Clover Park School District announcement.
April 17-21 was National Student Leadership Week. Student leaders play valuable roles in CPSD schools by advocating for their peers, organizing events and working closely with school and district leadership.
We highlighted student leadership groups at three of our schools to celebrate National Student Leadership Week and recognize their efforts. We are proud of all of the student leaders in CPSD working every day to make a difference.
Lakes High School
Lakes ASB students help organize assemblies, create weekly announcements, plan spirit days, fundraise, host events and connect with peers to find out how student leaders and staff can better support students.
“Leadership has been a huge benefit for me, but I also feel like I’ve impacted other people’s lives,” said Lakes High School senior and ASB President Carly Sherman. “Lakes needs to have a strong community element, so working to bring that back these past couple of years after we were learning virtually has been important to me.”
One activity the ASB team was proud to coordinate was the Buff Puff. The fundraiser was a boys’ volleyball match between juniors and seniors. It was an entertaining game and a boost to school spirit. “The Buff Puff brought students back to our old sense of unity and felt so thrilling to be a part of,” said junior class president Sam Cortez. “We really brought excitement back to Lakes.”
As representatives of their peers, ASB leaders listen to the thoughts and ideas of others and get involved in different clubs to make sure they are acting in the interest of students from all backgrounds. By creating an inclusive environment, the Lakes ASB team has fostered a thriving community of students who feel empowered to make change and succeed against any obstacle in their way.
“My greatest advice for younger students would be to get involved as early as you can,” said Cortez. “You learn a lot from being in positions of leadership and you build relationships to become united and involved in your community.”
Hudtloff Middle School
There are many ways to be a student leader at Hudtloff. First, we heard from students involved in the student council. This group includes student representatives from each grade who join together to share their ideas, experiences and goals to continue making Hudtloff a great place to learn. Near the end of the year, the group will help write the Hudtloff mission and vision statement alongside parents and staff.
Many Hudtloff students also take ASB leadership classes where students coordinate assemblies, work on events, support student sports and collaborate on ideas to improve their school. ASB students model behavior for their peers and are the leaders many students feel comfortable sharing their thoughts and concerns with.
“I think leadership is extra important for middle schoolers because we need guidance at our age and when someone who is their own age and relates to them can guide them, it can have a big impact,” said seventh grade ASB student Sophia Gomez-Knight.
The final group we are highlighting is the youth collective student group which is part of a greater middle school collective. This April, middle school students from each CPSD middle school will come together to get to know each other, share ideas and prepare for their first year of high school. Their goal is to create a path toward better middle school experiences for future students as they move on.
“The qualities you learn through leadership, such as communicating and reflecting on your actions to improve, are qualities that you need all throughout adulthood,” said eighth grader Grecia Ruiz Frayre. “Those qualities will follow you as you apply for jobs or if you venture off on your own.”
Lakeview Hope Academy
The Leopard Leaders are fifth grade students who are beginning to explore their leadership skills. Throughout the year, they act as role models to younger students and support their school by completing essential tasks.
“I really like going into other classes and helping younger students learn new skills like reading and math,” said Leopard Leader Melissa Hernandez.
Some of the ways the Leopard Leaders helped the Lakeview community this year were by working on the school yearbook, making morning announcement videos, public speaking at assemblies and assisting their teachers in the classroom. They also run the school store where students exchange “I Spotted You!” cards for exciting prizes and school supplies. The cards are earned for exceptional behavior in class.
“I like running the store the most because you can help the little kids by showing them where things are and how the system works,” said Leopard Leader CJ Telmetang. “You meet a lot of students and learn how to talk to new people.”
Another important role of the Leopard Leaders is anti-bullying advocacy. Leopards must always be on their best behavior and encourage their fellow students to support one another. They also make posters that can be found around the school that encourage positivity. They made anti-bullying posters in October, “Thankful” posters in November, “Kindness” posters in December and are currently working on “Good Luck” and “Try Your Best” posters to share during Smarter Balanced testing.
