Busloads of impressed educators roamed the halls of Dana Elementary recently, snapping pictures, taking notes, and learning about The Leader In Me school firsthand from students in purple bowties.
The Leader in Me program is a school culture and transformation process offered by Franklin Covey Co., a global company specializing in performance improvement. The Leader In Me program, and its 7 Habits are based on Sean Covey’s “The 7 Habits of Happy Kids.”
In its fourth year of implementing The Leader In Me, Dana was invited to serve as a model school for educators introducing or considering the leadership program in their respective schools.
“We were part of what is called The Leader In Me Symposium,” said Dana principal Kim Morgan.
The symposium, held in Spartanburg, S.C. from Feb. 17-19, bused educators to multiple schools – including Dana and Sugarloaf elementaries in Henderson County – to see The Leader In Me success stories.
“We’re trying to get ideas,” said Michael Lee, assistant principal of St. Stephens Elementary in Hickory.
While Lee asked 3rd-grader Victor C. in Spanish about his impression of the 7 Habits, Lee’s colleague, Ashley Lynch, snapped pictures of the school’s garden and accompanying posters.
“I think that’d be a great thing to bring back to our school,” said Lynch, who teaches kindergarten and first grade at St. Stephens. “We have the area for it.”
During the day’s opening ceremonies, students shared which of the 7 Habits they found easiest to implement at school and at home, and those they struggled with at times.
Fourth-grader Adessa F. said, “Learning the 7 Habits has inspired me to become a hard worker and be proactive.”
Adessa and 5th-grader Stevenson A. said their favorite habits to follow is Habit #1: Be Proactive.
Stevenson said, “It’s your responsibility to take care of your own body, mind and actions.”
Adessa said, “I enjoy being in charge and handling things before they become problems.”
But that also means Adessa often wants to do things on her own, even when she needs to work with others.
“I have a little bit of difficulty with Habit #6 (Synergize) because I’m more of an independent worker,” she said. “It’s going to be important to develop this skill because synergizing is a school-to-workforce skill.”
“A habit I’m working on is Put First Things First (Habit #3),” Stevenson said. “I have a hard time coming home and doing my homework while the other kids are out playing. But it’s important I do it before I get too sleepy.”
“I like that they know which (habits) they’re good at and which ones they’re working on,” said Kerry Plyler, a third grade teacher at Benton Heights Elementary School of the Arts in Monroe, N.C.
Plyler said her school is hoping to implement The Leader In Me program next year, and she’s impressed with how Dana’s students have embraced the culture of leadership and self-empowerment.
“They’re very articulate (and) very friendly,” she said. “They’re very confident.”
(Written by Molly McGowan Gorsuch, HCPS Public Information Officer.)