LEAD Now Summer Institute Wraps Up its Eighth Year

2016 LEAD Now Institute graduates in the Rio Olympic spirit

This summer 21 young leaders made their mark on St. Thomas University (STU) during the Miniaci Family LEAD Now Summer Institute, an on-going program that has been changing young lives since 2008. It engages, enhances, and trains 11th and 12th grade high school students on leadership skills, and exposes them to college life and college-level courses.

All students are given the opportunity to earn six college credits toward a Bachelor of Arts degree, and approximately seven of these students are seniors who will be attending STU and receiving a scholarship through this program. The remainder of these students are juniors and will be returning to the program the following summer.

During the course of the summer students creatively expressed themselves by engaging in art, music, dance, and also took a few etiquette workshops. They participated in glass-blowing projects, expressed themselves verbally and artistically through abstract art, collages, painting, and many other activities.

Apart from the expression of art, the LEAD Now students learned a special variety of celebration dances which are made up of a mix of Portuguese, African, and European dance forms such as, capoeira, samba and other afro-Brazilian and Caribbean themed styles that originated hundreds of years ago.     

Each of these intelligent young men and women are from South Florida and originate from a diverse population of local public and private schools such as: Archbishop Edward E. McCarthy High School, Christopher Columbus High School, Hialeah Gardens High School, International Studies Charter High School, Latin Builders Association Construction & Business Management Academy Charter High School, Miami Carol City Senior High School, Monsignor Edward Pace High School, North Miami Beach Senior High School, Saint Brendan Senior High School, and William H. Turner Technical Arts High School.