At Valley Stream North High School, students are learning the principles of leadership through the Leadership Academy. The academy is comprised of students, selected by their advisors and coaches, who serve as president or vice president of one of the school’s many clubs and activities, as well as captains and co-captains of athletic teams.
The Leadership Academy, organized by advisors Vanessa D’Alessio and Jennifer Kehoe, is a series of three sessions throughout the school year that provide students with the basic ideas of effective leadership. The first session, which took place on December 10, focused on learning how to effectively communicate, how to demonstrate courage in the face of adversity, and being a positive role model within the group you are a leader for. Student leaders who previously went through the academy facilitated the session.
Principal Rachel Green first addressed the students who were invited about the importance of being an effective leader and how they can help promote a positive environment at North. Students then participated in a series of activities that were led by the student facilitators. The session concluded with a roundtable discussion to evaluate what the students had learned.