NOMINATE A SOPHOMORE

MYLead has been partnering with high schools across Michigan to inspire young leaders since 2003!  

MYLead serves as a catalyst for inspiring minds to leap ahead in their leadership journey.   We provide access to captivating speakers, timeless leadership principles, high-energy inspiring role models, interactive team building, and incredible peers from across the state.  These combine for a remarkable, unforgettable experience. 

Recognized by past participants as a key transitional point in their leadership journey, MYLead programs are well-loved, well-tested, and very effective.  99.9% of participants recommend MYLead to a friend.  

MYLead has been offering in-person conferences exclusively for high school sophomores since 2003. In 2020 due to the pandemic, MYLead hosted the first-ever Virtual Summit and held two more in 2021 as well.  Although our summits were a great success and able to inspire young leaders virtually, we’re thrilled to be hosting two in person conferences again in 2023!

Conference 1: May 19-21, 2023

Conference 2: June 23-25, 2023

MYLead is exclusively offered to high school sophomores in the 22-23 school year.

Between the two events, MYLead is anticipating over 350 young leaders from across the state for MYLead 2023. 

Schools that send students to MYLead report that students return to school:

  • Citing MYLead as the best experience from their summer 
  • Recognizing MYLead as a catapult to what comes next on their leadership journey.
  • Exhibiting an obvious increase in self-confidence and self-worth.
  • Showing a deeper understanding and appreciation of their leadership style and how to use it effectively when working with peers.
  • Freshly inspired and motivated to get more involved.
  • Actively ready to speak up and participate in problem-solving both in the classroom and out.
  • Ready to take on new challenges that may have previously been outside their comfort zone. 
  • Excited to help recruit and champion more students to attend the following year.

Nomination Process

The nomination process is simple:

  1. Select the sophomore(s) you would like to nominate
  2. Click “Nominate Now” and use the login credentials received via email to log into the website 
  3. Enter basic information about the nominee(s) you have selected
  4. Congratulate each student that has been nominated, letting them know they will receive an email from MYLead about registration shortly

MYLead will email student(s) beginning in March with details about student registration.  As the school administrator, you and the student’s guardians will be copied on all emails sent to students.

By logging into the MYLead website you are able to pull your school’s invoice anytime after nominating your selected student(s), if applicable.  MYLead covers the cost of the first student from every school to attend completely free of charge.  Each additional nominee will be billed at $185 per person for conference attendance.  

Schools that send 10 total students to attend conferences will receive an additional complimentary scholarship to cover registration.  That means the 10th student will be able to attend completely free of charge.

If you have questions about nominating a sophomore for MYLead, please see answers to the most frequently asked questions below.  You are also welcome to see FAQs on the conference page as well. If your questions are not addressed, email recruitment@mylead.org or leave us a message at (888) 269-4075.  One of our volunteers will be more than happy to connect.  

I would like to nominate, but I don’t have login credentials.  How can I get them?

If you know you would like to nominate, but have not previously worked with MYLead, or you just can’t find the email previously sent to you with your login information, email recruitment@mylead.org.  If you reach out via email, please include your full name and the name of your school.

I am not associated with a school but do work in my community with an organization that provides education and resources for teens.  Am I able to nominate sophomores to attend MYLead?

MYLead would be happy to learn more about the organization you work with to determine the best course of action.  Please email recrutiment@mylead.org.

Who should I nominate?

The only criteria MYLead has is that the sophomores you pick exhibit a positive attitude, be interested in developing themselves, and exhibit leadership potential in some way.  

The students that seem to benefit from MYLead the most are the ones that aren’t necessarily the president or captain of everything already.  They are the ones that are on the cusp of something great, and just need that boost of confidence so that they can achieve more. 

How many sophomores can I nominate for MYLead?

MYLead offers schools the opportunity to nominate up to 10 sophomores to attend the conferences.

Why does MYLead limit participation to sophomores nominated by their school to attend? 

MYLead uses the school nomination process to verify that individuals attending are in the right frame of mind to receive new information, show strong leadership potential, and will be likely to apply the concepts they learn to impact their school and community upon their return. 

MYLead limits conference attendance to sophomores because of the critical juncture students are at in defining their view of the world and the role they will play in it. At this point, young leaders are sponges for new ideas and information. Participants also have the benefit of two remaining years of high school to apply what they learn and to further develop the leadership skills and knowledge gained through the MYLead experience.

Why only a select number of sophomores per high school?

Part of the MYLead experience is maximizing exposure to new ideas, and developing leadership and critical thinking skills in a totally fresh learning environment, away from familiar surroundings, routine experiences, and established peer groups and peer pressures. Bringing together a limited number of sophomores per school brings individuals, not social groupings, to the conference.

How does payment work for non-free students?

By logging into the MYLead website you are able to pull your school’s invoice anytime after nominating your selected student(s).

It is the school’s responsibility to determine how payment will be made. Each school approaches it differently. Some have funds reserved in their budget, others ask the PTO or a community organization to cover the registration fees, and others have the nominated students/guardians submit payment directly. 

Please determine how your school will cover the registration fees and inform each nominee accordingly.

Does MYLead have a resource kit to assist with advertising to students?

Yes.  You can use the Example Application to solicit interest from sophomores and then select among those that apply.  

MYLead is in the process of developing additional resources and they will be added here once available. You can email recruitment@mylead.org for more information. 

What if a student is no longer able to attend?

If circumstances arise that prevent a student from attending the conference, you are welcome to log into the website to cancel the nomination and submit a replacement nominee.  Or, you can contact recruitment@mylead.org and the recruitment directors will assist you with the process.

What schools nominated sophomores in 2022?

Academy of Sacred Heart

AGBU Alex-Marie Manoogian School

Airport Senior High School

Algonac High School

Allendale High School

Armada High School

Bishop Foley Catholic High School

Black River Public School

Bloomfield Hills High School

Boyne City High School

Caledonia High School

Caro High School

Carrollton High School

Carsonville-Port Sanilac H.S.

Charlotte Senior High School

Chippewa Hills High School

Clarkston High School

Clinton High School

Dakota High School

Dearborn High School

Detroit Catholic Central

DeWitt High School

Evart High School

FlexTech High School

Fordson High School

Forest Hills Central High School

Forest Hills Eastern High School

Forest Hills Northern High School

Fraser High School

Gabriel Richard Catholic HS

Garden City High School

Grand Ledge High School

Greenville Senior High School

Gull Lake Virtual School

H.H. Dow High School

Harbor Beach Community High School

Houghton Central High School

Houghton Lake High School

International Academy – Okma Campus

International Academy East

International Academy West

Iron Mountain High School

JCC/LISD Academy

Jenison High School

Kalamazoo Math And Science Center

Kensington Woods Schools

Kingsford High School

Lake Orion Community High School

Lake Shore High School

Laker High School

Lakeview High School

Lakewood High School

Lincoln Senior High School

Lowell Senior High School

Lutheran High School-North

Macomb Math Science Technology Cent

Manchester High School

Manistee High School

Manistique High School

Mendon Middle/High School

Merritt Academy

Monroe County Middle College

Morrice Area High School

Novi Christian Academy

Oak Park High School

Okemos High School

Our Lady of the Lakes School

Oxford Schools Early College

Pennfield Senior High School

Plymouth High School

Port Huron Northern High School

Potterville High School

Redford Union High School

Regina High School

Richmond Community High School

Saginaw Arts and Sciences Academy

Salem High School

Sand Creek High School

Sandusky Junior/Senior High School

South Lake High School

South Lyon East High School

Southgate Anderson High School

Spring Lake High School

Springport High School

St. Joseph High School

St. Mary Catholic Central

St. Philip Catholic Central High Sc

St. Thomas More

Sterling Heights Senior H.S.

Stoney Creek High School

Sturgis High School

Tawas Area High School

Taylor Preparatory High School

Tecumseh High School

Tekonsha Senior High School

University High School Academy

University of Detroit Jesuit

Walled Lake Central High School

Walled Lake Northern High School

Walled Lake Western High School

Warren Mott High School

Warren Woods Tower High School

West Michigan Lutheran High School

Whitmore Lake High School

Yale Senior High School