Assignment #1: Exemplarily Leadership

At my school, Isidore Newman in New Orleans, seniors have the opportunity to take a unique class unlike all other classes they have taken throughout their entire education. At the end of junior year, the students have the opportunity to send in an application to take the peer leadership class the following fall. Only twelve students, six boys and six girls, will be chosen based on strong values and leadership skills that were expressed trough their application. Next year, every day, they will attend a class taught by two teachers. In class they will learn leadership skills and how to become sufficient role models in the school and in their community. In addition the group splits up into pairs of two, one boy and one girl, and mentor groups of the new freshman to the high school. This involves weekly meeting and lunches. Last year I was one of those new freshman entering the world that is high school. I became very close to my "peer leaders" and could talk to them about anything. Myself along with the other freshman in my assigned group, all looked up two the pair, envisioning ourselves in their position in a couple of years. Along with teaching us about leadership and how to become a role models, other morals were taught like kindness and honesty. I learned a lot from my peer leaders and strive to be half the person they are every day. These leaders were intelligent, athletic, kind, and had overall great personalities. This is the person and leader I strive to be. A dilemma that these leaders might have faced was many freshman would come to them about drinking and drugs. The peer leaders wanted the freshman to come to them to talk about problems they have, but should they report it to the school or not? If the problem isn't serious they agreed to have some confidentiality with the students, but if the problem becomes serious or life threatening they must go to the guidance councilor immediately. The Peer Leadership program is thriving at Newman and I hope one day to be in the program and on the other end working with freshman my senior year as well.