Luke's Leaders


Luke’s Leaders is a weekly, after-school leadership development initiative developed by the Outreach and Justice Department of St. Luke’s United Methodist Church in Indianapolis, Indiana. The program is dedicated to nurturing and empowering youth to become the next generation of change makers. At Luke’s Leaders, we believe that every young person has the potential to become a leader and make a positive impact in their community.

Our Mission

Our mission is to provide Washington Township students, grades 5-8, with transformative leadership development and community engagement opportunities. Through a combination of hands-on experiences, mentoring, and partnerships with Local youth-serving organizations, we aim to equip young people with the skills, knowledge, and confidence to create meaningful changes in their lives and in their community.

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New Luke's Leaders Program - MS 101

The Center for Leadership Development is a highly regarded Youth Development Organization in Indianapolis. Through Luke's Leaders, they are offering their Middle School 101 program which will be offered in five, one-hour sessions. This will be helpful for 6th grade students as they adjust to the different educational and social demands in Middle School. Time Management, Creating positive relationships, Effective Study Habits, Self-Care, and How to access resources for help are included over this five-week series.

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How We Accomplish This:

We believe in empowering youth to discover their unique strengths and abilities, enabling them to take ownership of their futures and make informed decisions.

We embrace and celebrate diversity in all its forms, fostering an inclusive environment where all voices are heard and valued.

We recognize that collective action is the key to creating sustainable change. We actively promote collaboration among our participants, partners, and the broader community.

Stories from Parents & Students

In this article are just a few words, from parents & students, on what Luke's Leaders has meant to them.

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Luke's Leaders Program

Check out this video from 2025's Luke's Leaders, Leadership Summit!

Luke’s Leaders is a leadership development initiative developed by St. Luke’s United Methodist Church for Washington Township Schools and offered through a collaboration of community organizations. Our partners for 2025-2026 are:


Students

Luke’s Leaders seeks a variety of Washington Township middle school students to participate. Most important is that the student has potential and a desire to develop their leadership skills. A variety of academic performance and leadership experience is desired and enhances the program.

Student Registration

Fifth graders from each elementary school will meet at St. Luke’s UMC with the CLD staff and Mentors from St. Luke’s UMC. Students will explore time management, communication, and healthy decision-making skills to set them up for success.

Sessions are scheduled for Saturdays from April 11 through May 9. 

6th graders from each middle school will meet at their respective middle school with the Peace Learning Center staff - Mentors from St. Luke’s UMC will also be in attendance.

Sessions will start on September 9, 2024, from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. Students will be picked up by parents or they may take the late bus home. Snacks will be provided. There will be 8 sessions in the fall and 8 sessions in the winter. Winter session will begin on January 15, 2025.



Seventh graders from each middle school will meet at St. Luke’s UMC with the YMCA of Greater Indianapolis staff - Mentors from St. Luke’s UMC will also be in attendance & will provide transportation from school to St. Luke’s UMC.

Sessions will start on Wednesday, September 11, 2024, from 5:00 to 6:30 p.m., followed by dinner at the church. Students will be picked up by parents by 6:30 p.m. Snacks will be provided. There will be 8 sessions in the fall and 8 sessions in the winter. Winter session will begin on January 15, 2025.

Eighth graders from each middle school will meet at St. Luke’s UMC with the YMCA of Greater Indianapolis staff. - Mentors from St. Luke’s UMC will also be in attendance & will provide transportation from school to St. Luke’s UMC.

Sessions will start on Wednesday, January 15, 2025, from 5:00 to 6:30 p.m., followed by dinner at the church. Students will be picked up by parents by 6:30 p.m. Snacks will be provided. There will be 8 sessions in the winter.

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High School Luke’s Leaders Alumni

Luke’s Leaders is inviting high school students to work side-by-side with the Luke’s Leaders adult volunteers working in the Program. We believe you can provide excellent mentorship to our middle school leadership students. You will be working as a Leadership Advisor for these programs: 8th grade - YMCA Youth in Government, 7th Grade - YMCA Leaders Club, and 6th Grade - Peace Learning Center.

Responsibilities include:

  • Working with group facilitators/leaders
  • Build relationships with students
  • Participate in sessions
  • Assist in classroom management


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Leadership Advisors (Volunteers) 

We’re incredibly proud of our program’s growth—from just 14 students four years ago to more than 100 today, our impact is obvious. None of this would have been possible without our devoted volunteers. If you’re passionate about mentoring young people, we’d love to meet you and discuss how you can get involved! Here are a few important details: 

  • Student sessions are held on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday nights for 8 weeks each in fall and spring. Wednesday sessions take place at St Luke’s from 5–6:30 pm, while Tuesday sessions are at Northview, Westlane, and Eastwood schools from 4:30–5:30 pm.    
  • As Leadership Advisor, your responsibilities entail attending two-thirds of sessions, fostering relationships with students built on trust, engaging fully in all activities, and identifying deviations from expectations as directed by our professional facilitators.   
  • We need volunteer drivers and riders to shuttle students in SLUMC passenger vans on Wednesdays (4–5 pm during fall and spring) from their school to St. Luke's. No special license or training is required, as the vans handle like SUVs or minivans.   
  • New for 2026: Middle School 101 workshops will be held on Saturday mornings at St. Luke's at 10:00 and 11:00 am from April 11 through May 9. We are seeking additional Leadership Advisors to support this program. 
To sign up contact Carl or Tom below!   

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Contact Us!

Reach out to us to become a Luke's Leader, Volunteer or to Learn More.


 Contact Carl & Tom!