lileaders.com/summerup/