STEM for All: A Student’s Mission to Bridge Educational Gaps
My name is Natalie Winland and I am a senior at Bexley High School. I enjoy being an active member of my community as a volunteer, varsity student athlete, team captain, and will be competing for the title of Miss Ohio Teen USA in May! I also attended the Central Ohio Leadership Academy as a junior and returned this past summer as a keynote speaker. I developed a program in 2022 called Seen and Heard that works to combat educational inequality across the state of Ohio.
A lot of people think of switching schools to be a blessing, a fresh start. You get to be any version of yourself that you’d like, and by now you would think I’d have that down pat. As I walked down the hallway of Maryland Elementary School, I thought about what version of myself I should present to my peers that day.
This would be my third school in the span of three years. What should I wear? How should I talk? Should I wear my cowboy boots like I did in second grade? Should I use the slang I picked up in third? All of these factors that I considered to be crucial to survival in my elementary school brain are now merely afterthoughts as I have come to realize the most critical takeaway from those three years of my life: the importance of educational equality among all students.
Attending three very different schools has made me particularly aware of the vast differences in educational curricula. Whether fundamental academic necessities are overlooked because of a school’s demographics or financial situation, the education received from student to student is undeniably different based on the school district. Not only were my seemingly life-or-death decisions that dictated how I was perceived by my fellow students increasingly different from school to school, but the basis of my education was as well.
I think of my peers, and I wonder if they realize that there are students out there who don’t know how to find the value of a trigonometric function without using a calculator. I know it. I know what it is like to have teachers on strike with my principal as a teacher, but I also know what it is like to have teachers with the resources to support my education in every way possible, and I know that is the issue.
If you venture beyond the Columbus and Ohio River railroad tracks in my hometown you will find an entirely separate reality for Central Ohio students. I decided to focus on creating change in this community rather than staying within the confines of my own through implementing a self-organized and led afterschool Girls in STEM program. I started the program with no more than 15 sign-ups, discouraging but still I persisted and came to the end of the first 5 weeks of my program with a whopping 85 sign-ups. This was a huge accomplishment, but I needed to accommodate by creating a system of cohorts to ensure total participation. I met with one cohort every Wednesday to participate in STEM-based activities and soon received wonderful feedback while watching their passions grow stronger.
I began developing this initiative during my sophomore year of high school and it has since grown tremendously. With great excitement I began to enter the nonprofit space in the spring of 2023, slowly becoming a fundraising-oriented organization that directly offers every resource needed to implement STEM programs within low-income schools. I have even been working to organize a scholarship fund to be awarded to a hardworking minority student with a passion for STEM once a year as well as leadership programming to offer high schoolers the tools they need to lead a program effectively. Through leading my own STEM program while hosting fundraising events, supply drives, and statewide community service programming with my nonprofit, I am bridging the gap between schools of different socioeconomic backgrounds to not only come together, but thrive together.
The change that I have been able to create would not be possible without the team at Leaders of Today. I hope that my story inspires you to get involved with the organization and make an impact on the world today instead of the one tomorrow.
We believe that giving students, the leaders of today, the opportunity to serve and make an impact will create vision and entrepreneurship for a better tomorrow.
Contact us to learn more about our mission and work, or to become involved yourself at
And come back the second Tuesday of each month for a new blog post!
Recharging and Reflecting: Leaders of Today’s Journey to Prevent Burnout & Embrace Renewal
Hey Y’all! My name is Jordan Reeves and I am the Founder and Executive Director of Leaders of Today. This year, our Leaders of Today team has expanded our mission and held more events than our other combined years! This is a crazy accomplishment for me and I am so proud of all we have done. Our fantastic team is all volunteers and we all have full-time jobs, are in school full-time, or both. This means that we are all doing Leaders of Today on the side and we are all getting tired.
One of the things that is most important to me is making sure the Leaders of Today team has what they need to be successful. This can take the form of many different things such as having an all-staff retreat, a classroom management course, making sure we have enough volunteers to make sure we are not spread too thin, or even just taking a break when we all need a break.
After taking a pulse check with our team, I realized that we all need a break and to prevent burnout, our Leaders of Today team is taking the month of October to sabbath. We will be taking time for ourselves to rest and recover from this amazing year that we have had before we begin thinking about next year. We will be focusing on some of the other things that are important to us such as school, our families, and our work. I am going to begin writing a book, a project that I have been thinking about for a while but have put on the back burner.
This is a rhythm that we are planning on keeping for years to come, even as we begin to start paying our staff members. I have learned that through rest, you discover so much that you missed because you were too busy to stop and look around. Discovering dreams, solutions to problems, the joy in the small things, and rest.
I would encourage you to follow the flow of the changing seasons and rest as well. Before the busyness of the holiday months, try to take some time this September and October for quiet and reflection. And maybe catch up on any podcast episodes you might have missed before season 2 comes out!
We believe that giving students, the leaders of today, the opportunity to serve and make an impact will create vision and entrepreneurship for a better tomorrow.
Contact us to learn more about our mission and work, or to become involved yourself at
And come back the second Tuesday of each month for a new blog post!
Navigating the Crossroads of Life: Embracing Change and Building Your Path to Greatness
Greetings! My name is Dan Thomas, and I am a board member of Leaders of Today Central Ohio. I have had the pleasure of having nearly twenty years of service working in higher education, supporting and offering youth from vulnerable communities the opportunity to further their education and ultimately change their family's economic status. During this time, I have witnessed a variety of emotions that a recent high school graduate can experience months after completing one of the most significant accomplishments of their life to date. One can feel accomplished as they enter the workforce and prepare to become fully self-sufficient. I often hear the feeling of patriotism from students as they embark on enlisting and serving our country as military members. Some can feel eager or intimidated as they venture off to college, preparing to make a new name among peers and professionals they never engaged before. Others may feel relieved or rejuvenated as they take a break from academics and work to discover what is next for them in life. Regardless of the emotions you are experiencing or the next step in your path, your feelings and next steps are valid and should be unique to you. No one can concretely tell you how you should feel or what next steps are best for you. Investing in yourself, self-reflecting, identifying your value system, and exploring your career options is vital. Once you have identified your career options, you can build a roadmap to meet your personal and career goals. Regardless of your future plans at this crossroads of your life, here are some gems that may help make this transition more palatable and less stressful.
Know you, Be you, Be GREAT! Once you have a firm understanding of your strengths, value system, and interests, fully accept the identities that you hold. Do not diminish any of these qualities to comfort those around you. Prioritize yourself while ensuring you are always presenting your best version.
Live and Learn! Be open to new experiences as you embark on this newfound freedom. By doing so, you may find new interests, hobbies, and friends that will continue to help you grow. You may also begin to question ideals and beliefs that you have previously held. Take reasonable risks; do not view failure as losses; consider them learning experiences. Be sure to have fun and enjoy life.
Invest in Healthy Relationships! Remember all the cliché sayings "It's not what you know but who you know." and "You are the company you keep.". These often shared words of advice are most important during this stage in your life. Connect yourself with individuals who share lofty goals and desire to improve themselves while impacting the community. You will benefit significantly by expanding your social capital.
Have a plan. Once you have identified what's next or what you want to achieve, establish goals and objectives to reach them. Start by thinking BIG. Then create smaller, incremental goals that will lead to accomplishing your ultimate goals.
It's Okay to Say No! There are only so many minutes, hours, and days in a week. You cannot present the best version of yourself if you are spread too thin trying to do everything for everybody. Be conscious of your physical and mental well-being and prioritize what matters to you most.
Go out and "Be You and Be Great"!
We believe that giving students, the leaders of today, the opportunity to serve and make an impact will create vision and entrepreneurship for a better tomorrow.
Contact us to learn more about our mission and work, or to become involved yourself at
And come back the second Tuesday of each month for a new blog post!
Generosity as a Lifestyle: Transforming Lives & Shaping Communities
When was the last time you made someone’s day with your beautiful smile or a simple kind word of encouragement? When was the last time someone did that for you? When was the last time you were able to do something for someone that changed their life? Has anyone ever given you a gift or spent time with you so much that it changed your life? How did you feel when you encountered any of these scenarios? Hi, I’m Jeremy Reeves and I am a board member of Leaders of Today Central Ohio. Today, I would like to dissect our core value of generosity. Though it comes in various ways, it's always timely, almost always accepted, and benefits both the giver and the receiver.
What is generosity? By default, in my mind, I think of generous people as the ones that give large sums of money- you know, the people that have large buildings named after them on college campuses. Although these are great examples of generous individuals, I would like to think that the most generous among us are the unsung heroes that we see every day. They are our parents, family members, teachers, coaches, and perhaps even our neighbors. What does the word generous actually say about itself? If we break it down, this is what we get:
Gen - that which produces
Er - more than
Ous - full of or abounding
So a generous gift produces something more than what it was originally and then causes fullness and/or abundance. If a gift must produce more than its original self and cause fullness or abundance, that would suggest that a generous gift is a transaction that impacts more than just two people. The receiver of the original gift is responsible for making the gift generous. The gift itself no matter how small or large doesn't actually become generous until it produces more than itself causing fullness or abundance.
At Leaders of Today, we realize that we are just a conduit of generosity. We want to be an unsung hero in young people’s lives that positively impacts change for generations. We receive gifts from donors that invest in our mission so that we can take that gift and make it generous by passing it along to teens and young adults with a passion for bettering their communities. We then partner recipients with mentors to help to make their dreams become a reality and yield fruitful results. It's the recipients' response that makes the monetary gifts generous. Rather than paying the microgrants back, they pay the generous gifts of money, time, and mentorship forward by uplifting their communities. We want to help those that have a dream to change that small portion of their world that positively affects all of us, and that change takes place because of generosity.
We believe that giving students, the leaders of today, the opportunity to serve and make an impact will create vision and entrepreneurship for a better tomorrow.
Contact us to learn more about our mission and work, or to become involved yourself at
And come back the second Tuesday of each month for a new blog post!
Leadership Knows No Boundaries: Embracing Your Unique Path
Hi there, my name is Allie Grosik, and I am proud to serve as a board member for Leaders of Today Central Ohio. I have earned degrees in psychology and counseling, and I have a great passion for building relationships with others, hearing their stories, and continuously learning about the human psyche. We are all so unique, yet I firmly believe we have the same capacity to serve others through leadership.
Leadership. It’s a word that may bring certain images to one’s mind. I picture the well-known painting, George Washington Crossing the Delaware, in which the first president is depicted standing in a powerful position; one foot is placed on the side of the boat, and Washington gazes out over rough water as his men follow his direction on a cold Christmas day. I think of words like dominant, assertive, confident, and ambitious. However, I must constantly challenge the belief that a leader looks and acts a certain type of way. The fact of the matter is, every one of us has the power to serve as a positive influence and guide.
When we turn to trusty Webster, we read that leadership is “the action of leading a group of people or an organization; it is a process of social influence, which maximizes the efforts of others, towards the achievement of a goal.” There is no mention of having any certain personality traits, attributes, or titles. It is also clear that leadership involves the opinions of others and is not simply appointed authority or power; the head or manager of a group is not the only person with the ability to be impactful.
One can serve as a leader at any age or in any situation, and there is an opportunity every day to step up and be a positive influence to others. However, before we can hope to lead those around us, we must first better get to know ourselves. Everyone has different strengths, and, instead of trying to change ourselves to fit into the stereotypical view of leadership, we should take advantage of our individual personalities and skills.
Our Leaders of Today board is made up of people who are talented in a variety of ways, and that is what makes our organization successful. We have a mix of visionary and strategic thinkers, introverts and extroverts, people who love to speak and others who prefer to write, creatives, and those who are more analytical. Despite being vastly different from the next, each person on our board has taken a leadership role in their area of expertise. A large aspect of being an effective leader is trust and collaboration, and my fellow board members and I acknowledge our own weaknesses and have faith that others are, in fact, capable. If any one of us attempted to take charge of every aspect of the organization, we would not be able to accomplish nearly as much as we have been able to over the past few years, and there would be far less innovation and critical thinking.
If you are unsure of how you can be a leader in your life, I would encourage you to take time to reflect and learn more about yourself. If you have not already, it can be helpful for all to take the personality assessment on 16personalities.com; after answering a series of questions, you will be provided with your Myers-Briggs personality type. The website will break down strengths and weaknesses, how you may act in relationships, careers that may be an appropriate fit, and more. Remember: we must first know ourselves if we want to best serve others, and every one of us is capable of leadership, no matter our skills or personality type. YOU are a leader of today!
We believe that giving students, the leaders of today, the opportunity to serve and make an impact will create vision and entrepreneurship for a better tomorrow.
Contact us to learn more about our mission and work, or to become involved yourself at
And come back the second Tuesday of each month for a new blog post!
Unlocking the Key to Success: The Role of Innovation in Leadership
Hello, my name is Faith Strapp and I am an intern turned Board Member for Leaders of Today. The opportunity to work with this organization has taught me a lot about myself and my values. Specifically, I have delved into the importance of the value of innovation from not only a business perspective as it is one of the Leaders of Today core values but also from a life-long personal perspective.
When I think about innovation I think about creativity and expansion which can both seem daunting at first but what I have come to learn through my life experiences as a student, an intern, and an athlete is that is not necessarily true.
In order to innovate you have to start small even if that means just looking at something from a new angle. Essentially innovation is more about perspective than anything else. Henry Ford is quoted saying “If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses.” This is a perfect example of how a new perspective can become an innovative development, this case of course being the invention of the car which I think is safe to say changed many things for society as a whole. Although this is a decently revolutionary example of innovation or innovative spirit that does not always have to be the case.
Innovation can be an everyday practice for each and every one of us. This could mean finding new ways to challenge yourself during the day through self-reflection in the form of meditation or something as simple as a crossword puzzle to keep your brain active. This could also mean adding new things to your routine in the morning to make each day special and finding things to look forward to while you go about your day. Innovation is to bring about meaningful change but meaningful does not always have to equate to life-altering. Meaningful can be putting a smile on someone’s face or learning something new about yourself. Innovative ideas, stories, lifestyles, and people can come from anywhere it is just a matter of finding and advancing an innovative spirit.
What is important to know about cultivating an innovative spirit is that it requires going out of your comfort zone and being prepared to stand in that place with conviction because many people might question you at first but ultimately the right people will see the value in what you are doing and then be able to see the vision you have and stand with you and support you. All in all, innovation is a building block for success and progress especially within our organization and the students that we support.
We believe that giving students, the leaders of today, the opportunity to serve and make an impact will create vision and entrepreneurship for a better tomorrow.
Contact us to learn more about our mission and work, or to become involved yourself at
And come back the second Tuesday of each month for a new blog post!
The Power of Fun: Why Having Fun Is Essential to Achieving Our Mission
Hello! My name is Issy Peterson and I am the Marketing Lead, also known as the Social Sensi for Leaders of Today! I am a new executive board member and my time thus far has been nothing short of fun!
At Leaders of Today, we are committed to creating a culture that values fun as much as it values hard work and dedication. We believe that by incorporating our work and events — such as our Educator Brunch back in March and our upcoming Leadership Conference on April 28th — with an element of fun, we are able to create an environment that is supportive, engaging, and empowering. We encourage all of our students to embrace the value of fun and to use it as a tool for achieving their goals and making a difference in the world. We are all about helping high school and college students reach their full potential. We want to empower them to make a positive impact in their communities by being generous with their time, talents, and resources.
But what's the role of fun in all of this? Well, at Leaders of Today, we believe that having fun is crucial to achieving our mission. When we have fun, we feel more engaged and enthusiastic about the work we're doing. This can motivate us and help us stay focused on our goals. Not only that, but having fun can also build stronger communities. Participating in enjoyable activities can help us form deeper connections with our peers and create a sense of togetherness. This is especially valuable for students who are just starting out on their leadership journey and are looking for like-minded individuals who share their passion for making a positive impact.
Lastly, fun helps us recharge and avoid burnout. When we're focused on a goal, it's easy to get overwhelmed and stressed out. Taking time to have fun and enjoy ourselves can help us take a step back, reset, and come back to our work with fresh energy and perspective.
At Leaders of Today, we believe in the power of fun to help us achieve our goals and make a positive impact. We encourage all of our students to take the time to enjoy themselves, build connections with others, and recharge as needed. Together, we can build a brighter future for ourselves and our communities.
We believe that giving students, the leaders of today, the opportunity to serve and make an impact will create vision and entrepreneurship for a better tomorrow.
Contact us to learn more about our mission and work, or to become involved yourself at
And come back the second Tuesday of each month for a new blog post!
Beyond Self-Interest: The Significance of Service for Individuals and Society
Do you remember hand-me-downs? Can you recall zipping up the same jacket your older sibling or cousin used to wear or watching your younger family members wear the same t-shirt that used to hang in your closet? Regardless of your age, you needed those clothes at some point, and eventually, you passed them along to someone else who fit them. Service works the same way; we can all benefit from someone's service and in turn benefit someone else. My name is Josh Mitchell, and I get to serve as the Vice President for Leaders of Today. I want to challenge and encourage you as you read this blog to imagine how and why you serve. Though it may sound simple, many leaders underachieve because they misunderstand and undervalue the significance of service.
Our goal as an organization is to equip leaders to better serve their communities, and to do that, we need a proper definition for service itself.
Three of the main roadblocks that hinder our service are definition, drive, and direction. If we have an inaccurate perception, a shallow or ineffective motive, or a misguided aim for our service, we will not succeed, but tweaking our focus can make a world of a difference. Service is simply any act of giving to benefit another person or group. Regardless of personality type or style, all great leaders serve. Think of service like a fountain. Water springs up from it so people can drink, but there is a hidden tube at the foundation constantly funneling water to shoot up again. Think of that as the water others can drink. Many people restrict the definition to grand observable acts like volunteering at a soup kitchen or tutoring young children, but service does not need to be seen, it just needs to be experienced. Picking up trash in a neighborhood, holding a door open or greeting people at the door of a church, giving someone a ride in your car- these are all acts of service, these are all your "water," but your funnel has to be in place for you to pour out.
One of the most common pitfalls for leaders is burnout. I am studying to become a licensed social worker, and I'm constantly warned about burnout and how depleting a profession of social work can be. Why is that? Social Work is service, dispersing resources to people in need, often in crisis. It is not the job itself that causes burnout, though, it's restlessness that often follows. If service is giving of oneself, it is futile when the person is empty. How can you give someone a ride if your car has no gas? How can you teach and tutor if you have yet to learn the lesson yourself? The funnel makes the fountain; without the funnel, it's just a well or a drain. Many leaders serve as wells, pouring out their talents and resources like water from underground. Others are like drains, carrying a myriad of responsibilities and assignments people have poured onto them. Both courses of action are noble in theory, but they become dangerous when the leaders are not restored. Ask yourself who and what is pouring into you. Do you rest? Do you have a habit of taking time to yourself? Do you have a mentor? A creative outlet? These are the makings of your funnel.
Leading with Unity: The Power of Teamwork in Non-Profit Organizations
Hello! My name is Madison Voinovich and I am the President of the Board of Leaders of Today. As we have begun planning out our year, we have developed a variety of exciting new initiatives to promote community involvement and youth leadership. Coming up next month, we have our first Educator Brunch. During this event, we are connecting with high school counselors, vice principals, principals, and other school staff members to provide information about our nonprofit, talk about upcoming events and special projects, and share information about our student/mentor relationships. We are hopeful to continue to create a space for us within our community, working with educators and students.
As an organization, we are working to be a connector of people. We are aware that our work cannot be done alone, hence teamwork is one of our core values. In the words of Hellen Keller, “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” When our executive director, Jordan Reeves, reached out about starting this organization, I was nervous about taking on such a massive project. Although it has been a lot of work, having a strong team is what makes our mission possible.
A leader should not, and often can not, do everything on their own. Within Leaders of Today, each member of our team is an integral part of making our organization run. If a single person was in charge of recruitment, marketing, fundraising, and project planning, the job would be overwhelming and the work would most likely be rushed and incomplete. In addition, the individual would likely burnout quickly, hindering any progress they have made. Through designating tasks to our team, we are able to better serve our community and the student leaders we are trying to develop.
However, even with the team that we have, we cannot operate alone. Firstly, as a budding organization we are in need of funding to support our mission. Therefore, we are working to add corporate sponsors to our growing team (especially for our upcoming Leaders of Today High School Conference). This partnership allows businesses to give back to their community while also gaining exposure among the students we serve. Through our educator brunch, we are also looking to add educators of the central Ohio area to our team. Students are interested and excited to hone their leadership potential, but it is essential for educators to help spread the word about leadership opportunities like our conference. Finally, we need students excited about leadership to join our team. Without such students, our mission would be obsolete.
We believe that giving students, the leaders of today, the opportunity to serve and make an impact will create vision and entrepreneurship for a better tomorrow.
Contact us to learn more about our mission and work, or to become involved yourself at
And come back the second Tuesday of each month for a new blog post!
Unveiling the Future: An Introduction to Leaders of Today and Our Vision for a Better Tomorrow
Hello Everyone and welcome to the Leaders of Today Blog! I am Jordan Reeves, the Executive Director of Leaders of Today. In this blog, you will hear from multiple people within the Leaders of Today organization. These people could be board members or participants and could be educators or bankers. Leaders of Today prides itself on our diversity and believes it makes our organization stronger.
I am going to go into detail about what Leaders of Today is and what we do, but first, I want to point out our name. The name, Leaders of Today, comes from a leadership conference, COLA, that I was able to attend during my sophomore year of high school. COLA (Central Ohio Leadership Academy) was founded by an amazing woman named Jordan Davis. Jordan had the first presentation during the COLA week. When she began, she asked us “Who has been told that they are the leaders of tomorrow?” while presenting a slide that stated “Leaders of Tomorrow”. She then clicked to the next slide which said “Leaders of Tomorrow” and said ‘That is bull crap, You all are the leaders of Today.” That statement is something that has stuck with me since. It doesn’t matter how young, or old, what socio-economic background you come from, or what race you are, you have the opportunity to be a leader of today. You don’t need to wait until you have more money or are older to start being a leader.
Leaders of Today is a nonprofit organization. Our mission is to help fund students ages 14 to 25 in efforts to better the Central Ohio community; giving them the ability to develop initiatives that bring together and improve the lives of those in our community. Our program attracts some of the best students that Central Ohio has to offer. Through this program, our goal is to build a network of leaders, encouraging them to use the lessons learned while working with Leaders of Today to continue to positively impact their communities. We encourage them to build up young leaders of their own, teaching them the importance of continued giving of time, resources, and talents; creating a ripple effect that will last for generations.
Our program has two major goals. First, our grant winners will earn a micro-grant ranging from $250 to $1,000. These will go directly to students who have an objective of improving their community. This could be at their school, place of worship, or the broader Central Ohio community. To help ensure the success of our students, we assign each of our award winners a mentor. These mentors will help the students with student-designed projects through brainstorming, making connections, and guiding students through the process. In order to determine how much each student will need, we have them create their budget and refine it with their mentor. This then gives us a metric on how much they will need. Our goal is to fully fund each student’s project up to $1,000 according to their budget. During the pilot year, the outcomes are to support five to seven student projects from brainstorming to implementation; develop student leadership and professionalism; engage students in their community; and advance design thinking and innovation. Service learning or community service/improvement projects will be eligible for funding. Students participate in the program for approximately 6-12 months. In subsequent years, additional projects will be funded and an alumni program will be built where students will network with and lead their peers.
The second mission of our organization is to teach students critical qualities in leadership. We do this through the creation of a curriculum including a video series, complementary workbooks, and other learning strategies, in addition to holding our annual leadership conferences. During our one-day conference, we invite students ranging from ages 14 to 25. Community leaders from throughout Central Ohio come and speak on 4 main topics: service, innovation, networking, and leadership as a whole. At the end of our free conference, an hour is devoted to our service fair and career counselors. Our service fair mobilizes Non-profit organizations from around the city to offer partnerships allowing students opportunities for involvement in organizations that can help them achieve their goals. Our career counselors can help students learn more about different career opportunities, help them find a career that fits them, and build a resume.
Applicant encouragement
As you can tell, Leaders of Today has a large net that we are casting. Our goal and my personal goal is to make a change that will create a ripple effect that will last for generations. Leadership always starts with a relationship so if you ever want to reach out to me feel free! My email is jordan@leadersoftodayco.com. Come back on the second Tuesday of each month for a new blog post!