Hamilton Leaders Academy

The Leader Academy is fully-paid and offered only to students who win the Hamilton Gold Award (select Silver Award Winners are also eligible for the program). Should the student choose to participate, the program begins at the end of the student’s junior year in high school.

The Leaders Academy covers subjects not normally available to high school or undergraduate college students. Some of the services provided by the Leaders Academy include: individual college admissions assistance, training in vision and goal development, time management training, financial literacy training, resume assistance and training in entry-level organizational issues.

Each year of the program includes an “academic-year” of curriculum, running from September to April, along with a week long leadership camp we call “Leader Week.” The academic year consists of individual support through email and phone calls and group support through conference calls. Each “Leader Week” takes place in a different location. The first year takes place in Seattle, the second year concludes with an international service experience in a Central American country and, when operational, the third-year Leader Week program will take place at an East Coast location and the fourth-year program will return to Seattle. Click here to read more about the Leader Academy Programs.

Program Curriculum Goals:

The Hamilton Leader Academy uses four broad curriculum goals to guide all of its programming: transition; empowerment; heritage; leadership development; and financial literacy.

Transition

The transition from high school to college and college to the work place can be confusing and difficult to manage. Hamilton Friends assists students through this process by offering them expert mentorship and peer support in a variety of areas including: college admissions, the transition away from home, resume development and internship experiences.

Empowerment

We believe it is important to help students develop a passion for their future and, at the same time, help them design a realistic plan that will help get them there. In order to fuel their passion and help them create a plan, Hamilton Friends offers students vision activities, goal development workshops, strategic planning classes and time-management training.

Heritage

Hamilton Friends believes it is important to foster an appreciation of the founding era. In particular we believe it is important of young people to understand how, at critical times, American leaders have relied on their core values as the basis for difficult ethical decisions. We often teach heritage and character education using case studies, many of which are drawn from the life of Alexander Hamilton.

Leadership

Hamilton Friends teaches leadership first by helping students fully develop their personal and ethical values. Later program years focus on leadership of others, using case studies to train students in entry-level leadership techniques applicable to a collegiate environment and ultimately to organizations of various sizes, whether private or public.

Financial Literacy

In order to begin a successful career, students need to graduate college with sound financial knowledge and limited debt. Hamilton Friends assists students as they navigate the scholarship and financial aid world and also teaches students strategies to help them manage their personal finances.