This article discusses the need for competitions and contests in schools to develop and enhance talents in academics, fine and performing arts, leadership, and service learning. An academic contest school assessment checklist is included. Information on several national contests for children and youth is presented. (CR)

Adolescent literature can be used in peer training programs to help adolescent peer leaders gain information about and insight into various issues. This paper provides a listing of 50 recent works of adolescent fiction and nonfiction arranged topically to assist trainers looking for books on particular topics. (SM)

Discusses the educational benefits of using peer tutors for all students involved in music education. Explores how music teachers can develop and implement a peer tutoring program, discussing topics such as logistic factors, selecting and training students, pairing students together, and evaluation. Lists steps for implementation. (CMK)

Five college student foundation programs are described briefly: fund raising at the Georgia Institute of Technology; fund raising and leadership development at the University of Houston (Texas) and the University of South Florida; the Franklin College (Indiana) fund-raising challenge; and the College of William and Mary (Virginia) scholarship…

Seven articles in this theme issue discuss how to enhance leadership skills through mentoring, the pitfalls of leadership education, teachers' role, leadership for handicapped learners, and the impact of Future Farmers of America on development of student leaders. (SK)

A study assessed the needs of 170 Hong Kong secondary schools for leadership training of students in different domains of school activities and their endorsement of university-school collaboration in these activities. Schools were in need of student leaders in different student activities, especially in those less related to academic concerns.…

Discusses the issues involved in holding a collegiate mini-conference at the state-level, focusing on Georgia. Provides questions to consider before the conference preparation, a review of the process, a sample mini-conference schedule, and a description of the 1999 Georgia mini-conference. (CMK)

Character education in higher education is a challenging enterprise. There are concerns regarding academic freedom, debates about the role of the university, and criticisms of purported indoctrination. Character education initiatives in the past have often erred by neglecting what is known about individual human development, at one extreme, or by…

This chapter provides a simple and effective model for using film, television and other popular media in student leadership development activities. (Contains 1 exhibit.)

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe the subjective experience of college students in leadership. Six participants, 4 females and 2 males, from a large, southeastern university were interviewed regarding their experiences; each response was transcribed and thematically analyzed to identify a perceptual background, as well as…

Self-directed Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) allow students to assume leadership and become actively involved in the decisions made at their IEP meetings. This article describes how through direct instruction, social skills discussion, active practice, and role-playing students are prepared to facilitate their meeting. This active…

This article describes a project that will make a positive impact in today's special education classroom. Teachers will learn how to use Problem Based Learning (PBL) units as a tool to empower students with special needs to become more confident, independent, successful students. It will also shatter the stereotype that students with special needs…

The Playground Leader program at Wells Elementary School provides an opportunity for trained students to direct structured small and large group activity stations during recess. Fourth graders are leaders in the setting described in this document, but older students could be trained in other school settings. The playground leaders are chosen…

The military theme at Northeast Law, Public Service, and Military High School in Kansas City, Missouri, was evaluated during its second year of implementation (the 1990-91 school year). After a shaky start, the second year brought increased stability to the program. Program objectives were in place, and all military theme staff had been hired by…