Inaugural CISD Student iLead Program Provides LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES FOR JUNIORS

By Dilan Patel

Several Coppell ISD juniors participated in the district’s inaugural Student iLead Leadership program in the spring of 2022. Mentored by CISD Superintendent Dr. Brad Hunt, CISD Trustee Leigh Walker and Chief Communications Officer Angela Brown, CISD juniors took part in the inaugural iLead Leadership Program. The select group of 53 were handpicked from more than 175 applicants to foster the leadership needed to create change within our community and learn the skills necessary for success in any industry.

From January to May, juniors from CHS and New Tech learned about leadership in the community, being business leaders, the importance of service and what it means to be an upstander. The program consisted of five full-day informative, hands-on sessions and ended with a graduation recognizing their accomplishments and growth.

The first session revolved around community leadership, where students had conversations with a panel of three community leaders: Kevin Nevels, a member of the Coppell City Council and a local business owner and CISD Trustees Nichole Bentley and Leigh Walker. Each with their own critical lessons, they collectively emphasized the importance of balance that must exist in order to fulfill one’s duties in both personal and public life. Students learned that leadership is something that is constantly evolving and growing rather than stagnant. In order to keep growing as a leader, you have to continue to challenge yourself.

The second session allowed students to interview business leaders across the community, including representatives from the United States-India Chamber of Commerce and Northstar Builders Group. Student iLeaders experienced lessons about having perspective and creating the ideal workplace culture and environment. The iLead learners left ready to create an impact wherever their career may take them. With the new gained knowledge from the local business leaders, the student iLead program visited Coppell’s Old Town to provide valuable information on how to increase consumer traffic to become a thriving spot in Coppell. Interviewing a majority of the businesses in the area and touring the new Coppell Arts Center, students came and gave their feedback at the meeting at Life Safety Park.

Student iLeaders started off their third session creating hygiene care packages for Metrocrest Services to help underprivileged members of our community. Led by students, the program created 500 care packages filled with daily hygienic essentials. Later that day, students had the opportunity to speak with Metrocrest Services’ CEO Tracy Eubanks, learning key principles like “Give over Get,” “People over Profit,” and to be involved in things other than your interests. To finish out the day, Jason Dyke from Carson’s Village shared his story and the importance of helping others in times of need.

During the fourth session, student iLeaders had the opportunity to go to the Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum in Downtown Dallas. The in-depth explanation of the tragedies that occurred was balanced by how people responded to those tragedies, emphasizing the Museum’s theme of being “Upstanders” — people who stand up for other people and their rights, combating injustice, working to make it right. The many valuable lessons were centered around perspective, standing up for others and learning from the past.

At the final session before graduation, students took part in mock job and scholarship interviews, preparing them to be successful post graduation. As students reflected on everything they learned, they came out of their comfort zone, graduating the program as completely new and confident leaders ready to take on the world.

The success of the iLead program has led to its second year in the spring 2023, with the graduates who are now seniors available to mentor the CISD Student iLead Class of 2023.

A special thank you for all the staff, volunteers, guest speakers, and partners who made the inaugural iLead Leadership Program possible. Most importantly, thank you to the students who are going to positively impact our community and lead the change across the world.

Priyanka Bhutani, Dilan Patel and Elizabeth Walker

The 2022 CISD Student iLead Magazine Article Subcommittee