We've all heard of the Boy and Girl Scouts, and of Boys Inc. and Girls Inc., and other fine organizations designed to provide structure and mentorship to the lives of young people. Now you can add another such organization to that list.

It's called Leadership SOAR, based in Austell. SOAR is an acronym for Service and Opportunity plus Action equal Results. It is a 501(c)3 organization and donations to it are tax-deductible.

Its mission is to provide leverage while building strong leadership skills and self-esteem in today's youth, according to its founder, Cathie Bailey. The program provides for motivating mentors who are committed in uniting our youth's growth and development in becoming self-sufficient individuals.

There presently some 90 young people involved in the organization, she told the Marietta Kiwanis Club last week.

"We all know somebody who has blessed us by enriching our lives," she began. "For many years, we have heard that it takes a whole village to raise a child. This fact has been proven time and time again. However, today's village leaders are not equipping our children with the necessary skills. It is time for change."

Leadership SOAR was designed for elementary and middle school youth, ages 8 to 14 years, who want to learn and apply leadership principles. The program curriculum consists of parliamentary procedures, character and ethics, skills development and community service projects, she said.

She then turned the microphone over to Dion Mitchell, the IT coordinator for the Giving Back Foundation, Inc. Here's what he had to say: "Our mission is to provide a systematic workflow for the organization by providing a Web site that will work for the organization. The Web site should be a marketing tool explaining its services, benefits and activities for the organization. It should capture vital information about volunteers, students and supporters that we can report out on. The Web site should also work alongside social networking media to spread the word about our efforts.

"We also want to implement a technology program for the children to teach basic computing skills such as word processing and PowerPoint presenting, and effective ways to conduct research online.

"More schools are requiring children to utilize computers at earlier ages and it is almost assumed that they ALL have the means and resources to complete these tasks. We would like them to be equipped with the necessary skills and resources so they will not be at a disadvantaged to others that do."

SOAR is seeking businesses looking to donate computers that could be presented to students as they complete its program with the goal that they would teach someone else in their household what they've learned.

"This could allow us to help reduce the overall digital divide one household at a time," Mitchell said. "We feel technology should improve the workflow of life and not hinder it. If it doesn't, then the problem could be in the process used to complete the task. Our program will insure that the basic skills are met to help prevent this."

Next up at the meeting was Sentra Hobbs, parent of young student JaNae' Jones.

"JaNae' is a good child," she began. "She is very helpful at home and at school. Leadership SOAR has helped to teach JaNae' to be a critical thinker, open-minded, and a risk taker. As Ms. Bailey mentioned, she has participated in several service learning projects in our community.

"She and I are currently volunteering at Presbyterian Village on a monthly basis during arts and crafts. We enjoy it. She has learned that she can achieve high expectations and sets her goals in accordance with that. We both would like to thank Leadership SOAR for helping JaNae' make her good - better and her better - best as a youth leader today."

Participants in the program are known as "ambassadors," and next up was Hobbs' daughter, ambassador JaNae' Jones, who is the current state vice president and was president of the group for the 2008-09 term.

"To be a leader of others, you must first be a leader yourself," said Miss Jones, who hopes to become a pediatrician. "A leader has courage and self-confidence. 'Remember to believe in yourself and others will believe in you' - that's a lesson I've learned through the Leadership SOAR program.

"Over the past three years, Leadership SOAR Ambassadors have had the opportunity to enhance their leadership skills while helping others. We participated in several community service projects, such as, Global Youth Service Day, where we partnered with the assisted living residents at Presbyterian Village of Powder Springs, Georgia and put together a 100 percent Tobacco Free campaign for Cobb County Schools. We learned how to conduct a meeting and other self-development skills.

"Through Leadership SOAR, I am able to effectively communicate and address an audience - like now. I've learned skills that will motivate me for life."

I suspect she's right. For more on the organization, go to www.givingbackfdn.org or call givingbackfdn.org.

Associate editor Bill Kinney's column also runs on Tuesdays and Saturdays.