21CL connected me with a life-changing internship. In the summer of 2016, I worked at Warner Bros Discovery (formerly Turner)...
What We Offer
Our programs provide high school students with opportunities to learn from business professionals, explore career pathways, develop essential leadership skills, and apply critical thinking to real-world problems.
Through our programs, students become confident, capable servant leaders, ready to contribute their best in work and life.
Our Programs
21st Century Leaders programming engages students in interactive leadership training facilitated by 21CL staff, alumni, subject matter experts, and corporate partners.
There are three main ways a student can join 21st Century Leaders and partners can get involved:
- Leadersip Connect
- 21CLubs
- Summer Leadership Institutes
Once students become a 21st Century Leader, they have access to additional experiences and opportunities that will inspire them to lead and that companies can engage in.
Leadership Connect
Become a catalyst for leadership development by supporting our exclusive online platform, Leadership Connect, a proprietary program tailored for high school students. This self-paced curriculum, featuring over 130 gamified modules, guides students on a transformative journey of self-discovery, imparting essential social and life skills.Â
Your partnership can help open doors for students year-round as they enroll in this invaluable program, fostering lifelong leadership skills.
21CLubs
Elevate your corporate engagement by supporting our 21CLubs, school- and community-based programs strategically crafted to cultivate leadership and career pathway skills with a spotlight on servant leadership.
These clubs, organizing service projects and leadership forums, provide an excellent platform for your company to connect with motivated students. 21CLub students gain access to Leadership Connect, aligning with your commitment to fostering future leaders.
Summer Leadership Institutes
Develop your future workforce by engage with talented students through our flagship program. These residential institutes offer a unique opportunity for corporate partners to lead hands-on workshops, corporate tours, and career panels. Students spend a transformative week on a college campus networking, collaborating on capstone challenges, and engaging with industry leaders.
Each institute focuses on a crucial industry, with leadership development at its core. Students also gain access to Leadership Connect to further enrich their leadership development.
Our Experiences
Students who join our organization through any of the three entry-point programs have access to all of our year-round experiences throughout their high school journey. Your partnership facilitates valuable connections with companies, volunteers, alumni, and peers, fostering a community that nurtures the next generation of leaders.
Leadership Summits
Our summits are one-day training experiences, per semester, where students connect with peers, network with professionals and alumni, and work together in teams to problem-solve workplace challenges and community issues. Your support enables all current students to register, gaining valuable insights into careers through workshops and panels led by esteemed summit sponsors.
Internship & Scholarship
Forge a meaningful partnership with us to empower our seniors through a paid summer internship with your company and contribute to a scholarship for their post-secondary education.
By collaborating with us in hosting interns and/or sponsoring scholarships, you actively support young talent, providing valuable work experience, and dismantling financial barriers to post-secondary opportunities. Students must complete 3 Levels in Leadership Connect to be eligible for this experience.
Youth Ambassadors
Interact with our Youth Ambassadors who embody diverse perspectives of our statewide student body, passionately advocate for our organization. By empowering high school students across the state to join 21st Century Leaders, they play a pivotal role in connecting students, volunteers, alumni, and supporters. Students must complete 2 Levels in Leadership Connect to be eligible for this experience.
Our Success Stories
November 15, 2024
21CL connected me with a life-changing internship. In the summer of 2016, I worked at Warner Bros Discovery (formerly Turner) as a "Turner Voices Intern" for the Department of Culture and Engagement. I even helped plan the following year's summer camp! That internship sparked a chain reaction. I secured internships every summer after that through my growing network, setting me up for success and ultimately leading to a fantastic job that took me from Atlanta to NYC.
November 12, 2024
The program taught me the core qualities of leadership—confidence, humility, professionalism, and resilience. Through 21CL, I learned that leadership is not only about guiding others but also about consistently showing up as the best version of myself in any environment. These skills were invaluable as I navigated new leadership roles in college and beyond.
November 7, 2024
21CL was instrumental in shaping my leadership style. It taught me to lead with inquiry, empathy, and a strong sense of humanity, but most importantly, as a team player. My collaborative leadership style is a direct result of working intensively on group projects at 21CL, where teamwork and support led to great outcomes.
Let's Inspire Together
Step 1
We start with a conversation to get to know you, see where our goals and values align, and identify possibilities together.
Step 2
We will collaborate on a partnership and an action plan that best fits the needs of our students and your organization. Through existing programs to customized events, we tailor programming to meet the needs of today and tomorrow.
Step 3
By partnering with 21st Century Leaders, you have the power to create life-changing moments and pathways for students that will have an immediate and lasting impact
In the News
Alumni Spotlight: Tonia Brown
The program taught me the core qualities of leadership—confidence, humility, professionalism, and resilience. Through 21CL, I learned that leadership is...
Alumni Spotlight: Shannon Wiggins
21CL taught me the importance of networking, building connections, and being confident in myself. Developing those skills has helped me...