The i4 framework guides students through four interconnected elements: Interest, Involvement, Initiative, and Impact. By exploring these elements throughout high school, students can discover their passions, actively pursue them through diverse experiences, demonstrate their skills, and make a difference along the way.

Interest

• What are your academic interests? What subjects do you enjoy learning about?
• What extracurricular activities interest you? Are you drawn to sports, arts, volunteering, politics, technology, or other areas?
• How do you spend your free time? What hobbies or personal projects are you passionate about?
• What interests would you like to explore more? Are there any activities you've been wanting to try?

Involvement

• What school clubs or teams are you currently involved in?
• Do you have a job, internship, or regular volunteer commitment? What organization or cause do you support through this?
• What leadership positions have you held in extracurricular activities? What contributions have you made through these roles?
• What summer experiences (camps, travel programs, pre-college courses, etc.) have allowed you to pursue an interest or hobby?
• In what ways are you involved at school outside of class time? Do you participate in a play, tutor peers, help set up for events, etc?

Initiative

• Have you ever started a new club, organization, or business venture? What motivated you to take this initiative?
• Within your existing activities, have you spearheaded a new event, project, or effort? Whose life was impacted and how?
• What ideas or suggestions have you brought forward to improve your school, team, or community? Were your ideas implemented?
• Have you had any independent study projects or academic research pursuits where you designed and led the work?
• In what ways have you demonstrated leadership or initiative inside the classroom?

Impact

• What positive changes have you helped create in your school or community?
• Have you increased participation, improved sustainability, or expanded offerings in an activity you care about?
• What legacy or lasting impact do you hope to leave on your school or community?
• Whose lives have been touched through your involvement and initiative?
• In what ways have your own skills, confidence, and interests expanded through your activities and contributions?
• How will you continue to create positive impact moving forward?

Freshman and Sophomore Years: Discover Interests and Get Involved

Early high school is the time for exploration. We encourage students to join clubs, try out for sports teams, take on hobbies, volunteer locally, and find summer experiences like camps and travel to spark new interests. The key is to try new things!

Junior and Senior Years: Show Initiative and Increase Impact

As passions develop, students can increase their initiative and impact. Initiative entails turning an idea into action - starting a club, founding an organization, leading a project. Impact means assessing what difference you've made through involvement and initiative. Has participation increased because of your leadership? Are people served through your volunteer work? Have you created something new that didn't exist before?

Every student's i4 journey will look different. A student may demonstrate tremendous initiative before finding an area of interest. Another may make impact through a club they didn't initiate. There's no "right" order - the framework simply provides guidance for reflection.