Planting Seeds of Confidence in Tomorrow’s Leaders  

Educator Tests Leadership Garden Framework in Schools across the Country

(ALBANY, Ore.) “Be the change you want to see in the world” is one of the most well-known leadership quotes in history. Considering children will lead the world in another two decades, Gandhi’s words carry significant weight for parents and educators responsible for fostering the desired change. Debra Slover, founder of Leadership Garden Enterprises, LLC, takes this responsibility seriously and is spearheading a leadership pilot program for students.

Slover, a former teacher, developed Leadership Garden Legacy, a framework designed to cultivate and nurture leadership in families, schools and communities through growing Leadership Gardensâ – a metaphor for a way to pass knowledge and wisdom on to future generations.

“Time spent developing a child’s leadership is priceless in both time and money,” says Slover. “It’s an investment that pays great dividends, now and in the future.”

Putting her money where her mouth is, Slover will select up to 11 schools and youth organizations across the country in which to fund a Leadership Gardenâ pilot program. The framework – demonstrated in early 2010 at the chosen sites – grows a strong grassroots and online community that helps empower a thriving future. By November 11, 2011, she hopes to have seeded and nurtured 11 million Leadership Gardensâ.

A Leadership Gardenâ helps children find their power, confidence and direction by:

• Building leadership and decision-making qualities
• Providing psychological armor against bullying
• Helping children appropriately set and achieve their goals

Slover’s book, U.N.I.Q.U.E.: Growing the Leader Within as well as The Leadership Garden Guidebook offer a clear path to create an environment that increases the capacity to seed and nurture the greatness in others. The books are ideal for parents, teachers and human service professionals who are responsible for youth development. The children’s version of the book, U.N.I.Q.U.E.: Growing My Leadership Garden, is written as a classic fable.

Slover has dedicated her life to empowering leadership greatness in both youth and adults. She spent 20 years as Director of Oregon Student Safety On the Move, a youth leadership program promoting safe and healthy communities. She lives in Oregon.