WHY: The Importance of Student Leadership
In 2007, a study showed 80% of U.S. citizens feel our society needs more leadership in order to avoid a “national decline” demonstrating a public need and desire for leadership programs (Rosch & Caza, 2012). Leadership is a huge responsibility for our education system. As the world we live in moves towards chaoas one researcher sees leadership as a way to help students make a difference in this world (Bowman, 2014). Youth are important parts of our communities around the country and are crucial to the nation’s future (Rosch & Caza, 2012; Van Velsor & Wright, 2012). Youth see the world in different ways, and if educators allow them to, youth can lead their communities and stimulate growth (Welsh, 2007).
In 2012, a survey was conducted with identified business leaders and they were asked to list competencies that future leaders would need. These competencies are listed to the left (Van Velsor & Wright, 2012). These results demonstrate the importance of including competencies like those found in this study into student leadership education before the students ever reach the college level. This is for the benefit of the community, the nation’s future, and the individual student.
IMPACTS OF STUDENT LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT
-
Unconventional leaders, those not identified or celebrated by our education system, actually had a stronger pull on their peers than those students sanctioned by their teachers (Whitehead, 2009).
-
Including student involvement into solving community issues increases student engagment, has valuable outcomes for schools and communities, and possibly even deters dropout rates from rising (Whitehead, 2009).
-
SLD is important for transformation changes both in students and in our communities (Welsh, 2007).
-
SLD provides students with the 21st century skills—being change agents, courageous, demonstrating concerns for followers, demonstrating integrity— that we as society are looking for and in true need of (Ingleton, 2013).