Student Career Mentor Ratio
2:1
High School Students
50
Career Mentors
25
Social Student Events
7
Affiliate Partnerships
10
LDI Calendar
Scholarship Opportunities
Career Centers
What is
Lighthouse
Development
Institute?
Lighthouse Development Institute(LDI) is a signature career-based program designed for 9th - 12th grade students all over the United States. We work with students, no matter where they live in the country, through the Zoom video application to help them figure out what type of career-path they would like to pursue.
The entire program consists of 4 different components to give students a clear and better career-path for them to choose.
Life Sessions: Presents simple basic skills and allowing students to apply those same skills to every day normal life.
Online Career Mentor-Protégé: Career Mentors from all over the world work with students 2 times a month.
Social Growth: Opportunities to meet other student peers from all walks of life. This includes Youth Week, student conferences, college, and career trips to get students out of their normal environment.
Financial Wellness: We have teamed up with Regions Bank to provide financial educational workshops to help students with their money, cars, and even their decision-making process.
Fall 2022 Applications Are Now Open
CURRENT CITIES: 30 Students
Denton, McKinney, Frisco, Little Elm,
Dallas, Desoto, Cedar Hill,
Mexia, Texas
Austin, Texas
Denver, Colorado
POTENTAL CITIES: 2022 Season
Houston, Texas
New Orleans, Louisiana
Los Angeles, California
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Memphis, Tennessee
Little Rock, Arkansas
Don't see your city...you can still join us!
How to Apply
1. Students Sign Up & Attend the Fall Kickoff:
Aug. 20th @ 11am. 1910 Pacific Ave Dallas, Texas
2. Students fill out LDI Application below before deadline Fri, Sept 2nd, 2022.
3. Take advantage of program and services provided by signing up.
Program & Services
LDI - Fall 2022 Session
Join us for LDI Fall 2022 Session on August 20th, 2022 at 11:00am(CST) at the downtown Lighthouse Foundation office. Which is located at 1910 Pacific Dallas, Texas. Learn about LDI and all of the benefits that come along with the program including.
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Life Skills Sessions
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Career Mentoring
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Social Activities
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Financial Wellness with Regions Bank
Parent's Club
Parent's Club starts on September 15th at 7:30pm(CST). Our main focus is to answer any questions parents may have. Also, provide important information of what's next for their student. This also includes:
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Financial Aid / Resource Tools
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Information about New Careers
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Investment
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Events strictly for the Parent's
Career Mentors
Lighthouse Foundation is looking for Career Mentors, who are committed to giving back to helping the next generation. Whether you live in Florida, California, Denver, Texas, or even the country of India. We have an opportunity for you to make a difference in the lives of our youth..
Career Mentor Requirements:
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Mentor only 1 - 4 Students
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Virtual Online / In-person Mentoring
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2 days per month
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Background Check Is Required
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Career Mentor Training Classes
College & Career Trips
Each year we take a certain amount of trips to colleges, universities, trade, and now career trips to give our students an opportunity to experience what the next chapter of their lives will look like. Thus, opening up their minds to see things outside of their normal environment.
Potential Colleges & University Visits:
Prairie View / Texas Southern University
Wichita State University
Potential Career Visits:
Federal Reserve Bank
Judicial Court System
Summer Ambassador Program
Lghthouse Summer Ambassador Program is to help kids in high school find employment for the summer. We strive not only to educate students on their future career choices, but we work alongside various different companies that are looking to hire young students. .
Student benefits of joining the program :
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Resume Writing
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Interview Techniques
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Networking
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Finding The Right Job
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Saving Your Money
Health Careers - Starts Jan 1st, 2023
All Other Careers - Starts March 1st, 2023
Meet w/Angela Thornton
aka Scholarship Oracle
With over 5 years of scholarship research and database information, Ms. Angela Thornton has all of the knowledge on which scholarship your student should apply for. She also has two written scholarship books as well. Schedule a session with her today.
Click here to read her story
Reserve a 45 minute Session:
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Scholarship Review
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Essay Critique
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Scholarship Application Critique
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5-Year Scholarship Strategic Planning Workbook
Upcoming Events
Thu, Nov 10300 BowlingSpend a night of fun giving back to a very good charity that helps high school students figure out what type of career-path they would like to pursue. All the proceeds will help with scholarships, career research, college trips, and building of a National Youth Career Center.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How Can My Child Participate In The Program If They Don't Live In DFW?
Most of our work with the students is done through the world of the Zoom App. Whether we're having online Life Sessions on Saturday, working with a Career Mentor, or even our workshops we have in the Spring. We constantly use the Zoom app over 60% of the time to communicate. Plus we have worked with students in Austin, Frisco, Little Elm, small town right outside of Dallas call Mexia, and yes even Denver, Colorado.
How does Lighthouse Development Institute Program work?
We have a 4-step program we use to help high school students all over the United States figure out what type of career-path they would like to pursue.
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1. Life Skills Sessions - We begin with Life Skills Sessions on the 2nd & 3rd Saturday of each month starting in September until January of the following year. Each sessions targets specific basic skills we feel all students need to conquer. For example, how to budget their money, writing goals, sales pitch, how to open up a bank account, how to cook, creating their own brand, how to make better decisions, etc.
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2. Career Mentoring - Next we move to students meeting their Career Mentor and working with them two times a month on their Student Master Plan. Which is basically a Vision Plan for what type of life or lifestyle they would like to have after graduating from high school. The Student Master Plan is broken down by four parts. What type of career students would like to pursue. What type of family they would like to have. What type of car they would like to drive. What city or where in the country they would like to live to start their career. Do they want to go for college, trade, military, or even start their own business.
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3. Social Empowerment - We have several events to get students engage with their peers. Whether we have the Online Student Cooking Competition. Going to visit several colleges and universities including some may be virtual online. We even have our Youth Week to see the Dallas Car Show, go bowling, student conference, student workshops, see Mavericks Basketball games, etc.
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4. Financial Wellness - Finally we have Regions Bank to teach the students about money and their choices, or should we say student habits. In addition, we help students find Summer Internships, or start their own company as an entrepreneur. Because we believe in the more exposure students endure. The more they have a fighting chance on having a clear and concise path to being successful.
How long is the program?
The program starts up every year in the beginning of September. And goes until May of the following year. There is a huge Fall LDI Student Kickoff on Saturday morning August 20th at 11:00am(CST) for all students, parents, or guardians. Which is where students will receive their application to fill out. Parents and students get to learn everything about the program. Meet some of the Career Mentors who will be active in the program. And finally receive the final steps on getting into the LDI program.
Do I have a limit on how many of my children I can enroll into the program?
No, there is no limit on how many you can enroll. However, each student must go through their initial Peer Meeting in order to be accepted into the program. The Peer Meeting gives us a chance to get to know the student one-on-one, let us know how committed would they be to the program, and allows the student and parent to ask any questions there may have.
How does the Summer Ambassador Program work?
Starting in March, all of the Career Mentors, volunteers, and staff sit down with students to come up with a
list of places students would like to work. For students that would like to be in healthcare industry the process starts earlier in January due to the high demand. And for those students who would like to start their own business in the summer it will start in February. Nevertheless, students will learn about resume writing, interviews, sales pitch, career attire, planning, finding the right job, etc. Which will take place all throughout the month of March. The goal is to make sure every student has a job before the month of May.