What's Different about Life at Leadership Preparatory Academy?
An education at Leadership Preparatory Academy is different than an education anywhere else, because the educational community is unique and tailored to students' needs. Below are a few of our special offerings.
Student Sponsorship
Each student is required to establish a sponsor relationship with a responsible and involved adult by the end of the first marking period of his or her 8.5-year. Ideally, this would be the student’s parent/guardian. However, LPA recognizes that parents are not always as involved with their children’s education as is necessary to support their academic growth. Thus, other options include extended family members, social workers, clergy, guardians ad litem, mentors, or teachers. The purpose of this requirement is to ensure that each student has a strong support system throughout his/her educational experience. Sponsors will be responsible for telephone/in-person conferences to evaluate their student’s progress, as well as consistent, informal communication with the student’s teachers in order to maximize opportunities for success.
Leadership Initiative
Each LPA class will be responsible for designing and implementing a Community Leadership Initiative at the end of each year, which will serve as the Leadership Component of their Final Evaluations. The initiatives of each year will address a specific community to target. For years 8.5-12, the initiatives should address needed change in the self, student group, school, city, country, respectively. The purpose of this requirement is to allow students to implement the leadership skills they’ve learned throughout the year, while fostering their individual interests and passions.
Examples may include:
Self: A goal of Honors Marks for the year
Student Group: Developing and Implementing a Fundraiser for the Group
School: Organizing a School Recycling Crew
City: Developing a Community Garden or Teen Center
Country: Organizing a Trip to D.C. to Lobby on a Political Issue
Examples may include:
Self: A goal of Honors Marks for the year
Student Group: Developing and Implementing a Fundraiser for the Group
School: Organizing a School Recycling Crew
City: Developing a Community Garden or Teen Center
Country: Organizing a Trip to D.C. to Lobby on a Political Issue
Summer Internships
For three out of the five years students spend at LPA, they will be required to complete a summer internship/apprenticeship at an approved community organization. Sponsors and school officials will be able to help students secure these internships. As interns, students will learn the skills required to serve as community leaders. They will also gain invaluable experience while being mentored by those individuals who already serve as empowered agents for change in their communities. Examples of possible placements include a church or other religious center, City Hall, the YMCA, the Boys & Girls Club, the New Haven Register, or the Board of Aldermen.
Community Service
Students are required to complete 50 hours of community service per year in order to qualify for promotion. Students seeking Honors Diplomas will complete at least 100 hours of community service per year. As part of their yearly final evaluations, students will write a reflection essay on their volunteer experience, and how it will contribute to their leadership training.
Student Organizations
Leadership Preparatory Academy student groups include:
- The Leader (Student Publication/Newspaper Committee)
- COLORS (LPA's LGBTQA Political Alliance)
- Re-Energize (Recycling Committee)
- Think Tank (Community Brainstorm Network)
- LPA Spirit Squad (Yearbook and Senior Formal Committee)
- Peer-Tutoring Service