Eton School Leaders Who Make a Difference

Upper Elementary & Middle School: Grades 4 through 8

Eton School Leaders Who Make a Difference

by Dr. Susan Walker, Middle School Teacher

At the end of the 2016–2017 school year, Middle School and Upper Elementary faculty met to review how effective student council has been in encouraging leadership opportunities, particularly for our seventh and eighth-grade students. We wanted students who might never run for office still have a chance to lead and students who might never nominate themselves still have the possibility of representing their class. After much discussion, we decided to make some changes to the traditional structure. We decided that the Student Council would be composed of a Leadership Council and Representatives from the fourth, fifth, and sixth grades. Our goal was to have every student eligible for election to Student Council.

The Leadership Council is an entity made up of only students in seventh and eighth grade. In June, students in fourth through seventh grades receive a list of the seventh- and eighth-grade students for the next school year. There are class meetings about leadership and the qualities of a leader. Then, without discussion and privately, their task is to circle the names of seven students whom they feel would effectively lead their school—listen to ideas, support collaboration, exhibit responsibility, be a good role model, and be one who clearly cares about Eton School and its community.

The seven students who receive the most votes are asked if they would serve on the Leadership Council. When school begins in the fall, the Leadership Council meets and votes for their officers from among this group. Prior to the voting, the group brainstorms necessary personal characteristics to fill these roles as well as skills that could be learned on the job. Without discussion and privately, the students write down in order a name for president, vice president, secretary, and treasurer. Students vote and the officer positions are filled after each elected student is asked if they would be willing to fulfill the duties of the position. This Leadership Council guides the Student Council.

Representatives are chosen using the same process. Students are given a list of classmates, and without discussion and in private, they circle the name of the student they feel would best represent their class—be responsible, listen to their ideas, share their ideas during the council meetings, bring back information from the meetings, and be a good role model. As students vote privately, their focus is on recognizing leaders within their grade. The students with the most votes are asked privately if they would be willing to serve as a representative for their classroom, while also having the option to decline. If they decline, the student with the next highest vote tally is asked to serve.

Student Council meetings are held once per week during the lunch/recess hour rather than after school in order to have the best possibility of full participation.

We continue to support Student Council at Eton School as it aligns with several aspects of our mission statement:

1. Intellectually: Cooperative and independent learning are supported as students engage in research to develop their initiatives before presenting the ideas to the Eton community. For example, one student suggested fundraising for the residents of Puerto Rico following the hurricane. Students needed to research the effect of the hurricane on the various communities, the needs of the residents, and investigate the many helpful organizations that would make full use of incoming donations. Individually, in pairs, and in small groups, students set out to find the information and share it prior to making decisions and presenting the plan to their classmates and the larger Eton community. In addition, the officers of Student Council practiced how to prioritize tasks, facilitate meetings, encourage participation, and utilize available resources.

Student Council completed their fundraiser, collected all the checks and pledges, exchanged cash for a cashier’s check, wrote a letter to One America Appeal, wrote a thank you note to the parents, and sent out $2,377.76 for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands hurricane relief.

2. Socially: The essence of the group requires practicing acceptance and respect for others, giving each member an opportunity to be heard, gaining confidence to share ideas, developing communication and cooperation skills, and fostering positive group behavior. The students clearly witness how meetings characterized by not listening to one other, a lack of cooperation, and little support for the group, result in frustration, a lack of productivity, and stalled movement.

3. Emotionally: Students who might not typically run for office or class representative, after agreeing to serve, often find themselves well out of their comfort zones. With support and encouragement, they discover skills, areas of interest, and enjoyment in participating in an organization such as this. They learn to speak up, offer their opinions, listen carefully to their classmates and communicate ideas from their peers. Students develop self-confidence as they practice these skills, taking on difficult challenges and working through problems and roadblocks. Personal growth is nurtured.

4. Spiritually: A prime focus of Student Council is to find ways to enrich our community, whether that is defined as Eton School, our immediate area, our state, the country, or the world. Students learn that they can have a positive impact both locally and globally; their actions can make a difference. In this way, we nurture and develop global awareness as well as fostering citizenship and active engagement in the world around them. Students begin to understand that they are intimately connected to all beings and that they have a responsibility to participate in the care and improvement of their world.

We have seen some wonderful achievements during our time as advisors to Student Council:

• the satisfaction from a well-run meeting;

• the participation of the whole school community in a Student Council planned fundraiser or community-building event;

• the joy in giving to organizations who protect and aid humans, animals, and the environment around the world;

• surprise and growing confidence of a quiet representative offering a suggestion and watching the group making it happen;

• and most of all, watching a group of unique and divergent individuals come together to create a new entity whose purpose is to enrich lives. •