Empower Education: Leadership
That Goes Beyond the Classroom
Empower Education was founded on a simple idea: students grow the most when they use their talents to make a difference.
The goal isn’t just to strengthen a college application—it’s to help students discover who they are and what they care about.
Created by College Ready founder Shellee Howard, Empower Education is a nonprofit initiative designed to help students develop leadership, service, and purpose. Through student-driven projects and global initiatives, participants learn how their passions can create meaningful impact in the world.
Real Projects. Real Impact.
Empower Education is built around service initiatives that reach far beyond the classroom.
Students don’t just participate – they lead real projects with measurable impact. From raising over $48,000, building two classrooms and a kitchen in Uganda, to supporting an orphanage in Oaxaca, a school in India, and a village in Ecuador, students are actively creating change on a global scale.
The goal isn’t just to strengthen a college application—it’s to help students discover who they are and what they care about.
What makes Empower Education unique is that students are deeply involved in the work itself.
- Many initiatives are student-led, giving participants the opportunity to organize projects, collaborate with peers, and take ownership of meaningful work.
- This approach allows students to develop leadership in an authentic way—by doing, not just participating.
- The result is a community of students who are learning how to lead with intention, compassion, and purpose.
Turning Passion Into Purpose
Many students want to make a difference, but they’re not always sure where to start. Empower Education provides a framework for turning ideas into real initiatives.
Students collaborate with peers who are equally motivated to serve, lead projects, and develop solutions that support communities both locally and internationally. Along the way, they build confidence, develop leadership skills, and learn how their actions can create lasting impact.
Projects can be academic, artistic, service-based, entrepreneurial, or anything in between. If a student cares about it, we can build a passion project around it.
Join the Empower Education Community
For families looking to get involved in meaningful work and consistent mentorship, Empower Education offers a monthly subscription that connects students directly to real-world impact.
Subscribe to Our Passion with Purpose Accelerator
For $27/month, students participate in six live sessions each month, working alongside Shellee Howard and the College Ready team while contributing to global and local initiatives.
This experience goes beyond service—it provides the opportunity to earn up to eight national awards and four leadership certifications, all while building a portfolio of meaningful work that strengthens college applications.
Every dollar directly supports the charity, allowing students to both contribute and grow at the same time.
Students Who Want to Make an Impact don’t have to Wait Until College to Start
Learn how Empower Education helps students develop leadership, service experience, and global awareness while making a meaningful difference.
