There’s an old saying that goes, “Real leaders don’t create followers, they create more leaders.”
Creating leaders means empowering, inspiring, helping and enabling others to best help themselves. Real leaders don’t just dish out the fish, they teach others how to fish — with spears, poles, rods, nets, by hand, with dynamite and mind-powers. Leaders create leaders, who may, in turn, pay it forward down the line and help create more leaders, themselves.
For about three years, Hastings High has held a leadership class. We at the Tiger Cub Online believe there are many more students in our school who would benefit from being in this class. The skills students learn in this class might be just what those who haven’t stepped up as leaders, or need a vote of confidence, need.
So far, the students in this class are already prominent kids in the HHS community and they were chosen for this class by their teachers and activities sponsors. These students are involved in many extracurricular activities and are often recognized for it.
Questions that have been brought up frequently are why are kids in this class if they are already leaders in the school? Why not select kids to be in the class who are not involved but have the potential to be leaders and teach them the skills necessary to become one?
Some kids who were not handpicked by teachers have expressed interest in being in this class. We think administration and staff need to tap a new pool of potential leadership and grow an already strong tradition of great leaders graduating from Hastings High.
Another thing that was exclusively for the top of the top at HHS was an assembly about performance. Navy Seals came to Hastings High to give a presentation on performance and how to enhance athletically and in everyday life. Athletes from Hastings High, Adams Central, Saint Cecilia, and even Harvard came to hear them talk. They talked about getting to bed early and other healthy habits that will help improve success.
Athletes were excused from class so they could take in what the Seals had to say. A plethora of student-athletes didn’t even actually want to go because last year a different person with the same presentation came and going this time meant missing more classes.
Why not invite students who could be involved in athletics and other activities but haven’t been encouraged to do so? There were students not involved in activities who wanted to attend this lecture. When these students asked if they could go to the assembly they were told that they were not allowed to. This event could have been optional for those who already participate. Students who are new to HHS activities and those who we want to encourage to get involved should have been in the audience.
It would be beneficial for anyone in the HHS student body to attend an assembly about mental and physical performance. Why exclude people?
We should not stop at promoting those already active in the school community. Encouraging students to get involved and develop these skills, even if they don’t take an active role at HHS, can only help them as they move on in life.
Real leadership is a beautiful cycle of giving, a synergy of selflessness, a never-ending flow; limitless love.
