Seventh-grader Tenley Shea, an avid golfer, is comfortable talking to the adults she meets on the golf course.
“I kind of like talking to people and being able to share what I know,” remarked Tenley, a student at Brighton’s Our Lady of Mercy School for Young Women.
Tenley believes her self-confidence was bolstered by her experiences as a student ambassador last year at Seton Catholic School, also in Brighton. In her role, Tenley led prospective families on tours of the facility and explained what she loved about the school.
“I liked being able to know (the principal) trusted us, and was pretty much giving us the responsibility of recruiting people,” Tenley said.
Leadership opportunities abound at Catholic schools
Catholic schools throughout the Diocese of Rochester offer programs — such as Seton’s student ambassador program — intended to help students develop leadership qualities. St. Joseph School in Penfield also trains students in its student ambassador program to lead school tours for prospective families. And St. Michael School in Penn Yan and St. Mary Our Mother School in Horseheads encourage their students to plan school activities by joining their respective student councils.
Forming students into young leaders is an integral part of what Catholic schools do every day, even outside of such specific opportunities as student council, observed Heather Bill, principal at St. Mary Our Mother.
“Our students are given leadership opportunities in a variety of ways throughout the school year, including assisting with school liturgies, serving as role models for younger students, and participating in service projects that support both our school and the wider community,” she explained.
Seton students also frequently serve as readers or greeters at school Masses, noted Stacy Shea, Tenley’s mother. Catholic schools are great at providing such opportunities for public speaking and interaction with the larger community, she added.
“I think the exposure that they get to that experience of just being comfortable in their own skin, talking to adults and other humans, and having to articulate important things is a very different experience than a lot of other schools will give,” Shea said.
Student ambassadors gain confidence and public-speaking skills
Serving as student ambassadors definitely helps students develop public-speaking skills as well as life skills in general, according to Kerrie Mullen, admissions and communications specialist at St. Joseph School.
“We teach them how to shake someone’s hand and make direct eye contact, smile … and be able to have a good conversation with an adult. It builds confidence for them. They feel like they’re leaders at the school,” Mullen said.
“It’s super important for them to gain (these skills) at a young age, especially in a space where they’re comfortable. This building is a safe space,” said Seton Principal Mary Kate Koecheler, who trains her school’s student ambassadors and has them give her a mock tour before they begin leading tours for families.
Student councils help students become leaders and good citizens
Interacting with the larger community is a key component of student council activities at St. Michael School, according to Jen Gruschow, who coordinates the council. Students involved in student council not only plan schoolwide activities but also take occasional field trips to local businesses. These field trips allow students to talk to and form relationships with local business owners and to develop an awareness of resources in their community, she said. Each year, council members also coordinate a food drive for Penn Yan’s local food pantry, she added.
Council members plan at least one activity for the annual Catholic Schools Week, as well as other social activities for students, noted fifth-grader Wes Gruschow, student council president.
“It’s fun that I can be able to plan and come up with ideas to make the school more fun,” he said.
Some council activities develop from plans council members proposed during campaign speeches earlier in the year, Jen Gruschow said, noting that students campaign for several weeks in October ahead of student council elections in November. The student council at St. Michael School offers a hands-on way to teach students about citizens’ responsibility to vote and be involved in their community’s government, Gruschow noted.
“The more we can teach kids it’s important to be responsible for your own community, the better communities we’re going to have for them to live in as adults,” she said. “If kids learn citizenship and leadership early on, they just become more productive and contributing members of society.”
Tags: Catholic Schools
