Learn, grow, and lead for a lifetime. That’s the mantra of Frisco’s Leadership Prep School where they believe in challenging students to achieve their greatest leadership potential by cultivating key skill sets: communication, leadership, and creativity.
While these seem like obvious educational goals, many schools often fail to provide students with exposure to these skills. With the advancement of technology, LPS recognizes that face-to-face communication, the use of imagination, and general social skills are at risk for the youth of today.
To that end, LPS uses a Project-Based Learning (PBL) program that teaches communication skills, expansive thought processes, and the ability to lead. Students are excelling in areas often neglected, and it’s sure to impact their future success in a wonderful way.
Student Spotlight: Lindsey Kopplow
While many teens were busy perfecting their Tik Tok skills this year, LPS freshman Lindsey Kopplow was creating a 501c3 nonprofit called Generations Hope.
Based in The Colony, Generations Hope partnered with Budget Suites to create an outreach program, The Friday Night Club. Every Friday, Lindsey and other volunteers gather with youths in the community to mentor, play games, serve hot meals, and build relationships with local kids.
The idea for Generations Hope initially originated from a program called Metro Relief, an organization that serves low income and homeless individuals in the DFW area.
While volunteering there, Lindsey built relationships with many kids and firmly established a heart to bring hope to others.
In time, Metro Relief opted to concentrate their efforts solely on the homeless population, eliminating the kid’s outreach program. Lindsey felt compelled to find a new way to continue supporting the youths who were benefitting from the program.
Timing is everything.
Just 14 years old, Lindsey had a solid vision for her youth outreach program but it needed a little fine-tuning to be a success. She was accepted into the 2019-20 class of Frisco’s Young Entrepreneurs Academy (YEA), a groundbreaking educational program that takes middle and high school students through the process of starting and running real businesses/social movements over the course of a full academic year.
The program taught Lindsey how to develop objectives and write a business plan to officially establish Generations Hope as a 501c3 nonprofit. Lindsey attributes much of her readiness to succeed in the YEA program to her school, who has students accepted into the program every year. She shares,
Through the whole YEA program, I felt that I had an edge because Leadership Prep School had prepared me through their Project-Based Learning (PBL) program. Some of the things I’ve learned from LPS are public speaking, presentation skills, and how to communicate effectively. This has been an advantage in being able to present well and communicate my ideas.
When it was time to present her nonprofit to a panel of investors, Lindsey was prepared and confident with a clear mission statement:
Generation Hope is a youth-led organization that seeks to improve the lives of underprivileged and at-risk children in local multi-family communities by sharing love and hope through quality time, fellowship, and faith-based mentoring.
It starts with one.
Lindsey never envisioned that Generations Hope would grow so rapidly. Her advice? “Start small, even if it’s just in your home or school. It starts with one random act of kindness to create a ripple effect to spread more positivity to help others.”
Moving forward, Lindsey hopes to expand the outreach program to assist other communities in the DFW area. She hopes to receive more sponsorships and donations to purchase a bus.
A full-time student who juggles sports and homework, any spare time Lindsey has is devoted to bringing hope, fellowship, and mentorship to kids and families who need it most.
Here’s how you can help.
To help Generations Hope make an impact, consider making a monetary donation, serving as a volunteer, or sponsoring the Friday night outreach program. (It’s a great place for students to acquire volunteer hours.)
Visit the Generations Hope website to learn more about the mission, the outreach programs, the oversight, and how you can contribute.
