LEEP teachers are selected from Lakeside and surrounding school districts and schools. These teachers share a real love for this age group and young people in general. They have high expectations for all students and they are good communicators. LEEP teachers are responsible for the core teaching and learning in the program. Teachers direct the counselors. Teachers help determine the activities that make up the LEEP day all throughout the program. 

LEEP counselors occupy a unique and important role here. They are first and foremost close to the participant’s age, which gives them an advantage in terms of securing the trust of participants. The counselors are excellent role models for the participants. They know how to be successful. The participants need to see how counselors communicate with each other, with the teachers, and the participants. Counselors can make the inevitable lulls in the program endurable because of their energy and vitality. The counselors are employees and not the participants’ peers. They direct the participants as necessary, but the discipline of participants is left up to the teachers and the administrative staff. We do not want to saddle counselors with the dual role of being friends and role models, while being disciplinarians too.

Our inspirational and motivational director, TJ Vassar, first joined LEEP as a student in the very first year of the program. He continued his education at Lakeside and Harvard and eventually came back to oversee the LEEP program.

To apply for a staff position, please call (206) 440-2791.