21st Century Leadership guides students to success

Junior+Madison+Johnson+talking+to+one+of+her+classmates+in+the+21st+Century+Leadership+class.+Photo+by+Lauryn+Houle

Junior Madison Johnson talking to one of her classmates in the 21st Century Leadership class. Photo by Lauryn Houle

Lauryn Houle, Staff Writer

A new class was introduced this year for students the 21st Century Leadership class is taught by social studies teacher Eric Zwingel. This class helps to better prepare students who may want to pursue a career in which they could hold a position of leadership. It also provides many real world skills that are good to have once students move into the workforce.

       “We are trying to put what we are learning into action,” Zwingel said. Students take initiative in this class and have to start and complete tasks only relying on themselves.

       This class is only offered to juniors and seniors for the first semester. To be able to be in this class, students must submit an application, letters of recommendation as well as an interview with teachers.

       Zwingel believes this class is an important class for students to take part in because there are so many useful skills to be learned from taking this class.

     “Whatever they are passionate about or whatever they are involved in, how can we use skills to be good leaders?” Zwingel said.“We are teaching them to be a leader in whatever they want to be involved in.”

       Aside from learning useful skills for the future, the students participate in different groups that all have a potential to change and benefit the school. Currently, the four groups are Relay For Life and projects dedicated to painting the school, reinventing the courtyard and iced coffee in the school store.

       Senior Spencer Jackson-Metcalf is a part of the iced coffee project. His group members have placed the iced coffee bar inside of the Packer Connection.

       “I wanted to join because it was a chance for me to focus on how I could truly become a leader and to focus on some skills that I do not have or even to strengthen the skills I already have now,” Jackson-Metcalf said. “A major benefit of this class is that it helps you to be more comfortable in different situations. It creates new skills for yourself and pushes you to work on something you would have never done before.”

       The course can be beneficial for enrichment of skills and give an opportunity to students that most other courses can not provide.

       Senior Ian Manock decided to join the 21st Century Leadership class because he intends to one day hopefully start his own business.

      “I believed this class would be a good opportunity for me to improve my leadership skills in order to help me in the future,” Manock said.

       Not only does this class teach skills beneficial to use in the professional and business world but it studies some great leaders in history.

       “We have learned different leadership theories, historical leadership, how to create professional emails and how to succeed at public speaking,” Manock said. “Others should take this class because it is an opportunity for them to increase their leadership skills, as well as make a difference in our school.”