EMERGING LEADERS
The Emerging Leaders Leadership Development Program is a leadership, character and professional development exposure opportunity designed for under-resourced high school student athletes. Selected students complete year-round projects within bi-monthly in person by expert professionals within the Two-Six Project network in a day-long immersive experience.
In part of our partnership with Google, all students gain access to learn from the Google Career Certificates platform. The Fayetteville program is led by Coach Elijah Cox. Since the beginning of 2025, the program has now expanded to Charlotte, North Carolina under the direction of Janae Aiken and an incredible Charlotte based staff.
As a student at Morehouse College, our founder Grant Bennett, created the pilot version of Emerging Leaders to assist underclassmen transition into leadership roles on campus.
In the spring of 2020, the program was awarded the The Andrew Young Center for Global Leadership Social Justice and Leadership Innovation Award. With the success of the program at Morehouse, Grant worked with Dr. David Wall-Rice established a curriculum suited for high school students and brought the program to Fayetteville.
ABOUT
PROGRAM PILLARS
EXPOSE
Expose our emerging leaders to environments outside of their regions.
EDUCATE
Educate others through the ELP Curriculum, allowing participants to discoverself-identity and diversity, enacting justice, as well as engaging actively in their communities.
EMPOWER
Empower through and by others to expose participants to a variety of resources, skills, and networks to enhance their scholastic experiences.
ACCOMPLISHMENTS
200+
Local students engaged
$18M
In scholarships funding earned by students in program since 2020
$11M
In scholarships funding redeemed by students in program since 2020
90%
Students finish our programming having earned a Google Career Certificate
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Through our Emerging Leaders Program, students participate in educational enrichment trips that expand their worldview beyond their home region, exposing them to new environments, cultures, and opportunities that foster personal growth and broaden their perspective on future possibilities.
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Our students receive one-on-one guidance from accomplished professionals, former athletes, and current college student-athletes who provide real-world insight, accountability, and encouragement as participants navigate their academic, athletic, and personal development journeys.
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Emerging Leaders gain exclusive access to industry professionals and partnerships with major organizations including Google, Nike, and the Dreamville Foundation, opening doors to career exploration, professional development opportunities, and connections that extend far beyond the classroom.
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High-performing participants are eligible for scholarship awards provided by the Two-Six Project and our partner organizations, with 70% of our students having received scholarship funding that helps remove financial barriers and makes higher education more accessible.
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Year-round college readiness workshops equip students with essential skills for post-secondary success, covering everything from application strategies and essay writing to financial literacy and time management to ensure participants are fully prepared for the transition to college life.
BENEFITS
