U & Improved, a Scottsdale-based leadership development and training company, launched a nonprofit organization, U & Improved Leadership Foundation, Inc., after receiving overwhelming support from the U & Improved community.

The nonprofit, associated with the weekend-long U the Teen Leader class, is designed to make the program more accessible to more teens.

The U & Improved Leadership Foundation will provide leadership development training scholarships to deserving teenagers with the potential to positively impact their lives, surrounding loved ones and their local communities.  Through U the Teen Leader, the nonprofit is empowering tomorrow’s leaders to face challenges and opportunities with confidence and arm them with the tools to make decisions that positively impact their future.

“Since creating the U the Teen Leader program in 2014, I’ve strived to reach as many deserving teens as possible to experience this life-changing weekend,” said U & Improved Founder and CEO Jodi Low. “Now, two years later, I’m thrilled that we are able to create a nonprofit that can provide inspiring teens the resources and training to become compassionate leaders, future change makers and have the confidence to achieve anything they set their minds to.”

Initially inspired by the adult program U the Leader, this program gives each teen participant, ages 14-18, the opportunity to develop techniques to stay focused, build trusting relationships, unleash their inner strength, discover their core values, experience teamwork and become the leaders they aspire to be.

“We know that being a teenager is not easy, especially nowadays, with the added pressures that put teens at risk of having not-so-positive thoughts and believing things about themselves and the world around them that simply aren’t true,” said Low. “The purpose of the foundation is to grant underserved teens the financial support to graduate from a program that equips them with what they need to transition into adulthood, open their eyes to a new way of looking at life and become engulfed in the concept of achievement and empowering others.”
The two-and-a-half-day U the Teen Leader class takes place August 12-14, 2016. The teen participants will spend the weekend at the U & Improved training facility in an action-oriented, dynamic classroom setting that will allow them to discover who they are, while also investing in their future success.

“This class gave me the opportunity to be courageous and make critical decisions in a safe environment.” said U the Teen Leader graduate Abby Ouellette. “I no longer doubt my decision-making ability. This course was a powerful experience for me and I draw upon what I learned every day.”

With the financial help of partnerships and private donations, U & Improved Leadership Foundation is able to provide scholarships to eligible teens who otherwise would not be able to afford the U the Teen Leader program tuition.

Open registration is currently available for aspiring teens who meet the following requirements: be between 14-18 years of age, enrolled in high school or ready to begin their first year in college and be available from August 12 – 14.