PALP Menu
Is PALP for Me?
You Don't Have to Arrive as a Leader. You Do Have to Be Willing to Grow Into One.
PALP is for you if you want more than another activity to list. You might already be the one who volunteers to lead. You might have good ideas but rarely say them out loud. You might know exactly what you want after high school, or have no idea yet. None of that decides whether PALP is for you. What matters is whether you're willing to participate, try new things, contribute to a team, own your work, accept feedback and keep growing from October to June.
- You don't have to be a leader already. You do have to be willing to grow into one.
- PALP is a good fit if you want real practice, not just information, and you are open to feedback.
- It may not be the right fit right now if you want credit for attendance alone or can't commit from October to June.
- Take the Fit Check below to decide before you register.
The PALP Fit Check
Read both lists honestly. You may think, "Yes, this sounds like a place where I could grow." You may also decide, "This isn't the commitment I want right now." Either answer is a good one to reach before you register. Fit is about your willingness and follow-through, not whether you already look like a leader.
PALP May Be a Good Fit for You If…
- ✓ You want to become more confident speaking, leading, communicating or making decisions, even if those things are hard for you now.
- ✓ You want practical preparation for college, work, scholarships, internships, leadership opportunities and adult life, not only information about them.
- ✓ You learn better when you can actually do something, practice it, get feedback and try again.
- ✓ You want to meet students and adults outside your usual circle and learn how to work with different personalities.
- ✓ You care about something in your community and want help turning that concern into a real project.
- ✓ You want to build a résumé and achievement record with experiences you can actually explain in an interview.
- ✓ You are willing to communicate when you're confused, behind, absent or need help.
- ✓ You can accept that sometimes your first attempt will need revision.
- ✓ You are willing to contribute to campaigns, events, service and group work rather than waiting for someone else to carry the responsibility.
- ✓ You want people to expect something from you, and support you while you learn how to meet that expectation.
PALP May Not Be the Right Fit Right Now If…
That doesn't mean anything is wrong with you. It just means the commitment may not match what you want right now.
- × You are looking for a program where attendance alone earns a certificate.
- × You do not want responsibilities between meetings.
- × You want service hours without doing and documenting real service.
- × You don't want to take part in fundraising and outreach, required experiences or the Community Impact Project.
- × You want teammates, parents or staff to complete your responsibilities when you fall behind.
- × You do not want feedback, revisions or opportunities to try again.
- × You want a leadership title without doing the leadership work behind it.
- × You already know you can't make room for an October to June commitment or plan around the calendar.
PALP is supportive, and support comes with accountability.
Maybe PALP Is for You If You're Thinking…
Sometimes the easiest way to know whether a program is for you is to recognize your own thoughts in it.
If several of these sound familiar, PALP was built around the skills, experiences and opportunities you may be looking for.
What Does It Actually Feel Like to Be in PALP?
It Feels More Like Doing Than Sitting Through Another Class.
PALP isn't another class with a year of lectures, tests and grades. You'll still learn, and there's real work involved, but much of it happens while you talk with people, solve problems, work with a team, make decisions, practice real situations, build a project, communicate with adults, present your work and figure out what to do when something doesn't go as planned.
Some days will be challenging. Some will be funny, messy, exciting or uncomfortable in the way trying something new can be. A great idea might not work the first time. You may have to speak when you'd rather stay quiet. You'll depend on people, and people will depend on you.
The point isn't more school after school. It's a place to practice skills that make more sense once you actually have to use them.
What PALP Asks From You
PALP is more than showing up. Here's what you'll be asked to do, and the real work you'll take on.
| PALP asks you to… | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Attend and actively participate | Leadership grows through repeated practice, not one great day. |
| Do work between Core sessions | Real projects, outreach, service and preparation happen between meetings too. |
| Communicate early | Asking for help before a deadline becomes a crisis is a leadership skill. |
| Complete your own contribution | Your record should reflect what you actually did. |
| Work with people | Leadership means learning to collaborate, include others and work across differences. |
| Accept feedback and revise | Your first attempt doesn't have to be perfect; you do have to respond. |
| Follow through | People learn whether they can rely on you when your work affects their next step. |
| Reflect on results | You should be able to explain what worked, what failed, what changed and what you would do differently. |
Real Things You Will Do
- ✓ Professional outreach and communication.
- ✓ Fundraising and donor engagement through Give Miami Day.
- ✓ Campaign and event recruitment and execution.
- ✓ A six-month Community Impact Project addressing a documented need.
- ✓ Research, critical thinking and responsible use of AI.
- ✓ Budgeting, consumer decisions and practical adult-life skills.
- ✓ Career and mentor access and networking practice.
- ✓ Building your résumé and activity record, plus live interview practice.
- ✓ At least one scholarship, grant, award or funded-opportunity application that fits your eligibility and interests.
- ✓ Presentations, leadership practice and an individual defense of your work.
- ✓ Verified service, contribution and leadership evidence you can use later.
Winning an outside opportunity isn't guaranteed. PALP helps you get more prepared to pursue one.
Quick Self-Check
You don't need a perfect YES to every question today. Look for willingness. This isn't scored or ranked; it's just a way to reflect.
Am I willing to speak up more than I do now?
Yes, I'm willing to try.
Am I willing to complete responsibilities between meetings?
Yes, I'm willing to build that habit.
Can I ask for help instead of disappearing when I'm stuck?
Yes, I want to get better at this.
Am I willing to work with people who may think or communicate differently than I do?
Yes, I want practice.
Can I hear feedback without treating it as a personal attack?
Yes, I want to learn how.
Am I willing to own my part instead of relying on my group?
Yes.
Do I want experiences I can actually talk about on applications and in interviews?
Yes.
Am I willing to give PALP real effort from October through June?
Yes.
If you're thinking, "I'm not good at all of that yet, but I want to get better," PALP may be exactly the place you're looking for.
Have Questions?
Every PALP question and answer now lives on one page, organized by topic.
What PALP Students Say
“Originally, I was not super into the program, but the leaders and mentors were fantastic and taught me a lot about how to be a leader and bring the best out of everyone.”
★★★★★Rated 5 stars in more than 90 reviews on GreatNonprofits
Don't Join PALP Because Someone Told You Leadership Looks Good.
Join because you want chances to practice it. PALP gives you community, structure, real responsibilities, feedback, tools and chances to try again. What you build depends on what you bring.
If you're ready to participate, not just enroll, PALP may be for you.