OLPA Application Instructions
With the new online system, you can save your progress and return to your application to continue editing your school’s work. After you register, you will use your username and password to log in and continue your application. Simply click on “My Application” then edit to make changes or add new responses. When done, click “Save” to save your responses. Responses can continue to be updated until the deadline.
Remember, if you are linking any file from your Google Drive, make sure the settings are set to “Anyone With Link” can view.
School Profile & Award Information
This section provides us information on your school and informs us who to make the award to. Please be careful to make sure this information is accurate and in the correct format. On each award, we will honor the school principal, up to two advisors who work directly with the leadership program and up to two students who are in the leadership program or worked on the award. Some schools choose to name their President, while other schools will select the students who put the most effort and time in completing the OLPA application.
Part 1 – CASL Mission Statement
An explanation of how the student leaders support the CASL Mission Statement including your school’s participation and representation at the local, state, and national levels.
CASL Mission Statement
- The mission of The California Association of Student Leaders (CASL) as a student-led, not-for-profit organization is to provide a statewide network, which facilitates the development of ethical, responsible, and servant leaders. CASL’s initiative is to equip and empower students to be effective future leaders of the world through local, regional, and statewide conferences.
Part 2 – Program Goals
Create a goal for your leaders program for the 2024 – 2025 school year. You may copy and paste your school goal or share a graphic you have of your goal.
Part 3 – Student Leader Testimony
A letter or a video testimony from a student leader explaining how leaders serve the whole student body and school community.
Part 4 – Principal Testimony
A letter or video testimony from the Principal explaining how student leaders positively affect the climate on campus.
Part 5 – Student Testimony
A letter or video testimony from any currently enrolled student explaining how student leaders positively affect the climate on campus.
Part 6 – Meet the Pros Applicant
One student contributing to your OLPA application must apply to be a 2025 Meet the Pros presenter. You only need to have a student apply to be a Meet the Pros presenter- they do not need to be selected to present.
Learn More about MTPs
Part 7 – School Climate and Culture Questions
Create a description of how the school’s leadership program meets the landmarks on the CADA/CASL Road Map to improve school climate and culture. You need to select 8 of the following 10 questions to answer on your OLPA Application. A quality response will show reflection and thought for each of the prompts.
1. What is a program or an event your leadership program should stop doing to make room for a new idea? What are the pros and cons of removing this program or event from your calendar? What is the new idea that would replace this program or event?
2. What is a current difficulty that your leadership program is facing? How would you approach this situation differently if you framed it as an opportunity instead of a problem?
3. How does the program encourage students to ask thought-provoking questions? What opportunities does the program provide for students to explore and challenge their own assumptions?
4. How do you know when your leadership program is veering off course? What do you need to know to determine the direction your leadership program is moving in? How do you get back on course?
5. How does your leadership team support the larger community around your school? How does your leadership team serve the community? How do you measure this impact? How do you encourage students to seek feedback on their service and act on it constructively?
6. In what ways does the program foster a culture of continuous learning and improvement? How does the program help students develop a growth mindset? How are the things you are doing now going to be the building blocks to improve your program in 5 years?
7. Where do new ideas come from in your leadership program? What do you do make sure the new ideas reflect the diversity of your school? How can your program encourage new ideas that represent new view points not represent in your leadership program?
8. How hard is it for a student outside the leadership program to bring change to your school? What are the barriers in their way and as a leadership team how can we remove these barriers. How open is your leadership program to the new ideas from other students and adults on campus (Admin, Teachers, Custodians, and Support Staff)?
9. What are the questions you want your the members of your leadership team to be asking about the programs and events you put on? How do you train or what could you do to train your team to ask these questions?
10. What does your program currently do to promote curiosity and creative thought in the planning process? What actions do your student leaders currently engage in to promote curiosity on campus for the student body they serve? What is a practice or strategy your program could employ to encourage more curiosity and creativity either within the leadership group or on campus?
