Our Impact
“Community Leadership definitely makes you take a step back and examine yourself, your motives and your actions and how they affect yourself and others long term, not just momentarily. In this process of examining yourself, letting go of bad habits and creating healthy ones, you make room for a lot of peace and joy in your life which in turn spreads to everyone around you!
“The Community Leadership Class called “open hearts, open minds” did just as the title implies. This class made me a better communicator. In conversations I now listen to actually hear the other person and have a meaningful dialogue as opposed to listening in order to respond and making it about myself. It was a very humbling experience realizing that every person is doing the best with what they have and what they know, and that it's better to understand them where they are rather than trying to force your reality onto them!”
“A leader is someone who: takes pride in apologizing, takes accountability, isn't too proud to say when they don't know but will always try to find the answer, someone who responds in love despite the circumstance, and lastly, a leader is someone who has integrity and takes pride in doing the right thing, even when no one is watching!”
— Student participant
Student Outcomes
Through the Community Leadership Curriculum, we have been able to plant seeds of change, hope, and resiliency with four classes, empowering 50 students. While we have piloted the Community Leadership Class (CLC) four times, we expect to do a few more pilots before it is truly “ready for prime time.” Of the students who participated in the CLC, we found a significant reduction in behavioral referrals, an increase in overall academic performance, and an increase in their attendance rates. Students also reported high satisfaction with the class through course evaluations and personal testimonies.
“Open Hearts, Open Minds”
A unique feature of the Community Leadership Class is the opportunity for students to take ownership over the class by naming their group.
In the latest pilot, students named their class the “Open Hearts, Open Minds.” To the right is an amazing example of digital art that a student created to represent their group.
What Students Are Saying
Question: What did you learn in the CLC that you will be able to use?
“How to be more empathetic and patient. That my reality is not the only one that exists and people are doing the best they can based off of their reality.”
“I feel like I have better communication skills.”
“LEE 2A, so when I am having a real conversation, I can focus.”
“I can honestly use every skill that I learned in the CLC.”
“How to be present and a better listener.”
Question: How will you use what you have learned?
“I will be able to listen and be there when someone else is upset.”
“I will have more patience with people when I face confrontation and will try to put myself in other’s positions and understand.”
“When I get mad, I will do a breathing exercise.”
“If someone is having a bad day, I can help them without looking away. I can give them the floor.”
The CLC from a teacher’s perspective:
“We live in a world where trauma and the very real effects of trauma are entrenched in our individual and collective experiences. And while access to services that help address some of these effects are available, unfortunately, many act as a bandaged response. Shifting one's mindset to normalize their reactions to trauma, learn and appreciate the gifts in adversity, as well as creating a radically unobtrusive space for students to explore, learn and grow is something I love about the Community Leadership Class. I also believe that school is a foundational pillar for success and often the space that many students feel safest in. Programs, like the CLC, ensure that the school system is truly meeting whole child needs in a changing and challenging world. It also provides students with lifelong engagement skills that benefit them both academically and personally. I am doing this because I believe in the work.”