Our mission is to develop the leadership skills of low-income teens, empowering them to address community problems and change the world.

We serve: Low-income teens, ages 12 – 17, 60 in the 2005 - 2006 year. 

We offer: Weekly group meetings, outdoor adventure trips, week long over night camping trips, mentoring, and community service projects. 

We teach: Leadership skills, goal setting, oppression theory, listening skills, public speaking, communication, cooperation, and how to have fun in productive, healthy ways.  We also work to enhance self-confidence and build self-esteem with teens who often have few positive role models.

Our impact:  LEADer’s are IN school, OUT of the juvenile justice system, and making commitments to live within the law.  Since 1998, fourteen members have turned 18 while in the group, and all of them have graduated from high school.  Teens that remain involved in LEAD have stayed in school, and teens who had previously dropped out of school have returned. 

Support: We are a growing organization, and we want to become a greater resource for low-income teens throughout Lane County. Our Wish List outlines things that would help us achieve our goal.  We cannot do the work that we do without the support of our community.  In 2005 we received more than $ 50,000 in donations of goods and services. In 04-05, it cost LEAD $97,373 to serve 47 teens.  In comparison, it costs more than $50,000 per year to house one juvenile offender.

• General Program Description
• Lead Philosophy
• LEAD Staff & Board
• History
• Maj Hutchinson, LEAD Founder
• How To Donate
• Current and Past Donors
• LEAD Photo Gallery
• Teen Bios