Student Leadership at Rolling Terrace
Our Student Leadership Club began as a way to help students in 5th grade engage in community works, give back to their school, and gain important leadership skills. The Student Leadership Club is a program to build leadership, which means all children are at differing levels of responsibility and learning.
Applications will be passed out to fifth graders at the beginning of each school year.
How does Student Leadership Club work?
Children are given the opportunity to sign up for student leadership club at the start of the school year. Any child from grade 5 is welcome. Leadership Club students participate in many activities and services ongoing and throughout the school year including:
Fall Food Drive, Fall Coat Drive, Pennies for Patients, Craft Night, Movie Night, Latin Dance, Spirit Week, Book Fair (Fall and Spring), PTA and school events as student representatives, classroom helpers, assistants to staff or teachers, character education assemblies, hands on tasks (copy making, stuffing mailboxes for teachers, distributing materials for the PTA or staff, announcements, lost and found maintenance, recycling efforts, etc).
Leadership Club students are asked to attend ONE monthly meeting over their recess period (1/2 hour session). Meetings entail various leadership lessons, team building work, or often, a guest speaker who works with students on various topics highlighting leadership skills. Students are RARELY asked to miss classroom instruction time.
In the rare instances that this occurs, teachers are made aware as well as RT administration. Often students will be asked to get permission from their teacher to be out of class, but this occurs rarely. The Spring book fair is one such example. Children help mentor younger students as they visit the book fair and support small children (Pre-K through 1st graders) in choosing their free book. Passes are made well in advance with 20 minute time slots. Children have to get permission to “work” during that time.
Why is Student Leadership Important?
- Builds Character
- Helps children take ownership of their school
- Highlights positive leadership roles for children
- Can provide leadership opportunities for a broad range of students
- Builds a sense of community and school spirit
What can parents do to help?
- Volunteer! Please contact me if building on our leadership club is something you are interested in.
- Attend our once a month meeting to help provide supervision.
- Offer to help with just one activity (Food Drive, Coat Drive, Craft night, fundraising nights, etc). If you want to just be “event” oriented, I always need supervision of children as they navigate these activities.
- Talk to your kids about Leadership!
Talking to kids about taking ownership of their school and contributing to their community is important.
Remind kids that:
Leadership is doing the right things right! A good leader comes from doing one’s best, no matter what the task.
Anyone can lead because everyone can serve! Any child can help others and help their school.
Leadership is taking responsibility! Responsibility (being a good leader) at Rolling Terrace can be as simple as making good choices.
If you have any questions about Student Leadership Club or would like to help, please contact Bete Yilma, at Bete_Yilma@mcpsmd.org
