CERTIFYING
HIGH SCHOOLERS
AS MORAL COURAGE MENTORS
High school students can discover agency and purpose by mentoring middle-schoolers in the skills of Moral Courage.
To realize this vision, your school sends 15- to 17-year-olds
on an interactive journey:
PHASE 1 (IN-PERSON)
High schoolers take our gamified workshop, in which they learn and apply the 5 core skills of Moral Courage.
PHASE 2 (VIRTUAL OR IN-PERSON)
Participants practice these skills together by playing “MISSION: Moral Courage,” a series of mobile games that challenge players to transform controversial themes into productive discussions.
Players who accumulate a certain score (or are simply excited to go further) advance to the final phase.
PHASE 3 (IN-PERSON)​
Participants learn how to present our acclaimed short film, Mississippi Turning, to middle-schoolers.
This movie follows two young people who deeply disagree about an emotional issue. One of them uses the skills of Moral Courage to create common ground even as she stands her ground. That’s when things get interesting…
After screening the movie, our aspiring Mentors lead a discussion about it with their middle-school audiences.
During that discussion, they teach the Moral Courage skill set and share their own Moral Courage story — a story that we guide them to craft and deliver.
In this way, Mentors become appropriately vulnerable, relatable, and trustworthy to younger students.
THEN WHAT?
​​Going forward, certified High School Mentors serve as “safe harbors” for the middle schoolers who attended their film screening — especially when they need guidance about how to talk to people in moments of anxiety.
Mentors also work with faculty or staff advisers to hold the occasional AMA (an “Ask Me Anything” session) with the middle schoolers. These gatherings build community and make the Mentors truly accessible.
Certifying teens as Moral Courage Mentors addresses several challenges in K-12 ed today:
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Disengagement of students: high schoolers recognize their agency when they mentor middle schoolers. Plus, they foster purpose through the responsibility to care about younger people.
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Burnout of teachers and counselors: Teen Moral Courage Mentors are the first responders not only to middle-school students, but also to high school peers who just need to be heard and understood.
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Practicality of learning: According to employers, the most valuable hires are those who can do what AI can't: cultivate the teamwork that comes from relational trust. Getting certified in such skills — as a teenager, to boot — is a practical asset.
BOTTOM LINE
​High School Moral Courage Mentors:
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help fellow students improve mental health by becoming more agile and less fragile.
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receive personalized framed certificates and digital versions that they can include in their post-secondary school or job applications, proving that they’ve earned this credential.
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get published by us! See this case study written by Natasha Esteves, the first high schooler to be certified as a Moral Courage Mentor.