IN Fox Chapel Area Spring 2018 | Page 20

Director of the Western Pennsylvania Learning Academy, Lisa Gibson, meets with two students who are enrolled in Empower2018. NEW SUMMER PROGRAMS TO BOOST LEADERSHIP SKILLS W hat happens when you combine two widely popular and successful summer learning programs? You create a new learning opportunity that will Empower high school students with skills that last a lifetime! The Western Pennsylvania Learning Academy at Fox Chapel Area High School has partnered with Dale Carnegie & Associates to create Empower2018, a new and innovative leadership program. “I am so excited about this program because we were able to take the best of the former STEMM Academy and LAUNCH programs and use those as a foundation to build something totally new that will help our students to not only be successful in their chosen career path, but in life,” said Lisa Gibson, the director of the Western Pennsylvania Learning Academy and Fox Chapel Area High School’s gifted education coordinator. “One of the main purposes of the summer program is to help students learn to communicate well and network, and to help students learn to showcase their skills and talents.” Through a series of interactive, real-life experiences and professional exposure, Empower2018 will offer students the opportunity to learn and practice social, professional, and interpersonal skills. Attendees will also realize their leadership potential, step outside of their comfort zone, and step into their growth zone. “The skills they will acquire are universally coveted by today’s employers, regardless of technical skill sets,” Mrs. Gibson said. She continued, “Our program is totally unique, especially in that it can be accessed by students from any school district.” Open to incoming 10 th , 11 th , and 12 th graders, the 13-day comprehensive leadership program will include eight complete Dale Carnegie Training™ sessions. Dale Carnegie’s “Skills for Success for Young Adults” focuses on five key areas that are 18 FOX CHAPEL AREA