The medallion project

Turning Leadership Into Action

What does it look like when a young person is prepared to lead wherever they go?

For C5 Leaders, that answer takes shape through the Medallion Project, a capstone experience completed during their senior year of high school and the culmination of a five-year leadership journey of the C5 Leaders Program.

C5 Leaders approach these serious social challenges in a variety of ways, but all share a willingness to show up, to think deeply, and to take action.

The work begins the summer before senior year at the ACT Now Summit (Actively Changing Tomorrow), when leaders identify a social issue that matters to them and begin shaping a response. They are asked to consider not only what the issue is, but why it matters and what they can do about it.

From there, each leader, or small group, develops a project grounded in real community needs. They research the issue, examine root causes, and design a plan for action. Some projects focus on direct service, partnering with organizations to meet immediate needs. Others center on raising awareness and educating their peers or community. Some take an advocacy approach, addressing larger systems and encouraging broader change.

In researching solutions to overcome the school-to-prison pipeline for their Medallion Project, C5 Leaders turned that learning into action, building relationships with elementary school students and in their community. Photo credit: @brocktonschools, Instagram

No matter the approach, each project requires commitment and follow-through. Leaders dedicate time to planning and implementation, manage logistics, and work through challenges as they arise. They are supported by mentors who guide their thinking, but the work itself belongs to the leader.

This is where the learning, growth, and development of these young leaders come into focus.

Over five years, C5 Leaders build the foundation needed to take on a project like this. They begin by learning to lead themselves, developing confidence, accountability, and a sense of identity. They grow into leading others, practicing communication and collaboration. They expand their horizons through experiences that push them beyond what feels comfortable, including time in the Tetons, literally climbing mountains. They explore their future by planning and participating in college visits, gaining a clearer sense of what’s possible.

By their final year, C5 Leaders are ready to engage their community in a meaningful way.

In the spring, leaders present their Medallion Projects at their final Pathway event. They share their goals, their process, and the impact of their work. They reflect on what they learned and how the experience has shaped their understanding of leadership.

The Medallion Project represents the culmination of a five-year journey that prepares young people to take initiative, think critically, and follow through on what they start. Engaging their community is not a final step, but a continuation of everything they have built along the way.

That is the lasting impact of the C5 Leaders program. It prepares young people not just to imagine a better future, but to take an active role in shaping it.

Teens in the five-year C5 Leaders Program are empowered to be character-driven, community-focused, challenge-ready, college/career-bound, and committed to a better future—the 5Cs.