Students work to strengthen leadership skills

Published 10:24 am Thursday, January 19, 2017

By BRADY TALBERT / Special to the Reporter

ALABASTER – After playing an interactive game to introduce students to one another, it wasn’t long before students of all grade levels were sharing ideas on how they plan to improve Thompson High School.

On Jan. 4, members of the THS Leadership Team met with professionals from the Dave Mathews Center for Civic Life for a citizenship/leadership retreat. Students were randomly divided into groups, then asked to develop a list of assets and challenges of being a THS student.

Students discussed a variety of the school’s strengths and weaknesses then looked for solutions to improve them. Topics discussed in the meeting included the school’s campus, communication, student involvement, and recognition of clubs. Students then developed and presented solutions ranging from promoting more clubs over the morning announcements to encouraging involvement by surveying students on academies they might be interested in.

Dr. Wesley Hester, THS principal and head of the leadership team, said that the program “is beneficial to the students themselves because of the leadership development that takes place during this process. It is truly a win-win-win for everyone – a win for the students involved, a win for our school, and a win for future students, as our current student-leaders pave the way for bigger and better things at THS, for Alabaster City Schools, and across our community”.

The leadership team consists of roughly 200 students from all four grades. This is the second year the club has been active. The current group was brought together during the third nine weeks, and selection is based on involvement in other clubs and organizations, along with nominations from teachers based on demonstration of leadership in the classroom. The group is still taking in new members, ones who Hester writes “will positively contribute to our overall efforts”.

The group plans to meet again on Feb. 1, where students will have the opportunity to further develop the projects they previously began, in hopes of benefiting Thompson High School’s community and campus.