—Curriculum —
Curriculum Structure
The leadership curriculum is divided into three progressive phases, each designed to build upon the last:
1. Basic Leadership: Mastering the Self
The foundation of all leadership is self-mastery. Participants will develop discipline, confidence, and personal accountability through activities such as:
- Physical Training (PT): Focused on building grit and independence through structured workouts like jiu-jitsu, striking, and team-based circuits.
- Wilderness First Aid Certification: Developing responsibility, situational awareness, and technical skills.
- Flying Real Aircraft: Learning focus, decision-making, and confidence in high-stakes environments.
Key Lessons: Building effort, personal accountability, and resilience.
2. Intermediate Leadership: Working with a Team
The second phase focuses on mastering teamwork and learning to lead others effectively. Participants will engage in team-oriented activities like:
- Leadership Reaction Courses: Solving complex team challenges at military training facilities.
- Large Group Leadership Projects (GLPs): Tackling collaborative scenarios that require communication, problem-solving, and trust.
- Paintball Tactical Challenges: Testing decision-making and coordination under pressure.
Key Lessons: Communication, trust-building, and collaborative problem-solving.
3. Advanced Leadership: Leading Organizations
The final phase prepares participants to lead in complex, organizational-level scenarios. They will focus on strategic thinking, delegation, and building effective teams. Activities include:
- Capstone GLP: A large-scale leadership challenge that incorporates all learned skills and values.
- Professional Development: Workshops on networking, public speaking, and resume-building to prepare for real-world applications.
- Mount Timpanogos Hike: A final endurance test that ties leadership to resilience and perseverance.
Key Lessons: Strategic leadership, organizational structure, and leading with purpose.
Leadership Model
Core Values
Our program instills three fundamental values that define great leaders:
- Integrity: Be honest with yourself and others, stay true to your values, and strive to be the best version of yourself.
- Courage: Take bold action, embrace discomfort, and lead with confidence even in challenging situations.
- Empathy: Connect with others on a human level, build trust, and lead with compassion and understanding.
These values form the foundation of every activity and challenge throughout the program.
Leadership Pillars
The curriculum is structured around five essential leadership skills:
- Ownership: Taking full responsibility for actions, decisions, and outcomes. Participants learn to lead themselves before leading others.
- Communication: Developing clear, effective, and persuasive communication skills to lead teams and build relationships.
- Discipline: Building the consistency and grit to achieve goals, even in the face of challenges.
- Trust: Earning and building trust through reliability, accountability, and integrity.
- Service: Learning to lead by serving others and contributing to a greater mission.
Hands-On Leadership Training
The APExL curriculum emphasizes learning by doing. Every activity, from scuba diving to rock climbing, is carefully designed to challenge participants physically and mentally while reinforcing leadership principles. With low student-to-instructor ratios, participants receive personalized feedback and coaching throughout the program.
Outcomes
Graduates of the APExL Leadership Curriculum leave with:
- Practical leadership skills that can be applied to any environment
- A deeper understanding of personal strengths and areas for growth
- The confidence to tackle challenges and lead with integrity, courage, and empathy
- Lifelong memories and a renewed sense of purpose
