Last December, a leadership workshop took place in Garfield Park on Chicago’s West Side that demonstrated a novel application of Applied Wisdom principles. LaShone Kelly, a community leader, organized the half-day session for fifteen high school students from “No Small Plans” and the “Fresh Leaders Collective.”
The workshop utilized a hands-on simulation where students formed their own nonprofit organizations at tables of five. Each group named their organization, developed a mission statement, and assigned roles including board member, executive director, operations manager, and community engagement lead. As the session progressed, students made decisions based on their assigned positions.
During the “Who’s Got the Monkey?” module on accountability, Kelly posed real-time scenarios rather than delivering lectures. Students debated and coached one another about responsibility assignments. The workshop also included role-playing exercises about workplace relationships, where Kelly modeled disrespectful behavior as a supervisor. This prompted immediate student reactions and conversations about trust and respect in organizations.
By session’s end, participants received Applied Wisdom training certificates and gained practical understanding of organizational dynamics, leadership requirements, and accountability structures.
Fresh Supply, a Chicago organization, documented the event on video. This represented the first-ever Applied Wisdom teen workshop, and I encourage you to view the recording.
If you are a nonprofit leader interested in joining a new community initiative, please email us with “Community” in the subject line.