Grit & Grace Online Leadership Academy
About Leadership Academy
Developing Purpose-Driven Leaders
The Grit & Grace Online Leadership Academy is a 9-month after school virtual leadership program for middle and high school girls who want to grow into confident, courageous, purpose-driven leaders. Young ladies of Grit & Grace Nation learn how to navigate life with excellence.
From September through May, girls meet weekly in a nurturing online environment for mentorship, sisterhood, and leadership development using our proprietary, data driven and statistically proven curriculum.
About Leadership Academy
Developing Purpose-Driven Leaders
The Grit & Grace Online Leadership Academy is a 9-month after school virtual leadership program for middle and high school girls who want to grow into confident, courageous, purpose-driven leaders. Young ladies of Grit & Grace Nation learn how to navigate life with excellence.
From September through May, girls meet weekly in a nurturing online environment for mentorship, sisterhood, and leadership development using our proprietary, data driven and statistically proven curriculum.
Online Leadership Academy
Real Growth, Measurable Impact
Our proprietary, research-backed curriculum is designed to grow more than just skills: it builds character and confidence.
Over the course of nine months, girls explore topics that help them understand who they are and lead with conviction, courage and grace. Each lesson builds on the last, with real-world applications, guided discussions, and time for reflection.
Through live, interactive sessions, girls gain essential skills for life and leadership, including:
Confidence and leadership presence
Communication skills and etiquette
Emotional resilience and self-awareness
Goal-setting, coachability, and grit
Proprietary Assessment
Each participant completes a proprietary, research-backed assessment at the beginning and end of the program to measure growth year over year. On average, girls in the Leadership Academy show a 62% improvement across key areas, with lasting gains in confidence, emotional intelligence, and leadership readiness.
Grit & Grace Leadership Academy girls show a 62% improvement in key areas:
Self-Awareness
Empathy
Coachability
Anxiety Management
Building Emotional Resilience
Confidence
Goal Setting
Etiquette
Building Emotional Resilience
Academic Performance
Mentorship
Each week, girls meet live with Grit & Grace Founder and national TV host Fanchon Stinger and international leadership trainer Stacy James, and successful mentors who guide them through each curriculum module. Together, they:
- Spark reflective conversations that uncover each girl’s unique strengths
- Ask meaningful questions to draw out personal insights and goals
- Share real-life lessons and leadership wisdom from their own journeys
- Challenge girls to apply what they learn immediately, in their schools, homes, and communities
Dream Big Series
Girls in the Academy get insider access to our Dream Big Speaker Series: live Zoom sessions with powerhouse women breaking boundaries across all industries.
National recording artists, bestselling authors, positive social media influencers, Forbes 30 Under 30 standouts, and groundbreaking entrepreneurs have all joined us to share their inspiring stories, offer real-world insight, and connect personally with the young ladies of the Grit & Grace Leadership Academy.
Charly Reynolds: National Recording Artist
Riley Gaines: Women’s Sports Advocate, Podcaster, Author
Kathy Ireland: Entrepreneur, CEO, Fashion Industry Icon
Neal and Ruvé McDonough: Actor (Neal), Film Producer (Ruvé)
These sessions go beyond inspiration: they give our young ladies access to the kind of voices, stories, and connections that help girls see what’s possible and dream BIG.
Grit & Grace Leadership Scholarships
During each Leadership Academy season, enrolled girls have the exclusive opportunity to apply for our annual Grit & Grace Leadership Scholarship and Student Ambassador Award.
Two standout students — one middle school and one high school — are selected based on how they’ve demonstrated the values and leadership skills taught throughout the Academy. Each recipient is awarded a scholarship valued at $10,000 and named a Grit & Grace National Ambassador for the year ahead. The award includes $5,000 in cash, $5,000 in leadership training with the Western Sports Foundation, an all-expenses-paid trip to the PBR World Finals in Ft. Worth, TX for the scholarship presentation, a custom Montana Silversmiths belt buckle and custom American Hat Co. hat.
This honor unlocks exclusive opportunities to represent Grit & Grace at events across the country, gain national recognition, and inspire others in their communities. Ambassadors are honored on stage at the PBR World Finals in Fort Worth, Texas and receive once-in-a-lifetime opportunities to lead with courage and grace on a national platform.
The Grit & Grace Leadership Scholarship is made possible by our generous partners
2025 Presenting Sponsors
