The Fred Saigh Leadership Academy kicked off its first session on Friday, September 13th, offering an impactful experience designed to empower students with essential leadership traits. This session emphasized honesty, integrity, and the importance of people skills for shaping young leaders.
Visit to the St. Louis County Municipal Center:
Students toured the Town & Country Municipal Center and had the privilege of learning from esteemed leaders as facilitators, Mary Dee Schmidt and Harlan Hodge. This visit provided students with an up-close look at leadership in action, giving them insights into public service and the skills needed to succeed in community-driven roles.
“One thing I learned was how to be a leader in a group,” shared Carter Reynolds of Ladue Horton Watkins High School. “We were paired off into groups where one person would ask the question and get everyone’s opinion on the question.”
Randon Hunt of North Technical High School added, “I learned how to facilitate and how to manage a conversation in a group, and how to keep the group calm and controlled. How to break the ice, get our point across, and make sure everyone is heard was also learned.”
Kip MacDonald of Parkway West High School shared what she could take back to her classes:
“When students are being indifferent about a lesson or about giving them a particular time to speak, to say that although you are trying to say something, you can cue them in on when it is their turn to speak which is good for someone who has in their head what they want to say.”
The afternoon continued with a presentation from Diane Wieland on Can Do!
Diane shared her powerful story of how she does not let living with cerebral palsy hold her back from accomplishing her goals and life’s dreams.
An important focus of the session was centered on community involvement. Students participated in a discussion to select the beneficiaries for the upcoming Car Wash fundraiser, fostering a sense of responsibility toward giving back to the community. The students voted and the following three charities were selected to receive the donations:
Be sure to join the students for their Annual Car Wash fundraiser on Saturday, September 21st, from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM. Proceeds will go to the above charities, supporting local causes and underscoring the Academy’s commitment to leadership through service.
Learn more about SEF’s Fred Saigh Leadership Academy and how to apply for next year’s class.
