For 25 years, the Hilton Head Island-Bluffton Chamber of Commerce Junior Leadership Program has empowered students with essential life skills, hands-on service projects, and exclusive leadership training from local experts. This milestone year promises to be our most impactful yet!
Designed for rising high school juniors (August 2025), the program runs alongside the 2025-2026 school year and is open to students in southern Beaufort County from public, private, charter schools, and homeschool programs. Participants will engage in dynamic workshops, interactive learning experiences, and community initiatives that prepare them for success beyond the classroom.
Learn more about the program below. Don’t miss this opportunity to be part of a legacy 25 years in the making!
Program Qualifications
A student must be entering the 2025-2026 school year as a high school junior enrolled at public, private, charter, or home school in southern Beaufort County, and have a minimum GPA of 2.5 or equivalent. The applicant’s parents and school administrator must sign off on the application, and three personal references must also be submitted.
Applications are open February 28-March 31, click here to apply
Mission Statement
Founded in 2000, the Hilton Head-Bluffton Junior Leadership program is a signature leadership program for high school rising juniors. It is guided by a volunteer Board of Trustees and student advisors from the previous year’s class. The program works to effect positive change in a community by providing high school juniors opportunities to build leadership skills through service learning projects, seminars, workshops and interaction with local leaders and decision makers.
Program Goals
To encourage students to recognize their own potential and develop their leadership skills. To develop a committed cadre of young leaders who will be challenged to apply their new leadership skills through interactions with community leaders, decision makers, and peers from other schools. To create an environment that nurtures potential young leaders to participate in school/community service and volunteerism.
Questions? Please contact Laura Alice Henderson, Director of Programs & Events, at [email protected].