Building leaders: private school to open leadership institute

A local private school will soon launch a new leadership development program for its high school students.

Oak Hall School, which serves students in preschool (age 3) through 12th grade, announced the launch of the Oak Hall Leadership Institute Wednesday, calling it a “pioneering program that marks a significant milestone in the educational landscape of North Central Florida.”

The program will be available to all 9th through 12th grade students at Oak Hall and is deemed in a news release to be the first and only program of its kind in North Central Florida.

The program aims to provide a platform for students to learn essential leadership skills within the school's environment. Its curriculum will be designed to engage and inspire high school students. Students will explore different elements of leadership such as communication, decision-making and teamwork, among others, through the institute’s interactive workshops, hands-on projects and immersive experiences.

"With the launch of the Oak Hall Leadership Institute, we're not just introducing a program; we're introducing a transformative opportunity for our students," said Jaime Gresley, director of advancement, in a news release. "This initiative underscores Oak Hall's commitment to empowering every student with the tools and knowledge they need to succeed as leaders in their communities and beyond."

The institute is made to be approachable, accessible and customizable to students, Gresley said in an interview with The Sun. It focuses on knowledge acquisition, skill development and practical application which revolve around three core topics: Leading Yourself, Leading Others and Leading Organization.

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The curriculum

Students must complete four course requirements: knowledge acquisition, continued education, application practicum experience and leadership philosophy presentation. By completing these before graduation, students will earn the Leadership Institute Certification.

The first component to the program is the leadership lab, which delves into leading yourself. In this section, students dig into who they are as a leader and build foundational skills. Students submit a letter of intent as part of their registration for the institute, which serves as their first assignment for their leadership lab.

In the second component there is a focus on continued education and becoming a lifelong learner. Students will take part in workshops of their choice hosted by a variety of leaders. Students will also have the opportunity to take part in a case study, and a case study competition will launch next spring where students can work in teams and dig deep into a leadership-based case study.

In the third component, students' leadership skills are put into practice. They will participate in two 40-hour practicums — described by Gresley as a "mini internship" — focused on enhancing leadership skills and knowledge. Students can choose a variety of practicum experiences applicable to their daily lives as long as it's approved by a faculty advisor.

For example, if a student is on a sports team, they can work with their coach to build specific leadership skills and apply that experience to their practicum credit. Students can also walk alongside a leader for credit if they choose, such as a boss at a part-time job.

"We want them to look into the things they're already doing in their lives and build a leadership lens to that, because that's how the world works, right? said Gresley. "We want our students to be leaders in all facets of who they are."

Lastly, students will present their unique leadership philosophy, reflecting on their time in the program, what they've done and how they've grown as a leader.

"We just feel really grateful that we can offer this to the students," Gresley said. "These are the people that are going to be answering the questions that we don't have answers to yet, and solving the problems, and it's really inspiring to be around them... Being a leader is being vulnerable, and so for these young individuals to step forward and say 'I want to do this, I want to help be that change' is just, I mean, inspiring doesn't even say it; it's just humbling to be around them."

April 19 is the registration deadline for the Spring 2024 program.

This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Oak Hall School leadership institute