Building Leaders Everywhere: The Elevate Service Model

While the specific projects vary from campus to campus based on the unique needs of each neighborhood, the “Elevate Blueprint” for service remains consistent across all our schools. Our students follow a rigorous four-stage process that turns a simple idea into a community-wide impact.

The Universal Service Learning Journey

Regardless of the school site, every Elevate student journeys through these four phases:

Investigation: Students survey their specific school and local community. What works? What’s missing? A student in one neighborhood might see a need for better playground safety, while a student in another focuses on food insecurity.
Planning & Partnership: This is where the “Elevate” magic happens. Students don’t just work alone; they learn how to reach out to local leaders, and school administrators to coordinate their efforts.
Action: This is the “boots on the ground” phase. Our students have organized everything from campus beautification days to literacy programs for younger students.
Demonstration & Reflection: Like the Whittier Gallery Walk, every school provides a platform for students to share their story. This reinforces the “Why” behind the “What.”

A Shared Heart for Service

The beauty of implementing this unit at all our schools is the diversity of the projects. It allows our staff and mentors to see a wide-angle view of what matters to the youth of today.

In some schools, students have focused heavily on mental health awareness, creating “peace corners” or peer-support networks.
In others, the focus has been on environmental stewardship, launching recycling initiatives that changed the daily habits of the entire student body.

By making service a standard part of our curriculum at every site, we are ensuring that no matter where an Elevate student goes to school, they are graduating with the realization that they have the power to influence the world around them.

Seeing the Bigger Picture

When you look at the photos from Whittier, remember that those smiles and hard-earned successes are being mirrored at our other locations. It’s a movement of young leaders across the region, all working toward the same goal: leaving their community better than they found it.

“Service is the rent we pay for the room we occupy at this earth.” — This sentiment is alive and well in every Elevate classroom.

The Movement Continues

To our community, school partners, and the dedicated supporters who have been with us since the beginning: Your belief in our mission is what makes these service projects possible. Whether it’s the incredible work recently showcased at Whittier or the initiatives taking root at all our other school sites, your investment provides the foundation for student leadership.

This isn’t just a one-time assignment; it is a movement of young changemakers across the region who are learning that they have the power to shape their own surroundings. The momentum is building, our students are energized, and we are more committed than ever to fostering hearts for service in every classroom we enter. Let’s keep elevating!

Join Us in Making a Difference

It is not too late to donate and receive a tax credit for your end of year giving. If you are interested in supporting Elevate Phoenix or make a difference in the lives of young people by monthly donor, we encourage you to becoming part of our Elevate family!