Future Leaders of Chicago (floChicago)

floChicago is a leadership development program founded by a group of educators, principals, professionals, and civic leaders in partnership with the University of Chicago and the Chicago Community Trust. We are all bound by the common vision to help high school students reach their full potential. We believe that discrete moments – such as an introduction to a mentor, exposure to a new career path, or discussion about a social issue – can inspire students to broaden their horizons and realize their full potential. We aim to provide experiential learning and programming concentrated with potential moments for students to learn, grow, and redefine their trajectories. Each year, floChicago identifies and brings together a diverse group of aspiring and proven high school leaders, and provides them with opportunities to 1) meet with business, non-profit, and government leaders, 2) engage with diverse student leaders from the Chicago area, and 3) gain exposure to a wide variety of challenges and opportunities in Chicago. Students participate in workshops, field trips, and group discussion around topics such as crime and violence, public health, education, and race relations. floChicago provides students with a heightened sense of awareness around issues facing Chicago, leadership challenges in fixing the problems, and various career pathways to address them.