Meeting new people. Working as a group. Learning new skills.
These are some of the things that scholars from middle schools in Pinellas County said they enjoyed at the annual Student Leadership Summit.
The summit – which took place last week at the University of South Florida’s St. Petersburg campus – was one of a series that brought together student leaders from all over the district. Student leaders from the elementary schools met last month and high school students the day after the middle school summit.
Superintendent Kevin Hendrick said that it’s important to learn leadership at a young age because some of the things we learn when we are younger stay with us forever.
“No matter what field you go into we want to teach you more of that so later on you have that knowledge to use for whatever you do with your life,” he said.
At the summit, scholars participated in a full day of interactive activities that challenged their leadership abilities via 40-minute group exercises.
One exercise was an escape room where scholars – stranded in the Arctic – solved hard mysteries, puzzles, and used math to get to the next level. At the end, the team flies a drone to safety (which was a circle on the floor).
Another exercise required teams to build a parachute using coffee filters, paper cups, string, and popsicle sticks. The teams made the parachute while complying with different instructions such as not talking or only being able to use one hand.
The parachute must be strong enough to hold two passengers, adding to the challenge. The teams then dropped the parachutes from a balcony and land in a designated area on the ground.
Teachers and volunteers gave students hints when they got stuck on a riddle or question.
The day’s activities also a pizza lunch, a tour to the dorm rooms, and a visit to the campus library.
Eighth-grader Hailey Toth from Meadowlawn Middle School said her favorite part of the summit was working with students she didn’t know.
“We were assigned groups with different age levels, so getting to know these people from scratch has just been amazing for me,” she said.
Sixth-grader Samantha Gandariloas from Madeira Beach Fundamental said she thinks students should practice leadership, so they know what it feels like to be a leader instead of being surprised when they are older.
“And I would tell kids not to be afraid to speak up, share your opinions and your own ideas,” she said.
Seventh-grader Aiden Mcduffy from Azalea Middle said he was glad to hang out with his friends while learning new things.
“Something I will take back to my school is respecting others and asking questions,” he said.
