Think about where we have come from and where we still have left to go. Aside from the current reflections of the council, this is normal this time of year for us to sit and reflect, review from the beginning of the year, and continue forward with the idea that there is still so much to learn and there is still so much left that can be achieved by you, if you give it 100%.

Think about our philosophy as a council:

Our philosophy is that a leadership program must have substance and meaning. We are developing a program that changes the school and the students for the better, not just a program that makes the school “more fun.” Assemblies, dress up days, decorations, and any other activities for that matter are not the central focus of the program. Rather there is a more holistic approach of looking at the ENTIRE NEEDS of the student body and trying to address what those needs are. For example, there may be a need to increase school spirit, but just as important might be the need to address academic integrity, drug or alcohol use, bullying, stereotyping, cliques, and even racial tension.

More importantly, how about feeling like you have purpose in a school of 3,392 students. It becomes very difficult to say an assembly, activity, or dress up day is going to make that person feel more like they have a purpose because we hosted that activity for them. Meaning, we need to think about every individual and how they matter and how being a friend and just talking to someone is a way for us to find out what others purposes are and how they might feel a part of the Cougar Family.

It is our hope to empower students to look at some of these significant issues and work with school staff, students, and other leaders in addressing them. Going hand in hand with this is the philosophy that the leaders are serving their peers.   “True Leadership must be for the benefit of the followers, not the enrichment of the leaders.”- Robert Townsend

It is important that we take a look at our core philosophy again, and go back and see if our goals are meeting this. If not, then what could we change about our yearly goals, monthly goals, weekly goals, and daily goals? What is it we truly exist for? To make kids happy with events, activities, and decorations? How do we even know if that was our goal or if we are meeting that? Meaning lets get to the deep core and root of why high school can be scary and daunting at times and really address the ENTIRE NEEDS of the students on our campus and our COMMUNITIES NEEDS as well.

In order for us to move forward and continue to be a great council, we need to evaluate our goals and potentially change them. We need to evaluate our methods of leading and potentially change them. To continue our growth in leadership, we need to constantly strive to want to learn about topics that will challenge us to be better than we already are. We have so much left to learn and so much left to give. All of us play a significant role in helping our school achieve 100% Coronado pride, community pride, student pride, we want everyone to have pride in themselves. “Leadership is action, not position.” –Donald H McGannon

I hope you are all well rested and ready to come back to take ACTION! Go Cougars!!