Just because kids already plan to attend does not mean that they will stay at their chosen institution for 4 years.  The average student changes their major three times in the course of 4 years.  Students are also pressured by their parents as well as their peers when making this decision while in high school.  More often than not, these serious decisions are made during a 12 month period amidst sports, extra-curricular activities, academics and a social life. The Aspirations Program may not prevent the reality of being a junior in high school, but through curriculum that teaches goal setting and encourages self-reflection, students will have a better idea of their interests and options earlier in their high school experience.

The Aspirations Program is a grant funded program.  For that one reason, the program is limited on expansion. However, Kieve Leadership Decisions Institute delivers programming to many high schools throughout New England with similar curriculum without the virtual follow-up component. Please contact us to discuss other programming options.

More than half the cost of Kieve’s LDI program is subsidized by tax-free gifts and grants.  We ask schools to cover the remainder of the program costs.

A residential program at the Kieve Leadership Decisions Institute is $38 per student per day.

A one-day off-site program at a school or other location is $32 per student per day.

A multiple day program off-site is $30 per student per day.

All virtual and off-site follow ­up is paid through the Aspiration Program grants for all Aspiration program participants.

The Aspirations Program is a spin off from LDI.  The eighth grade participants attend the traditional residential LDI.  The Aspirations Program is the follow-up to some of the curriculum that was delivered during the students’ week at LDI. 

Because of the positive feedback to the Aspirations curriculum, certain elements are being delivered to all LDI programs regardless of grade.

The Aspirations Program has partnered with The Mitchell Institute to construct an evaluation tool.  The Mitchell Institute has also given the Aspirations Program permission to copy and distribute The College Planning Guide.

Other partners for collaboration and support include: The Finance Authority of Maine (FAME), The Department of Education, National Semiconductor, The Island Institute, Maine’s Public and Private Colleges, the Maine Community College System and participating teachers and administrators.   

Please contact the LDI office to discuss eligibility for the Aspirations Program

The virtual follow-up is a monthly contact between LDI and the Aspirations Program participants.  A majority of the follow-up is an email form however for students who do not have access to e-mail; real mail is sent to the school and delivered by the guidance office.

The Learning Together workshop is an opportunity for parents to meet other parents in their community while participating in an interactive workshop facilitated by Kieve LDI staff.

Kieve hosts a Learning Together workshop each Wednesday of a residential program from 10am-3pm.  All meals and materials are covered in the price.

The Aspirations Program hosts a parent night for freshman and their parents.  This workshop is about 1.5 hours long.

Kieve will also conduct parent workshops customized to meet your needs. Please contact us for more information at ldi@kieve.org Subject: Parent workshops.

Financial aid links are found on the For Parents and For Teachers section of this website.  For a Financial Aid Tool-kit go to www.financeauthorityofmaine.org.

Postsecondary education includes 2 and 4 years college degrees, military, community college, vocational school, real estate license etc.; essentially any type of education beyond high school in the students interested field.

Kieve Leadership Decisions Institute works with 1/4 of Maine’s middle school population.  The program is a natural fit because the LDI teaching staff has established relationships with these students and their teachers.  Learning the importance of setting goals and achieving them has been a core element of the LDI curriculum for twenty years.  Therefore the program is not building something new, but rather, enhancing what exists.

The follow-up component is in response to feedback that Kieve receives from previous LDI participants.  The Aspirations Program is a continuation of the students’ work while attending LDI as an 8^th grader.  Because of those existing relationships with the students, students are better able to vocalize what they want their life to look like after high school and how they can use the tools they have been working on over the year.