The EF Leadership Institute supports girls and gender-expansive students in developing the skills for student success in high school and beyond. We recruit upcoming freshmen identified with ADHD, learning disabilities, and executive functioning challenges — and walk with them, year by year, from supported freshmen into confident, paid student leaders.
Executive functioning is the set of brain skills students use to plan, start, organize, and follow through. They can be taught — and we teach them, one practiced skill at a time, reinforced every week by a caring peer mentor.
A steady inner voice so students show up fully — in class, clubs, and at the lunch table.
The small, repeated acts of trust that turn classmates into a real support network.
Weekly rhythms that respect cognitive load, not just the calendar grid.
Beating the paralysis of the blank page with structured starting rituals.
Turning assignments and ambitions into clear, sequenced steps that leave the page.
Reading the difference between what's urgent, what's important, and what's loud.
Goals that stretch and sustain — quarter-long, week-long, small enough to start today.
The flexibility to recover from setbacks, schedule shifts, and surprise grades.
Sharing progress with parents directly — easing frustration and building trust at home.
Service projects on breaks that connect classroom, family, and community.
Support is highest in year one and tapers as students grow into mentors, workshop leaders, and — by senior year — paid leadership running the organization. Four work sessions every week, all four years.
The most supported phase — weekly EF workshops, direct skills practice, peer mentoring from upperclassmen, goal setting, and biweekly parent updates.
Deeper independence and the first leadership reps — a cohort service project, mentoring incoming freshmen, and student-led progress presentations.
Leading workshops for younger cohorts while preparing for what's next — resume building, interview prep, and college application support.
A paid student leadership role running the Institute as a real business — marketing, operations, accounting, management, and client retention.
★ Paid leadership roleThe first cohort begins with the core skills that make every other part of high school possible. Each skill is practiced weekly, reinforced by mentors, and measured against real assignments.
Designing weekly rhythms that respect cognitive load, not just the calendar grid.
Overcoming the paralysis of the blank page with structured starting rituals.
Translating assignments and ambitions into clear, sequenced steps.
Reading the difference between what is urgent, important, and merely loud.
Goals that stretch and sustain — small enough to start today.
Cognitive flexibility to recover from setbacks and surprise grades.
Progress is built from small, repeatable actions — not perfect weeks. Students earn points for micro-wins like starting an assignment, reaching out to a teacher, attending sessions, or completing chores at home.
Every small action earns points throughout the week.
Week- and quarter-sized goals a student sets and meets.
The big, sustained goals that take a semester of momentum.
Students commit to four hours per week, built around the FCPS 2026–27 calendar — with holidays, breaks, and quarter-end early releases all accounted for.
8:00–9:00 PM — the week's core skill
6:00–7:00 PM — set up the week ahead
Tue, Wed, Thu & Sun · 7:00–10:00 PM — 4× a week
Tally points & celebrate wins together
One Sunday each month, parents gather for a workshop built around the real challenges of supporting a teen with executive functioning needs — so the growth happening in sessions carries all the way home.
Every freshman is paired with an upperclassman mentor who has navigated the same hurdles. That consistent, one-on-one relationship is the heart of the program.
We accept up to 30 students into the cohort — small enough to ensure ample support and success for every student during freshman year.
Students rate their executive functioning skills on a 1–5 scale and reflect on their experiences in middle school.
Our team reviews each application and selects students to move forward in the process.
Selected students have an informal conversation with a peer mentor about their goals for the academic year.
The program director meets with parents and guardians about their child's strengths and areas for growth — and how the Institute can help.
Choose the application that fits. Questions? Email us anytime at apply@eflead.org.
For incoming freshmen and their families. Includes the student application and a parent / guardian application.
Start Freshman ApplicationFor upperclassmen ready to lead — Mentor, Lead Mentor, and the paid Mentor Supervisor positions.
View Mentor Applications