LTW Staff Retreat: Building Strength, Connection, and Confidence for the Year Ahead

August 19-22, 2025

From August 19 – 22, 2025, Lead The Way staff gathered for our annual Staff Retreat, a week filled with growth, learning, and inspiration. This retreat was designed to ensure our team is informed, confident, and ready to continue creating lasting impact in our communities before stepping into our partner school buildings.

A Creative Start

The retreat opened with a fun activity, designing custom Lead The Way Stanley Cups. Staff personalized their cups with meaningful stickers, sparking conversations about identity, values, and what drives them in their work.

Career Readiness & Financial Literacy

We were proud to introduce our investment into Pathful, a platform that strengthens our resources around career readiness for students. In addition, we announced our new partnership with Community Financial Wellness, offering parents, students, and staff financial literacy training. Participants who complete the program save $500 and receive a $500 match at completion, doubling their savings to $1,000.

Honoring Our Founder & Learning from Partners

One of the most powerful moments came when Jackie Kemp, Founder of Lead The Way Learning Academy, shared her story and vision for the work we continue to do today.

We also introduced our partners in a unique “speed-dating style” networking activity, giving staff the chance to connect directly with partners, ask questions, and learn how their services benefit students. A special thank you to our partners:

• Heartland Bank

• BMI Credit Union

• VIP Medical Academy

• Performance Automotive

• Caroline Inspires

• Franklin Soil & Water

• The Student Stakeholder

Inspiring Speakers & Team Bonding

We were honored to hear from Jason Lewis, who presented on trust, resilience, and intention, and DJ O Sharp, who showed us the power of making connections through music and other dynamic speakers ..... 

The week closed with a Game Show Battle Rooms competition full of energy and laughter, followed by a team meal at McAlister’s, the perfect way to celebrate our time together.

Recognizing Excellence

We also proudly presented awards to two outstanding team members:

🏆 Coach of the Year 2025 – Carmen Gil

🏆 Staff Member of the Year 2025 – Marissa Pierce

Looking Ahead

At Lead The Way, we believe investing in our team is investing in our students and communities. By strengthening, connecting, and collaborating, we ensure our staff is at their best, ready to continue building the impact our community needs.

 Here’s to a great year ahead!

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Your donation helps us continue to provide programs, mentorship, and opportunities that empower young people to be leaders of change. Together, we can ensure every student has the chance to succeed and give back to their community.

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