FAQ

On this page are Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs). Please send any additional questions to Flp@bu.edu

1. For the W9 form, does the high school student participant need their own social security number (SSN) or Taxpayer ID Number, or can they use their parent’s number? 

• Youth participants have the option of being paid by check or gift card. If they choose to be paid by check, they will need to complete a W9 form with their own SSN or Taxpayer ID Number. The check will be in the high schooler’s name.

2. Who sends the checks?

• Checks will be sent either by Boston University (for youth in Chicago) or METCO Incorporated (for youth in Boston).

3. Will my school have access to research data? 

• No, we will never share information from this program with your school or with METCO (if you are in Boston). You will not be graded on your work, and the school will not have access to any research data. Participation will not impact your academic standing.  

4. Will I be audiorecorded at any point? 

• Yes, we will be invite approximately 10 youth to participate in interviews at the end of the program. If you choose to participate and have a parent/guardian’s permission, we will audiorecord the interview and ask for your feedback on the program. We may also audiorecord the sessions, so that we can evaluate which aspects of the curriculum are used in each session. You will never be videorecorded and all audiorecordings will be labeled with an ID number, rather than your name.

5. What if I cannot attend every session? 

• We ask that you review the session dates and times before committing to the program. There are only 14 sessions and each one includes important content. However, we understand that for illness, or other circumstances, it is possible that you may miss a session. In this case, please reach out to Bethany Garcia at Flp@bu.edu. We will help you make up material from the missed session. 

6. If I participate in one program this semester, can I participate in the study next semester as well in the other program? 

• No, it is only possible to participate in the Future Leaders Program once. This is because your assignment in the second semester would not be random which goes against the protocol of the research study.

7. What is mindfulness in LEAP?

• Mindfulness is the practice of focusing attention to the present moment and responding to the present moment purposefully and positively. The mindfulness-based activities in LEAP are relatively brief and are the types of activities that are often done in mindfulness-based interventions in schools. These primarily include a mindful check-in, where youth will be asked to focus their attention to their thoughts and feelings in the moment, and mindfulness exercises. The mindfulness exercises take a total of about 15 minutes and use metaphors, or stories, to encourage youth to focus their attention in the present moment and respond purposefully and positively to events and activities.