By Lori Berkey, Contributing Writer
Marlborough – Being a leader means being grateful, being kind to others, and being a role model. That’s according to Kayla Parsons, a fourth-grader at the Charles Jaworek Elementary School in Marlborough. She’s one of 18 students in her grade enrolled in the May session of the Student Leadership Council at the school.
The Student Leadership Council is the brainchild of Christine Hilditch, an adjustment counselor at the school. In its inaugural school year, the council provides all fourth-graders the chance to participate in a five-week group session aimed at giving the students tools for being good citizens.
“My philosophy is that by giving everyone the opportunity to be a leader, it empowers them and helps them become better students, citizens and community members,” Hilditch said. “I wanted to do something more proactive versus reactive; I wanted to make sure we had a good preventative piece.”
According to Hilditch, the start-up of the council was supported by the school principals, the faculty and fellow adjustment counselor, Amy George, who co-leads the program with her. The sessions include discussions of what leadership means, journaling, and taking on a special job such as being a hall monitor, being in charge of the school recycling collection, helping with a community service project, setting up the computer room, and assisting in kindergarten and first-grade classes.
Samantha Hill, a May session student leader, said “getting the jobs” is her favorite part. She’s been helping out in a kindergarten class showing students how to behave in class and when they are in line.
“I learned that you need to do the right thing all the time, especially when you’re a student leader,” Hill said, adding, “well, you need to do the right thing all the time, but when you’re a student leader kids see your badge and are thinking ‘Wow, she’s a student leader or he’s a student leader.’”
Parsons likes her job as a hall monitor.
“As a hall monitor you get to watch out for people. It’s really fun,” she said, adding that she believes the experience of paying attention will help her pay attention in middle school and get better grades, get into a good high school and college and get a good job. Plus, the teachers will like seeing her being kind to others.
Before the holidays, council members from the winter session helped put holiday dinner packages together for families in need so all families in the school could have a special meal at home. A few members from the May group helped organize a collection of nonperishable items for the Marlborough food pantry.
Hilditch said she is pleased with the progress of the group. During one session, council members identified a problem of too many students acting up in the bathroom. The student leaders worked out a plan to discuss the problem with the assistant principal and develop a strategy. It was decided if students would have good behavior in the bathroom that everyone would get extra time at recess. The plan worked and the problem was resolved.
Shahd Jaara, a psychology intern from Framingham State University, assisted the adjustment counselors in carrying out sessions.
“I think other schools should do this council because it really has been beneficial for students. Learning isn’t just about reading and writing. It’s about developing social skills, and I think this council really helps with this a lot,” Jaara said.
