2 March, 2011
One hundred and ten eighth graders, members of the newly created ELC Leadership Academy attended their first meeting at the Hopkinton Middle School on Tuesday, March 1. Founded by science teacher Evren Gunduz, the Enjoy Life Club is a revolutionary program designed to educate and mentor students in the art of positive leadership.
The students began the night with a presentation called "What is a leader?" and participated in activities to introduce them to the basics of effective leadership. Brainstorming sessions and team building activities were included and students learned how to lend support to a leader and to generate enthusiasm for leaders and teams alike.
"Leadership is all about supporting people in a positive way," Gunduz told the students. "When leaders can't do something on their own, it is up to another leader to support them."
Traits of successful teams and the power of positive support were demonstrated through a group activity involving a really long rope and a hallway.
The goal of the 16-hour program is to empower students to lead and to cultivate a positive culture in the community.The program will consist of four consecutive weeks of 2 hours a week and will end with a bigger event on March 26.
"It is not the typical one-time motivational speech or one-day conference," said Gunduz. "Based on our research in human development theory, students need to invest in the arts of leadership over a longer period of time."
Academy members will work together in a variety of different ways; as a whole as a large group, in smaller 15 person sub-groups and individually. Providing support and guidance is a group of Hopkinton High School students who were trained all of last year to be effective teachers, coaches and mentors for their small group students. Some of the activities that are planned include in depth discussions on moral leadership issues, role playing typical real life adolescent scenarios, watching inspiring videos, and completing weekly homework assignments that include interviewing their biggest role model in life, journaling each night for a week, uncovering and posting inspirational stories, videos, songs, blogs from the internet, and designing/posting projects that positively impact others.
To get a peek at the enthusiasm generated at the first meeting, watch the HCAM News video below.
The schedule of upcoming meetings is listed below.
March 7th 6:30pm-8:30pm
March 14th 6:30pm-8:30pm
March 24th 6:30pm-8:30pm
March 26th 8:00am-4:00pm
