Group of five men standing together, holding certificates and smiling, in formal and casual attire, with some wearing ID badges.

Emerging Leaders

Where resilience becomes a skill, and survivors become leaders

About Emerging Leaders

The young people who walk into Emerging Leaders have already survived more than most adults face in a lifetime. They’ve navigated foster care, housing instability, parental incarceration. They know what it means to keep going. What they often don’t have yet — is a roadmap for where to go next.

Emerging Leaders builds that roadmap. Through structured leadership development, life-skills workshops, and mentorship from adults who show up consistently, participants don’t just learn to cope with their circumstances — they learn to lead through them.

This is the program where surviving stops being the goal — and thriving becomes the expectation.

Students have the opportunity to gain:

  • A megaphone with three star-shaped confetti around it.

    Their Voice

    Communication, self-advocacy, and the confidence to speak up in any room. Participants learn to express needs, set boundaries, and lead conversations with clarity.

  • Orange compass with black details and needle.

    A Roadmap

    Goal-setting frameworks, decision-making tools, and a clear picture of what a thriving future looks like and how to pursue it step by step.

  • Illustration of two hands forming a heart shape, shaking hands inside the heart

    Real Relationships

    Trusted connections with mentors and peers who show up consistently — because relationships built on reliability are the foundation of lasting change.

Become A Facilitator
Make A Donation

Why it Matters

Youth who age out of the foster care system face staggering odds. Without intervention, the system too often becomes a pipeline to poverty, incarceration, and homelessness. Emerging Leaders exists to break that pipeline — building the skills, relationships, and belief systems that change what’s possible for a young person’s future.

A group of five men and boys standing together in a school or community room. They are facing the camera, some with arms around each other. The background shows yellow and white cabinets, a yellow lamp, and plumbing pipes on the wall.

3%

of foster youth graduate college

This year, 80 middle and high school students showed up — across 62 workshops — to do the hard, necessary work of advancing their resilience and their knowledge. One participant captured it simply: “From this program I’ve learned how to communicate without stuttering.” That’s one resource. That’s one life trajectory changed.

A woman in black clothes is speaking to a group of students seated and standing, in a room with bookshelves and boxes. Students are paying attention, some taking notes, with a bright window behind them.

80

students served this school year

Group of people gathered inside a store or gallery, some standing and some sitting, with merchandise and artwork displayed, and a large colorful mural on the wall behind them.

Who is this for?

+ Middle and high school youth (grades 6–12)

+ Young people currently in or formerly involved with the foster care system

+ Youth experiencing or recovering from housing instability

+ Young people with a parent or caregiver who is or has been incarcerated

+ Students who have faced trauma and are ready — or learning to be ready — to grow

A woman in a navy blazer and jeans standing in front of a classroom speaking to a group of students seated at desks. The students are listening attentively, some taking notes, in a room with bookshelves and large windows.

Program Details

WHERE: Middle & High Schools

SCHEDULE: TBD

FORMAT: Structured workshops, peer cohorts, and 1:1 mentorship

COST: Free to all participants

PARTNERS: List all partners

OUTCOMES: List outcomes

Partner with Us ꕀ

Creating Pathways to Opportunity

  • "This year, 12th grade students participated in Emerging Leaders. Emerging Leaders supported my students through self-reflection activities, career interest inventories, exploring post-secondary options, guest speakers, journaling, and much more. The program helped my students to prepare for their next chapter after high school. Emerging Leaders pushed them to feel more confident and prepared for their next journey."

  • "I am extremely grateful for this partnership and everything ARK has done for my community, both at Johnson Middle School and now at Dunbar High School. I look forward to another 10 years of this amazing partnership."

  • "I can't express my gratitude enough for Acts of Random Kindness (ARK) and the opportunities they have provided for my students. I have been working with ARK for close to 10 years, and the exposure they provide to my students is often a once-in-a-lifetime experience and opportunity, especially those who might not otherwise have access to these types of experiences. ARK has exposed my students to community service, SEL groups, college and career trips, guest speaks and sporting events to name a few."

Invest in the Next Generation of Leaders

Volunteer

Lead a workshop. Mentor a student. Show up. Your consistency is one of the most powerful resources a young person can have.

Become a Facilitator ꕀ

Partner

Bring Emerging Leaders to your school, community center, or organization. Let’s expand access together.

Contact Us ꕀ

Donate

Your investment funds workshops, materials, mentorship, and the staff who make it all possible.

Make a Donation ꕀ