Student Leadership - Where to begin?



So your school is interested in starting some programs and activities with student leaders, where do you begin?  Is there a "right" way to get started? We hope that BWMS can share some of their experiences with this process and help you avoid some pitfalls.

Our journey began in the summer of 2015 as a few teacher leaders with Student Voice & Choice as a passion gathered in an off campus setting to discuss how we could increase Student Leadership in the follow school year.  This was a brainstorming session as to how to structure student leadership opportunities beginning in August.  We started by reading and discussing The Disenfranchised Changemakers by Zak Malamed (leader in #StuVoice).  Great conversations followed as our team dreamed about how we could further support student leadership at Big Walnut Middle School.   Questions to consider during this process:

1. How should the school structure student leadership within the school?
2. How do we organize the adult responsibilities to keep everyone involved?
3. How do we balance 7th & 8th grade leadership in our 7/8 building? 
4. How can we instill processes to obtain a diverse group of students for leadership?
5. How can our structures support the ongoing development of students at BWMS?
6. How can we define the mission of each sub group, student make up and selection and primary activities? (see chart below)

We left this day with a clear understanding of the organization of Leadership at BWMS with primary adults identified to support each organization.  We have high trust in our students and know that when the Adults release some of our power to Students in schools...Great Things Will Happen!  Schools must capitalized on the high value of Social Justice in MS students, we must capture and harness the energy from our youth, a fresh look at the big world.  Check out our statements below:

Big Walnut Middle School will empower students with the Student Council, SOAR Committee, and Athletic Council synergizing efforts to organize and plan a wide variety of events for all students this year.  With representatives from each team on the Leadership Council, all leadership development initiatives at BWMS will continue to support the whole student and encourage student engagement and student voice.  Overall, student choice and student voice are at the core of the climate of inclusiveness that support all students at Big Walnut Middle School.

Student Leadership at Big Walnut Middle School