Summer Leadership Academy

The USCHS Leadership Academy is offered in four phases throughout a student's high school experience. 

Phases I & II are one-week summer workshops offering students exposure to leadership concepts and practices. Students identify their leadership strengths and learn how these skills can be used to make them successful in all stages of life. Through experiential learning strategies, group projects, and hands-on activities, students experience the application of leadership skills, building confidence in their abilities and enhancing their capacity to serve in leadership roles. The Leadership Academy is open to all USCHS students.

Leadership Academy, Phase III, is partnering with the University of Pittsburgh to offer a College in High School (CHS) Theories of Leadership course. This course is designed to acquaint students with multiple theories and practices associated with effective leadership. Students will revisit their leadership philosophies and expand their perspectives while partnering with district staff, local leaders, and leader mentors. Each week, students will participate in a hybrid learning model that includes attending a 3-hour in-person seminar with a content expert and asynchronous work (not to exceed 5 hours).

As a CHS course, Phase III of Leadership Academy will be graded on the USCHS weighted Honors scale and participants will receive both high school and, for a fee*, college credit based on course performance.

*College credit fee will be grant-funded for Phase III participants in Summer 2024.

Phase IV of the Leadership Academy involves students partnering with teachers to facilitate experiences for younger students across the district. In 2024, it will be combined with the Phase III CHS course in order to align the scope and sequence of all phases, including the newly implemented programming.