Online

Overview:

Through our LEAD Online tracks, our goal is to keep the essence of our programs as best as possible. This includes the worldview training and hands-on leadership simulations encompassed in a Biblical focus. Each day will start with devotions and end with worship and a chapel speaker. Throughout the day students will engage in worldview and leadership lectures. Additionally, students will participate in caucus meetings as they work to understand and develop arguments for two bills.  

Throughout the Legislative simulation students actively engage in: 

• Critical and Strategic Thinking 
• Teamwork 
• Speech Writing 
• Public Speaking 

House  

In the House Track first-time students begin their experience by being sworn-in as members of the House of Representatives. Students are challenged to think critically about current issues through role-playing as state lawmakers and discussing actual bills from the Michigan legislature. Each participant is assigned to a committee and a caucus, and each caucus has one bill to support and one to oppose. Students learn the process of how a bill becomes a law as well as the responsibilities of citizenship. 

Student legislators hear testimony from lobbyists during committee meetings, oftentimes chaired by real State Senators & Representatives. Students can ask tough questions of the lobbyists and gain valuable information on their bill. 

LEAD climaxes when students assemble as a legislative body to debate and cast their votes on the issues considered throughout the week. Family members and friends are invited to watch it all from the “gallery”! 

Participating in the House track through LEAD Online will count as participating as a first-year student for LEAD. Students will then be eligible to participate in the Senate track or an advanced track provided they have finished 11th grade. 

Senate 

Second-time students or Onsite Program alumni can attend the Senate track. This advanced legislative experience allows student legislators to amend their bills, both in committee and during the final legislative arguments. The amendment process is much more challenging, and the strategies vary for each caucus. Senators convene at the end of the week for their own final session. 

Participating in the Senate track through LEAD Online will count as participating as a second-year student (or first-year Onsite student) for LEAD. Students will then be eligible to participate in any advanced track. 

LEAD Elite 

Students who have completed Senate or students who have completed House and have finished 11th grade are eligible to participate in LEAD Elite. They will have worldview sessions every morning with our advanced worldview instructors in which they learn the elements of thinking critically. Depending on the week chosen, they may work through difficult ethical scenarios, strengthen their understanding of apologetics, learn how to present arguments to make them most effective, and more. In the afternoon, students can participate in an advanced legislative simulation available for the first time as a pilot program this summer. Like Senate, Advanced Legislators will be assigned bills and positions with the opportunity to amend their bills. They will work toward a final large committee meeting at the end of the week in which all committees will be participating. Students will work to convince legislators in an open debate forum where any student will be able to engage to ask questions or present arguments. Because students will not be restricted to the time limitations as seen in the final sessions for House and Senate, they will need to sharpen their rhetoric skills to be prepared for rebuttals and responses and to present their arguments in the best possible light.  

LEAD Elite is offered all three weeks. Each week’s Worldview Workshop will feature a different instructor and focus on different topics that challenge students to continue to apply biblical wisdom and reasoning to a broad spectrum of issues and spheres of life. Students may choose to participate only in the morning Worldview Workshops for the discounted rate of $75 per week, and we invite eligible students to join us for all three weeks of these dynamic, faith-building workshops!

Worldview Instructors