Studer Community Institute

Guest column: Building our future leaders

March 27, 2015
/ George Hawthorne
/ leadership-tips

I was blessed to have the opportunity this week to speak with some of our future young leaders at Bellview Middle School. Through the efforts of an outstanding teacher Dee Wright, these leaders from challenging environments are learning to believe that they can achieve in their lives. I went to the school to teach these leaders, but I ended up getting a lesson from them. I was asked to come speak and inspire these young students who had few opportunities to be exposed to black professional people and particularly black men – and I left inspired by the desire of these seventh-graders to learn and achieve. I asked them: “What they wanted to be when they grew up?” I was delighted to know that they all had aspirations to become doctors, lawyers, actors, actresses, athletes, hairdressers, teachers, architect and other professionals. Their enthusiasm, desire and dreams were inspiring to me. However, in talking to these young people I quickly learned that they didn't lack desire to achieve, but, as they said, “They had no one in the ‘circle’ who could provide them real-life experience in achieving their goals.” We then had real talk — and what became very apparent to me is the challenges that these future leaders face coming from the type of living conditions that have historically been dream-killers. What I also learned was, those of us that have escaped economically challenged communities have a moral responsibility to reach out to these youngsters and help teachers to expose our children to adults who have made it out. I learned that we must begin to go back to where we all have a responsibility to help provide guidance to these talented and intelligent future leaders. The school can be fertile ground for developing relationships that influence students’ educational expectations and postsecondary participation and career opportunities. Mentoring relationships can be developed and shaped in many ways and across numerous opportunities to enhance educational expectations and increase postsecondary participation among all students. Mentoring exposes at-risk students to areas in which their families and communities may lack knowledge and resources to provide. Caring role models can encourage students to take programs of study and academic courses to prepare them for the challenges of college and career attainment. Community stakeholders can also provide students with the opportunity to participate in extracurricular activities that contribute to their academic and social development. Schools can help students seek out and take advantage of opportunities that facilitate access to postsecondary education, such as learning about and applying for grants and scholarships. The kids suggested that we create a support group to provide them adult role models. Together, we started a Facebook Page called the “I Am a Leader Club.” Students are the officers of the club and they will be the ones to recruit all students to join. The "I Am a Leader Club" was the idea of some aspiring young leaders who said they needed some assistance from adults who care. This collaboration provides a place where young leaders can ask questions that adults can answer and help provide guidance about life. I plan get some of my professional friends to become part of the group, and then we can all share ideas, give advice and provide opportunities that can help these future leaders make it happen with their educational goals and career aspirations. The adult role models will have a responsibility to provide the students some resources and advice on how to make it happen. The young leaders have the responsibility to look, listen and then do the things to make it happen. The “I Am a Leader Club” creates a social media portal to connect and help disadvantaged and minority students succeed and assists economically disadvantaged students gain academic and social skills to take advantage of opportunities beyond high school. George Hawthorne is CEO of Diversity Program Advisors Inc.

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Guest column: Building our future leaders

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