Students Run The Show at Monte Vista Leadership Day

Monte Vista Elementary School is busy gearing up for this year’s Leadership Day on Thursday, April 16th. The special event will be led entirely by students, giving every student an opportunity to showcase their growth. The school utilizes a learning program known as The Leader in Me, which teaches principles based on the best-selling book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, by author Stephen R. Covey.

This is the second year that Monte Vista’s Leadership Day has returned to an in-person event after switching to an online format during the COVID pandemic, and students can’t wait.

“Our kids love sharing their learning and leadership with community leaders,” says Principal Kerry Perez. She describes Leadership Day as, “A whole school takeover by our students. The entire day is run by them, both in terms of the presentation and the student tours.

“The event is all about the concept of student leadership and agency, while also highlighting all the work students have been doing throughout the year. We teach [the seven] habits at the student level and talk about the social and emotional skills that help see our kids as leaders,” says Perez.

Students In The Spotlight
“In staff meetings, I always ask teachers, ‘What would it take for any one of your students to be elevated on the stage and share their work or their passion? Not only the ones who are eager about leadership, but also the ones who might not see themselves as a leader.’ We discuss how leadership looks different for different kids in terms of their passions, their interests, and how they want to serve their community.”

Start With Yes
Perez says the school's philosophy of ‘Start With Yes’ helps. “When a student comes to us with an idea, we start with ‘Yes’ and figure out how we can support them and make that happen. Kids innately have passions and interests they are excited about, and we help unlock that and give them a place to do it.”

This philosophy is the inspiration behind many of the schools’ student clubs. Clubs can be started by any student on any subject. Students are required to fill out an application form which includes describing the club’s focus, the materials needed, when they will meet, and naming an adult champion who will help them.

The process of conveying these parameters gives students the feeling of agency, says Perez, “by knowing they can achieve what they want to do, but at the same time getting great experience of planning and following procedures to get it done.”

Student-Driven & Chosen Clubs
Clubs this school year have included Pokémon card trading clubs and art clubs, while one student started a 3D printing business, giving people whose cats had died the chance to turn a photo of them into a 3D printed image.

“The student was so jazzed about it and had this whole plan for it,” recalls Perez. “It really speaks to how important it is to find those sparks that make kids excited about learning about entrepreneurship, business, and collaboration.”

Leadership Day will start with a presentation in the Multi-Purpose Room for community members, and continue in the evening with an Open House for parents. Perez says students help select community invitees for Leadership Day, and the Mayor and firefighters top the list.

The school also invites the businesses, organizations, and community partners with whom the school works. Perez says this provides a powerful opportunity for students to showcase what they are working on to community partners, and not just their parents.

Many children will give speeches about a club they run or a project they have done, or how the Leader In Me program has impacted them. Others will participate in performances, including drama and ukulele groups, and kindergarten students will sing the Seven Habits song.

After the presentation, students will lead tours of the school. Guests will visit every classroom, plus student club booth presentations, and stop by the school’s Innovation Lab and Story Lab to see what is taught there.

The evening Open House segment is designed for parents, who will tour the school and witness and learn about the student projects.

Asked what her favorite part of Leadership Day is, Perez says, “Just seeing some of the students try something brave and new. It’s really special when you see a kid up there give a speech who wouldn't normally have chosen that for themselves, but who was nominated by their teacher who believed in them.

“And then to see them thrive and be awesome at it with this whole community pumping them up. The kids walk off feeling like a celebrity, thinking it’s the greatest thing in the world.” Which of Leadership Day simply says: Mission accomplished!