Valley Insight
By Chrissy Mills

Chrissy Mills
(Photo provided)

At Akron Elementary School we work hard to give our students opportunities to become leaders through Student Council, sports, clubs, and classroom activities.

This year, our fifth grade teachers are focusing on leadership in their classrooms. They are focusing specifically on positive leadership, leading in a way that will make a positive difference. Each Friday, the fifth grade students participate in team building activities that focus on working together, in a positive way, to solve a problem. These activities are helping our students become confident in themselves and with their fellow classmates.

The fifth grade class is also focusing on leadership in the community. Once a month they are going out into the community and giving back. They are picking up trash, raking leaves, cleaning parks, and much more. They are learning that positive leaders lead by example and that their example goes a long way in getting other students to follow and do positive things.

Students at all grade levels are also being taught to lead in their classrooms. They are leading through book clubs, exercise time during gym class, before and after school dismissal procedures, and classroom small table group activities. Through these small leadership opportunities students learn to work together, encourage others, and grow their leadership skills.

Members of the Tippecanoe Valley High School’s Peer Mentor Program are also teaming up with our school in helping students learn about being positive leaders. The Peer Mentor group is composed of student leaders from the high school that work with our elementary students on leadership skills, becoming positive role models, and giving back to our school and community.

Student Council is an excellent way for students to get involved in leadership roles at Akron Elementary School. Our Student Council has thirty-three members ranging from first grade to fifth grade. Student Council members meet once a month to plan out activities for the entire student body. Two whole school activities they concentrate on are the canned food drive and lip pops for Riley Children’s Hospital. These two activities get every student involved and teach our students to help others.

At Akron Elementary School, we take pride in helping our students become positive leaders within our school and within the community.