Outstanding Leadership Program Award
The Outstanding Leadership Program Award (OLPA) is a distinguished honor presented to schools whose student leadership programs are proven spaces where student leaders grow as ethical, responsible, and servant-minded architects of change.
The Outstanding Leadership Program Award (OLPA) is a distinguished honor presented to schools whose student leadership programs are proven spaces where student leaders grow as ethical, responsible, and servant-minded architects of change. All CADA/CASL member schools are invited to apply for the award by preparing a self-study using the guidelines on the following page.
Catch up on our nominees!
Watch the 2024 Outstanding Leadership Program Awards nominee live stream (recorded on Feb. 18th, 2024).
Application Information
- Be in a leadership program at a CADA/CASL School
- Register for the 2024 CASL State Conference or have attended the 2023 CADA Camps
- Have a student from your delegation apply for “Meet the Pros”
- Complete all parts of the application
If you need help with your application, email:
bella.devita@caslboard.com
- Don’t try to complete your application all at once. Turn in sections as you complete them. Beginning in November we will post a status guide so you can verify which sections of the project we have received from your school.
- Submit your application online or you can mail your completed application to us. Remember even if you are mailing us your project to fill out section 1 so we know to expect your package. Please mail your package to:
Sandi Kurland
16045 Oakley Rd
Ramona CA 92065
- School Name & Address
- School Phone Number
- Principal’s Name & Email
- Overseeing Adult’s Name & Email
- Student Representative’s Name & Email
- An explanation of how the student leaders support the CASL Mission Statement including your school’s participation and representation at the local, state, and national levels.
Create a goal for your leaders program for the 2023 – 2024 school year.
A letter or a video testimony from a student leader explaining how leaders serve the whole student body and school community.
A letter or video testimony from the Principal explaining how student leaders positively affect the climate on campus.
A letter or video testimony from any currently enrolled student explaining how student leaders positively affect the climate on campus.
One student contributing to your OLPA application must apply to be a 2024 Meet the Pros presenter. This section is replacing our Event Spotlight from previous years.
Submit Part 7
Response 1 & 2
Submit Part 8
Response 3 & 4
Submit Part 9
Response 5 & 6
Submit Part 10
Response 7 & 8
Create a description of how the school’s leadership program meets the landmarks on the CADA/CASL Road Map to improve school climate and culture. For each section, you must select two of the following prompts to write a statement for. By the end of the OLPA, you will have responded to a total of 8 of the responses.
- What small change did your leadership program make that made a profound difference? Describe the change and how the ripples of the change affected your school and leadership program.
- Authenticity creates trust. Authenticity is when our actions match our organizational beliefs. How do your program’s actions match your core values? Are your actions and beliefs consistent? How do you know?
- What cultures on your campus does your leadership program underrepresent or find difficulty connecting with? What have you tried to build trust with different cultures on your campus?
- What does the brand of your school mean to the student body and local community? What do you want it to mean? What are you doing as a leadership program to build your brand?
- How does your leadership program share the spotlight? What does your leadership program do to use its power and authority to elevate others and give a voice to students?
- How does your leadership program inspire students to serve your campus and your community?
- What does your leadership program do to make students feel safe on your campus and in your community?
- How does your leadership program embrace the potential of new leaders? How do new leaders have the opportunity to change and improve the school and leadership program?
- How does your leadership program create trust with adults on campus (Admin, Teachers, Custodians, and Support Staff)?
- What is the process your leadership program uses to evaluate the effectiveness of your leadership program?