I think one of the most important lessons students can learn at Lawton Academy is how to be an effective leader. Leadership is an incredibly valuable lesson for students to develop as they move towards adulthood. Working with predominantly gifted students, we see a lot of innate leadership potential in our student body. There is a desire to be in charge and have their ideas listened to. However, there is frequently a tendency to be bossy or to take over too much control when given a leadership opportunity. This is where we can hone in our leadership skills as we grow. 

The best way for a child to learn effective leadership is by doing. When they get hands-on leadership experience, they can quickly learn what does and does not work. We push our kids to take on leadership positions because it not only builds their skills, but it also gives them great experience that will help them when it comes time for college or job applications. There are so many lessons that students learn in leadership positions beyond how to be an effective leader. There are a lot of important lessons to be learned about how to work with others, how to manage a project or team, and how to inspire people to be productive. 

With the great leadership lessons, also comes some very hard lessons. One thing that some of our students have had to learn is that it is not always fun being at the top. When put in charge of things like discipline or reprimanding, students learn why people don’t often befriend their managers. It can be hard for students to keep their friends accountable for things while maintaining a friendship outside of the club or organization. This lesson is valuable, but it isn’t easy. 

So acknowledging that there are fun components to being a leader as well as tough lessons, why is it important for students to learn how to lead? The easiest explanation is that so many of these students have a natural desire or tendency towards leadership and many of them will end up as leaders in their careers. Another reason why students should learn how to be good leaders is because we truly believe that these students are excelling beyond their peers. These are the types of children that we need to push these kids towards positions of power. Lastly, even if the student does not choose a job in which they lead, the lessons they learn through leadership can help them in any career they choose. 

There are so many benefits to learning how to lead well. The students we work with who lean into leadership set themselves up for scholarships, college acceptance, and job prospects. If you are looking for a way to distinguish your child when it comes to college applications, leadership is the way to do it. While extracurriculars are important, it says a lot about an applicant when they were elected to a position, and they maintained that position. If your child is worried about getting into their school of choice, encourage them to try out leadership. Even if it doesn’t inform their career choice, the benefits will definitely permeate into whatever they do in the future. 

-        Bria