It’s well established that youth learn more quickly than adults, and that youth need to be better prepared to meet significant challenges in society. The need to educate youth to be leaders is unlimited. Our country and world needs better prepared youth. Leadership development must start during the formative years of youth, when they’re ready and eager to learn. Youth should and can be empowered at an early age to assume more responsibility, accountability, and authority in their life. One of the challenges with providing training and leadership development to youth is the need many companies feel to "brand" their services and content. Youth need leadership education in a language that they can understand. This book answers that need. The eleven essential competencies described in this book have been presented to youth for more than 40 years. You can present this essential body of knowledge to any teen. These eleven competencies are a foundation that help youth act as a leader. The competencies describe: The eleven competencies are a foundation for the lifelong acquisition of leadership attitudes, skills, and knowledge. They are an open model for leadership education, concepts, and practices that anyone can adopt for their organization. You're not limited by your location or organization. Anyone can use these competencies to develop hands-on youth leadership education. This book is intended for teens 14-18 years old who are interested in improving their personal leadership skills, and for adults with a desire to develop leadership in youth. Whether you're a manager, minister, educator, recreational leader, camp director, parent, or a volunteer, these competencies of leadership are for you. We believe that as you help youth learn to lead, you're building self-esteem, confidence, and capability that last a lifetime. You're helping individuals become better parents, community members, and effective citizen leaders. You're making a difference today and tomorrow.