EXPLORE
EXPLORE
The Center for Leadership & International Relations offers a unique learning experience to students who seek to develop their leadership skills and to positively impact their community and the world.
The Center for Leadership & International Relations provides a rigorous and multifaceted curriculum that encourages students to be curious, open-minded, and willing to take intellectual risks.
Instill in students an understanding and a passion for leadership that positively impacts their community and their future
Increase the knowledge and develop the leadership skills necessary for students to be successful in leadership roles
Develop knowledgeable citizens who understand the role and impact of international relations on the well being of our society and the global community
Provide students an academically challenging and stimulating course of study.
Provide meaningful opportunities for learning and application of knowledge and skills
3700 James River Road Midlothian, VA 23113 Office: 804-378-2420 Coordinator: Ian McClure Email: ian_mcclure@ccpsnet.net
Please visit the CCPS Specialty Center website for application forms and event calendars.
August-September
Potential applicants and their parents/guardians are encouraged to attend a Specialty Center Fair.
October-November
Visit an informational Open House at JRHS and apply to the Center.
Applications officially open in early October. Begin your application here.Ensure that your middle school counselor is informed of your intent to apply. Your counselor will forward your transcripts, recommendations, and any other important documents to us.
December
Applications are due in early December
January-February
Applicant Interviews are typically held in January or February. Applicants are invited via email to self-schedule their interviews.
March
First round of offers sent from CCPS Office of Student Engagement
9th Grade
Freshman year introduces students to the cornerstone of communication. Students engage in thoughtful conversations throughout their classes. 9th grade coursework provides engaging dialogue and analysis of current events, literature, and history.
This course will develop and enhance students’ ability to speak effectively and listen critically. Students will learn more about communication and how it affects human interaction by participating in individual and group learning activities. Students will learn to write and deliver a variety of speeches and learn to critique themselves and others. Group activities emphasize leadership styles and critical thinking skills. Students develop into ethical and effective communicators, whose integrity and leadership will affect positive changes locally and globally.
Students will read and apply skills and strategies to comprehend selections of fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and drama. They will also work to develop extensive vocabulary knowledge and skills with attention to connotations, idioms, and allusions, along with knowledge of literary terms and genres to be applied in the student’s own writing. Writing will encompass narrative, expository, and persuasive forms for a variety of purposes and audiences. An emphasis on research and oral communications is also integral to this course.
AP Human Geography allows students to learn about world population issues, border disputes, and international relations. In addition, the course exposes students to economic theories and models as well as world religions and the origins and diffusion of languages. Students will study urban development and industrialization while exploring the world and gaining a spatial perspective on not only where things occur but why.
10th Grade
Sophomore year provides myriad opportunities for students to improve their oral, written, and digital communication skills. Students address real-life communication issues, assess their personal communication strengths and areas for improvement, develop useful communication skills, and build a strong portfolio.
In AP Seminar, students develop and practice the skills in research, collaboration, and communication that you’ll need in any academic discipline. Students investigate topics in a variety of subject areas, write research-based essays, and design and give presentations both individually and as part of a team.
This year-long Honors-level elective empowers students to think critically about the choices nations and leaders face in a complex, interconnected world. Students study international relations theory alongside major ethical frameworks and apply them to case studies involving sovereignty, security, human rights, development, and global cooperation. The course emphasizes perspective-taking, ethical reasoning, and civic readiness: students learn how power and values intersect, how leaders balance competing priorities, and how citizens can engage global challenges with clarity and empathy.
AP European History is a college level course which explores the history of Europe from 1450 to the present through analytical thinking and writing.
11th Grade
Junior year charges students to develop their abilities to read, explicate, analyze, and evaluate situations, their own ethical positions, and think critically and analytically about ethical issues.
In AP English Language and Composition, students study nonfiction works with a writer’s perspective, examining how authors and speakers use language to influence their audience. By understanding these techniques, you’ll develop the skills to craft your own effective and persuasive writing.
AP Research enables students to design and conduct a yearlong investigation on a topic of personal interest. Through inquiry and analysis, students refine their questioning skills, apply ethical decision-making, and develop evidence-based solutions to real-world issues in science, technology, and society.
The AP course provides a general overview of the history of the United States. Students will explore America’s past, examining the cultural, political, geographical, economical and technological changes that have taken place and have helped to shape the nation today.
This course requires students to synthesize the leadership information acquired during their first three years in the Center with the implementation of a service learning Capstone Project and execution of an internship.
The AP English Literature and Composition course engages students in the careful reading and critical analysis of literature.
The course includes intensive study of representative works from various genres and periods.
AP U.S. Government and Politics provides a college-level, nonpartisan introduction to key political concepts, ideas, institutions, policies, interactions, roles, and behaviors that characterize the constitutional system and political culture of the United States. Students will study U.S. foundational documents, Supreme Court decisions, and other texts and visuals to gain an understanding of the relationships and interactions among political institutions, processes, and behaviors. They will also engage in disciplinary practices that require them to read and interpret data, make comparisons and applications, and develop evidence-based arguments. In addition, they will complete a political science research or applied civics project. This course allows Center students to work together and discuss how leaders at the various levels of government display leadership skills.
Leadership Council provides an opportunity for Center students to practice the skills they have learned in their Center coursework. If the Quad is the beating heart of the Center, the Council is the blood that runs through its veins. Council committees meet regularly and work collaboratively to develop and execute all events and functions of the Center. The Council is composed of three committees and requires a dedicated core group of students to function. Applications for the Council open during the first week of classes and roles are appointed or elected by mid-September.
The President is a senior who was appointed as Vice President during their junior year. The President is required to serve as TA to the Center Director during their free period and works closely with the Center Director weekly, if not daily, to oversee, refine, and execute all functions of the Leadership Council.
The Vice President is a junior appointed by the Center Director and is required to be at least one credit ahead of “on time” graduation status in order to serve as Council President and TA to the Center Director during their senior year. The Vice President attends all Council meetings and meets with committees as necessary. The Vice President also meets regularly with the President for training purposes. In preparation for taking on the role of President in their senior year, the Vice President will lead Council meetings as assigned in the spring semester. The Vice President emcees and assists with organizing the Senior Banquet, acts as a designee of the President as needed, and fulfills other duties as assigned by the Center Director and/or the Council President.
Works with the Coordinator to ensure equitable access to the Center and recruit from the entire geographic and demographic spectrum of the CCPS community.
Class Ambassadors are the Council’s only elected positions. Grade level Ambassadors apply in pairs, and up to three pairs of candidates are selected to run in a class-wide election. Class Ambassadors are responsible for attending Council meetings, hosting one grade level social per semester, and providing a minimum of 10 photos of Leadership Center events, classes, etc. per nine weeks. Class Ambassadors also represent their grade level and facilitate student feedback for faculty, CLARITY, and other community partners. Additional duties may be assigned by Mrs. Smith and/or Council leadership.
Our graduates pursue study in a variety of disciplines. In addition to fundamental skills necessary for success in any career, our Center focuses on leadership, ethical behavior patterns, and real-world challenges.
As a culminating activity, students are required to complete an unpaid internship during the second semester of their senior year. The goal for the internship is two fold: to give the students a meaningful, hands-on experience in a career area of personal interest and to examine the leadership styles exhibited at this particular business.
The Center utilizes the UN 17 Goals for Sustainable Development within our course curriculum and as a guide for enrichment opportunities.
The International Relations component of our Center integrates discussions and learning to allow students to develop and recognize what is happening in other parts of the world. Within the classes, students discuss current events, and international relations is woven throughout the curriculum of the teachers.
Opportunities
The Center offers a variety of opportunities for students to learn about different cultures, careers, and fields. We also provide opportunities to meet individuals from different backgrounds and ethnicities.
Guest Speakers
We frequently invite guest speakers into our classrooms, as well as special programs for the entire JRHS student body. Speakers share about their cultures, perspectives, and experiences so students are being exposed to a variety of experiences to engage with their world.
IRISS Speaker Series
Our specialty center has created a speaker series that invites individuals from various business, organizations, and experiences to share about their international experiences to help shape and empower our students as global citizens.
Partnerships
We have been extremely excited to partner with international students from the University of Richmond and Virginia Commonwealth University to host panels with international students, arrange dinners for Fulbright Scholars, and attend special events with their international students.
IRISS
The Center hosts speaker forums with a variety of international relations experts.
Past speakers have included:
VCU Global Education
Center students collaborate with VCU’s Global Education Office to participate in the Friendship Family Program with international students, volunteer with international students, host dinners with Fulbright Scholars, and serve as conversation partners with VCU international students.
Special Events
The senior elective focuses on applying servant leadership skills acquired throughout the Center. Each student, either as an individual or pair, is responsible for designing and implementing a Capstone Project that serves the community or school.
Past projects include basketball tournaments for leukemia awareness, benefit fashion shows and concerts, a recycling program, after-school art enrichment programs, soccer clinics for the Head Start program, and golf tournaments for charity.
CLARITY is the parent organization supporting the Leadership & International Relations Center. (Chesterfield Leadership And International Relations Inspiring Today’s Youth). CLARITY is a nonprofit organization whose purpose is to support the students and teachers in the Leadership Center via volunteer and financial support.
As a member of CLARITY, we have many ways for you to be involved in the Center. CLARITY believes that simply attending this Center is not what makes these students real leaders, but it is the action of applying what they learn in the classroom to better our community that will set them apart in their futures.
Please show your support for the Center for Leadership and International Relations by joining CLARITY. Annual membership dues are $35.00 per student.
We are incredibly proud of the ever-growing list of prestigious leaders that comprise our alumnni network. Our alumni are medical and legal professionals, military and foreign service leaders, business owners, school administrators, and more. We are excited to host our second annual Leadership Alumni Conference in November 2023!
We invite alumni to interact with current students in a variety of ways. If you are an alumnus and would like to speak to a class or group of students, please contact Ian McClure.
Alumni Resources