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What People Are Saying

I wasn’t unwilling to be a witness, it was that there was always this fear of rejection that would hold me back. But one of the most beautiful things about LEAD is that it dispels the fear and empowers you to be that witness to others. » Read More
— Participant
I noticed that I was participating in church events or volunteering all for me, and not for God. LEAD really opened my eyes to humility. » Read More
— Participant
Before the LEAD week it was always weird trying to tell someone about the faith and how God works. But through the experience with giving my testimony... » Read More
— Participant
LEAD really taught me what love was all about. » Read More
— Participant
I developed a love for scripture, a very strong prayer life, and the skills to maintain it. » Read More
— Participant
In all three of my teens I see greater zeal to lead now as their confidence and interest in sharing the vision that was given to them through LEAD is much greater. I feel they are definitely different--bolder and more ready to serve their peers and share » Read More
— Group Leader
I did things I never thought I could do. Giving my testimony was the most challenging thing I've done in my faith yet and it had AMAZING effects in my life... » Read More
— Participant
I feel LEAD helped me to grow more as a person and didn’t leave you on this mountain top spiritual high but it left you as a new person willing to serve. » Read More
— Participant
I saw myself let go of all the hatred and pain that I had been harboring for years. » Read More
— Participant
The youth came back energized and really ready to play a leadership role in the parish. » Read More
— Group Leader

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Franciscan LEAD?
Franciscan LEAD is a five-day, Christ-centered, sacrament-soaked, prayer-fueled immersion in Catholic teachings on Leadership, Evangelization, And Discipleship inspired by the life and witness of St. Francis of Assisi. The philosophy of Franciscan LEAD is to teach authentic, lasting leadership that flows from intimacy with Christ, so we first seek to engage youth in a personal relationship with Christ and then give them the tools to share their faith with others.  
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Can youth be considered for Franciscan LEAD if they have never attended a Franciscan University of Steubenville Youth Conference?
Yes. Applicants do not need to have attended a Steubenville Youth Conference to apply for Franciscan LEAD. 
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How are travel arrangements made?
Once the participant is accepted to the program, they are responsible for arranging their own travel to the site on Monday and notifying the Steubenville Youth Conference registration office of their travel plans after acceptance. Please do not make travel arrangements until after the applicant is accepted. If a participant will be flying into the local airport on Monday, we will arrange pickup for the youth. We will not arrange transportation back to the airport on Sunday following the conference weekend. 
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Who should apply for Franciscan LEAD?
Franciscan LEAD is for youth who are passionate about their Catholic faith, active in their youth group, and ready to step up to the next level of leadership through evangelization and discipleship training. 
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Who facilitates the Franciscan LEAD week?
The program is led by a team of leaders who are experienced in youth ministry and have been specifically trained by Franciscan University of Steubenville’s Youth Outreach Office. Franciscan LEAD offers an 8 to 1 youth to leader ratio. 
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What is the Franciscan LEAD acceptance process?
After the application has been reviewed, the conference office will send the youth and the referral person an email detailing whether or not the youth is accepted. No payment for Franciscan LEAD is received until after the applicant is accepted. Once the applicant is accepted, all travel and payment information will be emailed to both the youth and referral person. 
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What is the age requirement for applying?
Youth can apply for Franciscan LEAD for the summer after their freshman year in high school through the summer after their senior year in high school. 
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How do youth apply for Franciscan LEAD?
The application for Franciscan LEAD is a two part online process – the youth application and the referral form. All youth applying for Franciscan LEAD will need an adult that knows them to fill out their referral. The referral person can be their youth minister, their priest, or any other adult that knows them well enough to answer questions about their faith life. The youth’s parent cannot be the referral person. The application process is detailed step by step here. All applications and referrals must be submitted through the online process. 
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When does Franciscan LEAD take place?
Franciscan LEAD is offered the week before all of our 18 youth conferences. The training begins on the Monday evening before the Steubenville Youth Conference weekend and runs through Friday afternoon.  On Friday afternoon, Franciscan LEAD participants join their youth group when they arrive on site for the weekend conference. Therefore, each Franciscan LEAD applicant must be a registered conference participant with their group for the weekend.
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Can a youth apply to Franciscan LEAD at a site different from where their group is going for the weekend conference?
No.  One of the values of Franciscan LEAD is participants use their newly acquired skills and insights to serve their fellow group members throughout the high school youth conference weekend. LEAD applicants are required to be registered at the same Franciscan University of Steubenville Summer Youth Conference as their group and can only apply for LEAD if they are already registered for the conference. 
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Link to online LEAD application found at bottom of page

LEAD Application Procedure

Catholic Teen Praying at RetreatThe application for Franciscan LEAD is a two-part online process. All youth applying for Franciscan LEAD will need an adult that knows them to serve as their reference. We prefer the referral person to be their youth minister, but in the event that the youth does not have a youth minister, it can be another other adult that knows them well enough to answer questions about their faith life. The youth’s parent cannot be the referral person. All applications and referrals must be submitted through the online process. If you have any questions, please email to apply online for Franciscan LEAD:

  1. Before beginning the online application process, the youth applicant:Must be registered for a Steubenville Youth Conference for summer 2012.
    • Must have spoken with their youth minister/group leader and decided together that the youth is ready to take this step of applying to participate in Franciscan LEAD. If you are a youth who is interested in Franciscan LEAD, please contact your youth minister/group leader to discuss this opportunity before continuing with the application process.
    • Must have the following pieces of information:
      • A valid email address for themselves
      • A recent digital photo of themselves to upload to the application
      • The name and email address of the adult who will be serving as their reference
      • The youth minister’s name, email address, and phone number (if reference is someone other than youth minister)
      • The name of the Parish/Diocese/Group the youth is registered under for the youth conference weekend
      • The name of the Group Leader that their Parish/Diocese/Group is registered under for the youth conference (if it is someone other than their youth minister)
  2. Once the requirements of Step 1 have been met, the applicant will then click the link below and follow the online application process. Once the application is started, the youth may save the application to come back and complete it at a later time.
  3. When the youth applicant submits their completed application, the adult who is submitting the referral will automatically be sent an email thaCatholic Teen Talking at Retreatt will contain a link to the online referral form as well as a copy of the completed youth application. Please note: the youth must submit their application before the referral form can be completed.
  4. The final step will be the adult reference completing and submitting the online referral from. Once this is done, the application process is complete.
  5. A completed youth application and adult referral is necessary to be considered for the Franciscan LEAD program. The youth application will not be reviewed until a completed referral is submitted.
  6. Notice of Acceptance: An email will be sent to the youth and referral detailing whether or not the youth is accepted. No payment for Franciscan LEAD is received until after the applicant is accepted. Once the applicant is accepted, all travel and payment information will be emailed to both the youth and referral.

» Start Your LEAD Application