Teaching Our Boys to be Leaders

At Cardigan, it is a priority to teach leadership skills and provide an opportunity for the boys to develop as leaders. This is one of the primary benefits of the ninth-grade year. Soon, the School will elect 28 ninth-grade leaders for titled positions including school leader, assistant school leader, athletics assistant, floor leader, chapel leader, and more. These boys will begin serving when they return next fall and will serve throughout the 2019-20 academic year.

Our leadership program teaches students the value of influencing others through a model of character and consistency. This week, the boys learned more about the upcoming leadership election process from their grade level coordinators.

In preparation for the election, our students were asked to pay close attention to the character of our peers, and to vote based on merit and ability to demonstrate Cardigan’s Core Values of Compassion, Integrity, Respect, and Courage. “Leadership is not something that is deserved,” explained Mr. Clark, History Teacher and a student life coordinator. “It is always earned.”

“Leadership is not something that is deserved. It is always earned.” Doug Clark, History Teacher, Student Life Coordinator

As our prospective leaders work hard to earn a titled position, they are also learning about courage, hard work, and humility through failing. Each and every student, titled leader or not, has a responsibility to lead by example in all aspects of campus life.

In the coming weeks, candidates will seek advice from current leaders, confer with their advisors and other faculty members, and, finally, address the entire community. Voting will take place shortly after the speeches. The results will be announced at our annual Investiture Ceremony on May 9, 2019.