The Leader in Me program aims to teach students to focus and act on what can be controlled and influenced instead of what cannot, define clear measures of success for both life and work and create a plan to achieve them, prioritize and achieve the most important goals instead of reacting to urgencies, develop innovative solutions that leverage diversity and satisfy all key stakeholders and collaborate more effectively with others by building high-trust relationships.
The program serves as a social-emotional learning tool, addressing topics like cyber safety and kindness. It begins the school day, providing a transition before diving into academic subjects.
“I think it’s a nice way of the first 20 minutes of the day to not get thrown into a subject right away,” senior homeroom teacher and senior seminar class teacher Jacob Wilt said. “It’s a relatively simple thing about their future and how they impact the school.”
The class focuses on the seven habits of high effectiveness which are being proactive, beginning with the end in mind, putting things first, thinking win-win, seeking first to understand – then to be understood, synergizing and sharpening the saw. The habits focused on for every grade and though each grade have different lessons. Each grade has a different book they work on each morning.
Sophomore Isabella Caminiti has taken Leader in Me for two years. Last year the freshmen were the only ones to have Leader in Me, and it was a class period for them. Now sophomores, they are the only ones with two years experience.
“I think it’s beneficial, It helps me for my future, and we get to learn about certain topics that can help us throughout school and throughout our adulthood,” Caminiti said.
Administrators such as Principal Andrew Neely highlight on tenant of Leader in Me each faculty meeting to keep the program a priority.
“The more that students and teachers and everyone involved in the school take those seven habits and make it a part of their daily lives, it’s going to create a positive environment for everyone here at the school, ” Neely said. “It’s going to impact people on an individual basis, and it will impact the entire school as well, in a positive way.”
During the recent scheduled in-service, teachers all trained with Leader in Me activities. Guest speakers traveled to the school to work with the faculty who were divided into groups and provided manuals to focus on creating a leading culture.
“Sometimes, for in-service, we will dedicate either a morning or a morning and a little bit of the afternoon,” Wilt said. “We often invite one of the main people who do Leader In Me through their company, and they come by and host some sessions with us. We talk about some elements of the book, as well as the seven principles.”
Even though it’s new, the program is seen as having potential for the school community.
“I think there’s a potential, obviously it’s a new thing that we have here at the high school, so there are kinks to work out,” Wilt said.“We’re just trying to make this thing the best thing possible while it’s here.”
