Leaders in training

Bringing leadership development skills to Michigan K-12 classrooms
A sixth grader in a helmet looks somber as a CMU commercial recreation major fastens him to a safety rope and he prepares to climb CMU’s 32-foot climbing wall.

“What’s your goal?” the CMU student asks.

“To get all the way to the top,” the sixth grader responds with a sheepish smile.

A young group of students from Mary McGuire Elementary School are enjoying a full day of activities as part of CMU’s Leadership Institute K-12 leadership training program, which is available to any school across the state.

It may seem like a fun day away from school for the kids, but underneath it all are some powerful messages about leadership development.

“They learn respect, how to encourage others, the importance of a sense of community,” said CMU graduate assistant Brian Pridgeon. “The idea is that they transfer these things to life.”

Programs offered on campus and statewide
CMU leadership and recreation students work together to teach the younger children leadership skills under the K-12 program. Along with climbing the wall, there are hundreds of other activities available, tailored to the particular age group of the students.

Teachers and administrators also get involved with the activities.

“This is a great opportunity for our students to go beyond their comfort zones and do things that maybe they thought they couldn’t do,” said Mary McGuire principal Roger Gilbert, ’73 MA ’84. “We’re going to take these activities we learned here and use them all year long.”

The Leadership Institute offers a variety of programs for Michigan schools at a reasonable cost. Workshops can be held on CMU’s campus or brought to any school across the state. They include activities designed to help students explore concepts of leadership, civic engagement, character, and trust.

“We also offer a teacher packet with activity suggestions for continuing the leadership training in their classrooms,” said Jenell Barnard, K-12 student leadership coordinator.

Paul Pridgeon, a sophomore Leader Advancement Scholarship recipient and leadership minor, helps Tara Fairchild, a fifth grader at Mary McGuire Elementary School, scale the rock-climbing wall during a CMU Leadership Institute outreach event.

Tips on leadership
To learn more about CMU Leadership Institute workshops or tips on teaching leadership skills in the classroom, contact Jenell Barnard, CMU K-12 student leadership coordinator.
• barna1jm@cmich.edu
• (989) 774-7783