07/24/2025
LI Highschool Chronicles: It’s proven: good leaders cause people to thrive!
We noticed that a group of, once thriving students, now seniors, seemed to have lost their drive; their passion; their motivation and even willingness to serve the community. Despite the previous year’s success, no matter what we taught; regardless of the incentives, the students were not producing. Clearly, something was going wrong. Some chalked it up to senioritis. Some resorted to the thought that they were just “over it.” But, we knew better: we knew our students. This is what we discovered over a steak dinner with our students: There was a new person supervising their school impact project. Their leadership style was suffocating the students’ drive to thrive.
They felt they were not heard;
They felt the supervisor did not believe in them or their ability; and that
the supervisor blocked their ability to advocate for themselves with higher ranked school administrators.
The conversation confirmed what we know to be true “If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are an effective leader.”
To end the year successfully, we had a short turn around time to activate the other leadership principle we know to be true “effective leadership is not just about titles or authority but about influencing and empowering others to achieve their potential.”
Did we do it? Were we successful? Let’s just say “ a picture is worth a thousand words.” With pride I say…”look at our young men suited up to receive their leadership awards at our Annual “People’s Choice Award and Certificate Ceremony.”
So proud of my students.
