Central Ohio Leadership Academy

The Central Ohio Leadership Academy (COLA) is a high-impact, six-day leadership development experience for rising high school juniors and seniors in central Ohio. Established in 2011 by the New Albany Community Foundation in collaboration with The Ohio State University, COLA has impacted the lives of nearly 200 students from 67 high schools in the area. The six-day leadership experience provides a unique participatory experience that cultivates leadership, ethical decision-making, self-reflection and relationship building among the participants. Student learning is guided by an instructional collaborative that includes trained facilitators, educators from the Fisher College of Business at The Ohio State University as well as community leaders from across central Ohio. Each COLA class is made up of no more than fifty rising high school junior and senior students representing urban, suburban and rural districts as well as public, private and charter schools. Ideal participants are students who have applied, or are applying, effective leadership skills in their schools or communities. These are students who would benefit from engaging with like-minded peers and spending time developing their sense of self. All eligible students are encouraged to apply and can learn more about the application process at www.coleadershipacademy.org