About Us

Founded in June 1996, the International Quality Leadership Institute is a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering and involving our young people as catalysts in building lasting change through sustainable communities, locally, nationally, and internationally.

The Institute is based in Chicago, Illinois and works in schools and communities throughout the United States.

IQLI is committed to bringing its comprehensive and customized youth-centered community model to schools, communities, and cities across this great nation.
We believe that we have developed a adaptable model which demonstrates how all the neighborhood’s stakeholders: parents, school representatives, churches, social service agencies, the police, health care providers and the business community can be a part of
an on-going process that not only centers around youth, but actually makes them the central part of a process aimed at coordinating the efforts and resources within the community to address their needs!

MISSION


To build a comprehensive and integrated model for organizing and empowering youth to be self-directed learners and contributors to society. We will increase their participation as resources, leaders and problem-solvers in building community unity. Dynamic relationships and partnerships will be developed between youth and adults and across the community.

We must learn to provide our children with the tools and opportunity to be part of any and all efforts aimed at changing their lives. The well-being of our children is the issue; their preparedness to inherit a world of certainty and a global restructuring is our
challenge.

HISTORY OF KEY EVENTS

Seventeen years hands-on experience with student empowerment, staff development, and community building in Chicago Public Schools (1984-2001)
Piloted first TQM/TQE school-wide effort (student/teacher/parent/community quality teams) at 2nd largest Chicago Public high school in 1988
Comprehensive Quality Student Leadership and Quality Leadership Workbooks for students/adult leadership empowerment and leadership in action
Developed district-wide student leadership for 44 CPS elementary schools in 1990
Trained national student leaders and met with White House officials on education issues in 1992
Piloted successful Parent Leadership: Dare to Dream series for Cabrini Green parents and children and CPS Parent Resource Center in 1993
Designed and moderated historic city-wide Town Meeting with 1000 students and education/community leaders in 1994 and follow-up Student Conference in 1995
Trained over 500 corporate leaders/executives at Chicagoland Chamber's Youth Motivation Program that impact city-wide CPS high schools 1993-95
Developed a model school in Michigan (1991-95) with 80% of student body involved in school improvement. Dramatic improvements in academic, dropouts, and discipline. Featured on nationwide TV and selected as one of top 50 schools in country by ASCD/NASSP
An Executive Recommendation from the Chief Education Officer of the Chicago Public Schools (1995) for "an outstanding leadership program for students and adults."
Designed CHAMPS: Quality Student Learning Pilot program for Illinois State Board of Education and Chicago Public Schools that improves achievement and student behavior, and creates a learning community in 1996
Published book, " Empowering Students to Transform Schools " in 1998
Developed pilot youth-centered schools in Michigan, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Minnesota, Wisconsin, California, New Mexico, Utah (1988-2002)
Designed new model, Youth-Centered Communities, and piloted in East Chicago, Indiana, Marietta, Ohio, and Berwyn, Illinois (2000-2002)
Developed and facilitated numerous Youth/Community Forums to showcase youth ideas and solutions for building a better community (1994-2002)
Collaborated with a team of leaders in a nationwide initiative, Youth Empowerment Partnerships (YEP) that will mobilize millions of our nation’s youth to create effective 21st century schools and transformed communities
   

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