We’re in the final stretch of our biggest fundraiser of the year - Give To Lincoln Day - and thanks to early supporters, we’re already making waves — not just in donations, but in pure, joyful energy. This year, we’re shooting for the stars with a bold goal: $50,000. That’s not just a number — it will help Launch grow, reach more students, and support the 700+ volunteer staff who make our programs possible. If you’ve been to a Launch event, sent a kid to workshop, or just felt that spark of inspiration from our mission, now’s the moment. Your donation today will help build the next generation of empathetic, confident, community-minded leaders. Here’s our challenge for you — you’ve only got until midnight tonight to make a matched donation. Every gift matters. Every dollar helps. Let’s make this the year we go even higher. Thank you for believing in what we do. http://tiny.cc/GiveToLaunch #GiveToLincoln #KeepTheFire #LaunchLeadership #WarmFuzzies (fb)

The Polo Brunch marks the completion of new staff training for our incredible 2024-25 class of Launch Leadership staffers! These 36 new staff members immersed themselves in extensive training to ensure they're ready to make a meaningful impact at Workshop and beyond. Some key highlights from training included: ✅ Exploring Launch's history, Code of Conduct, and professionalism standards ✅ Practicing essential skills in facilitation, feedback, and empowering emerging leaders ✅ Diving into this year's dynamic curriculum ✅ Learning about identity, intersectionality, and inclusive leadership practices ✅ Understanding personal strengths, weaknesses, and fostering effective co-op partnerships (featuring enneagram insights!) ✅ Building meaningful connections, even with challenging behaviors ✅ Providing compassionate support to students facing grief or mental health challenges Additionally, new staff gained hands-on experience through mini-sessions on operations (OPS), storytelling, communications, AV/Tech, and much more. Our mentorship program also matched new staff with experienced mentors to strengthen connections, both virtually and in person. The Polo Brunch is our way of celebrating and welcoming the new class into the organization. We eat, get to know each other a bit more—this year we brought back "fringes" (pictured), and end the morning by giving the new staff their first official Launch polo shirts by reaching into the "sorting bin" (our take on the sorting hat) to determine their Launch color! We're beyond excited to see this talented group put their training into action at Workshop this summer! Want to support our mission and help us continue to cultivate compassionate, empowered leaders? Consider donating to Launch Leadership this month during Give to Lincoln: https://www.givetolincoln.com/nonprofits/launch-leadership Every contribution is matched and makes a meaningful difference—thank you for helping us launch the leaders of tomorrow! #GiveToLincoln #KeepTheFire #LaunchLeadership #WarmFuzzies (fb)