Inaugural Cohort · Fall 2026
The EF Leadership Institute is a four-year high school program designed for girls and gender expansive students navigating executive functioning challenges — beginning with the Freshman Academy and graduating paid student leaders.
The Curriculum
Cultivating a steady inner voice so freshmen show up fully — in class, clubs, and the lunch table.
Practicing the small, repeated acts of trust that turn classmates into a real support network.
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 that actually leave the page.
Learning to read the difference between what is urgent, what is important, and what is loud.
Setting goals that stretch and sustain — quarter-long, week-long, and small enough to start today.
Building the cognitive flexibility to recover from setbacks, schedule shifts, and surprise grades.
Equipping students to share progress with parents directly — easing frustration at home and building stronger relationships.
Strengthening the network around each student through service projects during school breaks that connect classroom, family, and community.
The Four-Year Arc
The EF Leadership Institute is designed as a four-year progression. Support is highest in year one and tapers as students grow into mentors, workshop leaders, and — by senior year — paid leadership running the organization.
Phase 01 · Freshman Year
The most supported phase — building the executive function foundation.
Phase 02 · Sophomore Year
Refining the skills — and stepping into the first leadership reps.
Phase 03 · Junior Year
Leading younger cohorts while preparing for life after high school.
Phase 04 · Senior Year
A paid student leadership role running the Institute as a real business.
Freshman Academy
The 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 that actually leave the page.
Learning to read the difference between what is urgent, what is important, and what is loud.
Setting goals that stretch and sustain — quarter-long, week-long, and small enough to start today.
Building the cognitive flexibility to recover from setbacks, schedule shifts, and surprise grades.
Want the full breakdown? Download the printable one-pager we hand to parents and school counselors. It maps every executive functioning skill we teach in the first cohort — what it looks like in real schoolwork, how the weekly workshop reinforces it, and how mentors carry it into 1-on-1 sessions.
Bring it to your next IEP, 504, or counselor meeting. Families tell us it's the clearest single page they have for explaining what "EF support" actually looks like during the school year.
Celebrating Wins
Students work from a growth mindset perspective — progress is built from small, repeatable actions, not perfect weeks. So we celebrate micro-wins throughout the week, every week.
Every small action above 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.
Biweekly, students gather via Zoom to tally points and celebrate each other's wins in front of the cohort. Points are rewarded with an Amazon gift card.
The Mentor Bridge
Every freshman in the cohort is paired with an upperclassman mentor who has navigated the same hurdles.
Become a Mentor
Juniors and seniors who have built their own executive function systems are invited to apply. Mentors lead 1-on-1 weekly sessions, co-facilitate workshops, and shape the culture of the cohort.
Thanks for applying to mentor the inaugural class. We review applications on a rolling basis and will reach out by email.
The Inaugural Class
Our first cohort is intentionally small. Fifteen students who enter as freshmen and move through all four phases together — hyper-personalized support, a community designed to stay close long after graduation.
Enrollment
High school freshmen with executive functioning challenges are invited to apply.