By: Toniah N. Anderson, 2026 Communication Intern
Conversations about youth justice often focus on the school-to-prison pipeline. This term highlights how exclusionary discipline, school-based arrests, and systemic inequities can push young people out of classrooms and into the justice system. While it is important to address these harms, we must also focus on what young people need to succeed.
What if, instead of a school-to-prison pipeline, we built a school-to-leadership pipeline?
A strengths-based approach recognizes that young people are not problems to be solved but assets to be developed. Research shows that when youth have access to supportive relationships, leadership opportunities, and meaningful community engagement, they are more likely to thrive academically, socially, and emotionally. According to The Promise of Adolescence, a report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, adolescence is a critical period for learning, growth, and civic development.
Youth leadership programs are one way to invest in young people’s potential. Whether serving on advisory councils, organizing community projects, or advocating for policy change, youth gain valuable skills in communication, decision-making, and problem-solving. These experiences help young people see themselves as leaders and contributors to their communities.
Mentorship also plays a powerful role. Research from MENTOR shows that young people with mentors are more likely to participate in leadership activities and pursue educational opportunities. As mentoring scholar Dr. Jean Rhodes notes, strong mentoring relationships support social, emotional, and identity development. Sometimes, one caring adult can help a young person imagine possibilities they never thought were within reach.
Civic engagement is another essential piece of the pipeline. The Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE) has found that young people who engage in civic activities are more likely to remain involved in their communities as adults. Youth deserve opportunities not only to participate in decisions that affect them, but to help shape those decisions.
Finally, community involvement creates a sense of belonging. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention identifies connectedness as one of the strongest protective factors for youth well-being. When young people feel connected to their schools, neighborhoods, and communities, they are more likely to succeed.
As youth development expert Karen Pittman famously stated, “Problem-free is not fully prepared.” Young people need more than the absence of negative outcomes. They need opportunities to lead, contribute, and grow.
Building a school-to-leadership pipeline requires investment, partnership, and belief in young people’s potential. When we create pathways to leadership, we build stronger futures not only for youth, but for our communities as a whole.
Sources:
https://www.nationalacademies.org/read/25388/chapter/1
https://psychrights.org/Research/Digest/CriticalThinkRxCites/rhodesinfluencerelationships.pdf
https://circle.tufts.edu/2026-election
https://www.cdc.gov/youth-behavior/school-connectedness/index.html