(Guest post by author/educator Kelly Curtis)

Sometimes when I speak to fellow educators about youth empowerment, the idea of following student leadership on a project is seen as a complication in an already burdened schedule. In certain situations, this may be true — and it’s a valid concern.

But it doesn’t have to be the case. Obviously it depends on the project, and it may not work with much of the standard curriculum. But in my experience – as well as that of educators I interviewed in the course of writing my book — sometimes the process of empowering young people can make special projects more efficient, more meaningful, and less work for the educator.

As a school…