Adolescents are an investment in our nation’s future. As with all investments, the character, the transformation, and the adaptability to change are the basic principles to be considered if the investment is to produce excellent returns. For this reason alone—excellent returns—the quality education of adolescents is paramount.

For high school students, character education involves formal instruction. Therefore, responsibility, trust, honesty, and cooperation become the basics for leadership potential. The adolescents who become leaders understand the point of view of others. They are able to express their ideas in written and oral context coherently, properly, and rationally.

Young people also influence their peers both ethically and socially. As a result, the adolescents’ education must become a sharing of ideas as well as a sharing of energy. Not only should youth be made aware of “ideas” but they should learn to interact with others in a positive manner. In this way, leadership abilities and confidence are firmly entrenched through human interaction. To achieve character and leadership qualities, an education of distinction is necessary whether it be of a cooperative nature or a transactional nature.

Character along with leadership is both transactional as well as transformational. Firmly grounded in the humanities, fine arts, and the sciences, the education of today’s adolescents enables them to delegate as well as accept authority, to make decisions that embrace critical thinking, and to lead positively through the oral and written word. Leadership is engendered through education not only in the classroom but also on the playing fields.

The well-educated adolescents value the contributions of others. Adults are acknowledged as resources and support systems. Peers are also acknowledged in like manner. Possible consequences and outcomes for others must be considered because making decisions should not occur in isolation. If educated properly, this is the primary principal adolescents learn quickly. The liberal arts education provides the framework; it exposes the young to the concepts of empathy and caring in order to make educated decisions that will impact on others.

Adaptability to change in the leadership process can only be achieved by exposure to an education that encourages respect for multicultural diversity—ethnic, gender, religious, social status, age, education, and inclusion are the components. To change and to lead develop both character and adaptability.

In order to build character, to observe transformation, and to enable students to adapt to change, the curricula of an educational institution become one of the primary forces. Further, competent educators are essential ingredients to present the curricula—professionals who are not only specialists but also generalists. As a result, they become responsible to provide the foundation for the development of caring and competent leaders of the 21st century. Through scholarship, literature, environmental activism, the arts, and athletics, the development of leadership capabilities and character education helps students experience and reflect on their capabilities, both transformational as well as transactional. These are the major components of a holistic education-- a quality education we provide for adolescents in order to create a sound investment in our nation’s future.