Metropolitan Council For Educational Opportunity (METCO)

The FLP is a research study funded by the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH). This study will test the effectiveness of the Leadership, Engagement, and youth Action Program with Mindfulness (LEAP) in improving mental health and wellbeing among high school students. Students work together to identify community challenges and to take steps to enact change. LEAP also includes mindfulness activities, which focus on awareness of how people think and feel in the present moment.

LEAP is focused on leadership skillsleadership skills, foster peer relations, and to improve their well-being. High school students in this program work together to identify community challenges and to take steps to enact change. This program also involves mindfulness activities, which focus on awareness of how people think and feel in the present moment. The group will meet on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5 to 7 pm at METCO starting on Fall this year. To be announced.  Our curriculum includes adult volunteers in Sessions 3, 6, and 11. Adult volunteers are people of diverse backgrounds and abilities from the community interested in supporting the youth in their work, and who can help support the activities that youth decide to focus on. Adult volunteers are interested in hearing the youths’ perspectives about their community and want to understand how they can support youth in the work they are doing in the program. They are mainly here to listen and observe, but the youth are welcome to talk with them throughout the session. The adult volunteers will be another resource for the youth in the program. The adult volunteers will come to some of the sessions: Session 3, Session 6, and Session 11 (Dates for Fall 2025 will be announced) . Adult volunteers will provide contact information, full name, and date of birth to METCO coordinator (s). Subjected to CORI (turnaround 24-hour results).