Willard Elementary School Empowers Fifth-Grade Students Through Leadership Advisory Council

The Willard Elementary School Student Leadership Advisory Council discussed positive leadership characteristics and habits during its first meeting of the year, held on Friday, Oct. 16. (Photo Courtesy Concord-Carlisle Regional School District)

CONCORD — While most students spend Friday recess playing with friends, a select group of Willard Elementary School fifth graders have instead volunteered their time to serve on the Student Leadership Advisory Council.

Willard’s Student Leadership Advisory Council consists of 16 fifth-grade students, with four representatives from each classroom. Due to high interest, the council will rotate through at least two additional groups of 16 students throughout the year, allowing all interested students to participate.

The council meets with Principal Stephanie Nephew and Assistant Principal Elizabeth Phillips every Friday during lunch and recess. Participants are empowered to take an active role in creating positive change within the school.

Through projects completed during council meetings, the group works to embody Willard’s community mission: “Care for Ourselves, Care for Others and Care for Our Community.”

Friday, Oct. 16 marked the first meeting of the year, and the council began their work together with a discussion about how to be a strong fifth-grade leader in the school community. Students considered this topic through the lens of a cook following a recipe, with positive leadership characteristics and habits taking on the form of ingredients. Following the discussion, they created a collaborative “recipe poem” that captured the essential ingredients of strong leadership.

‘Recipe for Successful Student Leadership’
by the Willard Elementary School Student Leadership Advisory Council: 

Grab a large mixing bowl
Start with two heaping cups of listening to students’ ideas
Sprinkle in the belief that every student leader can make a change for the better
Toss in a pinch of kindness
Pour a cup of creative thinking
Stir a handful of respect for peers and teachers
Add a scoop of friendship
Fold in a teaspoon of problem-solving and perseverance
Whip in a couple of caring role models
Sift out all of the bad thoughts and negativity
Extract unreasonable ideas
Cook up a demonstration to teach others
And divvy up and serve to the entire Willard community
And someday, they can season their own leadership. 

Students also began working on their first project, which is focused on making recess a more welcoming experience for all students. The council worked together to brainstorm ideas about how to make recess more inclusive and positive.

Ideas included sharing behavioral expectations with younger students, including other students who may be playing alone, adding more activities as options for recess, increasing access to recess supplies and developing strategies to maintain a clean, litter-free shared outdoor space.

During future meetings, students will expand upon their initial brainstorming session, identify priorities and develop a plan to put their ideas into action.

“I am so excited to see how these students grow as individual leaders and a team throughout their time on the Student Leadership Advisory Council,” said Principal Nephew. “In just the first two meetings, these students have collaborated and discussed ways to create meaningful and positive changes in their school, and I cannot wait to support them as they implement these changes during the school year.”

In the future, Nephew hopes to connect teachers and administrators from the Willard Leadership Team with the council to ensure that school initiatives are student-centered and student-driven.

“Through programs like the Student Leadership Advisory Council, students are able to take on a role as an active member of their school community,” said Superintendent Dr. Laurie Hunter. “They’re building teamwork, leadership and communication skills that will extend far beyond the council meetings. I am proud to see these students taking on this challenge, and grateful to have Principal Nephew and Assistant Principal Phillips leading them through the year.”

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