Chantilly High School: Student Personal Leadership Development

Each year, the Chantilly High School Student Services team engages a Springboard facilitator to conduct a special, invitation-only leadership development program for juniors at the high school. The students are hand-selected by school counselors and come together over the course of a 20-week period to learn personal life skills, time management, communications, goal setting, and team strategies.

Several of the program’s graduates have credited these sessions as the reason for their college and young adult success. Surveys administered before and after the program show a 35% increase in goal-writing behavior, a 32% increase in participants having long- and short-term goals, and a 20.5% increase in self reports that participants feel positive about their future. The parents of the participants have reported increased responsibility, commitment to grades, observable improved relationships with friends and family, more focus and intentional use of time, and attention to detail around their planning for college and beyond.

Each year, Chantilly reports critical data on this program to the county and to others—this program’s data was included in their Recognized ASCA Model Program (RAMP) application. The Student Services team received the RAMP designation for Chantilly High School, which recognizes schools that are committed to delivering a comprehensive, data-driven school counseling program and an exemplary educational environment.