Summer Leaders

For some high school students, earning extra cash or working on their tans is enough to keep them occupied during the summer. But for those who yearn to discover more about how their lives, Baylor offers an excellent alternative -- the Christian High School Leadership Institute.

The program, which will be held June 24-27 on the campus, was developed to equip incoming high school seniors with a new understanding of their natural strengths, said Scott Wade, director of the Student Union and member of the Student Life Division.

Nearly two dozen students participated in Baylor's first institute last summer. Although other universities sponsor such leadership programs, few connect strengths with a spiritual calling, Wade said: "It gets them to think about how they are going to use the gifts they've been given and be stewards of that to influence people around them."

Student Life staff members and Baylor students lead participants through the Gallup Organization's StrengthsQuest curriculum, a tool that identifies one's top five natural talents. The goal, Wade said, is to help students "realize their greatest leadership influence and potential is going to be in those areas where they can leverage the strengths that they have. That's also where they're going to find the most fulfillment and passion in what they're doing."

Dave Stone, a pastor from Louisville, Ky., will be the institute's guest speaker. Participants will be further coached in using their strengths through daily small-group sessions and a ropes course.

An application form, two reference letters and a $50 deposit - due by May 1 - are required for the leadership institute, which costs $350 and includes lodging, meals and conference materials.