Leadership class serves student body, helps plan important events

Leadership students volunteer around the community, pray for the student body, and obey the gospel daily. Members share experiences with unbelievers, to encourage them towards Christ through scripture. Ready to answer in and out of season, student leaders use their joy even despite their situation.  

Leadership encourages students to follow and build on I Timothy 4:12 throughout the year:

“Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, and in purity.”

Brynnor Poplin, ‘22, joined leadership this year. Poplin is inspired to become a leader on campus and grow in his walk with God through his everyday class activities.

“I enjoy planning all the events, getting more involved with the school and learning about leadership,” Poplin said. “I also want to be able to learn more about Jesus, while becoming more like him.”

In the past, leadership served as a way to connect events and activities to students and create ways for them to get involved with the school. The class consists of all high school grades, and appoints positions to those who want to run for office, or ASB. Current ASB members include president, vice president, secretary, treasurer, activities director and two chaplins.

Feeling called to a second year of leadership, Sarah Smith, ‘21, feels that she represents the people at the school who are quit or not outspoken. Smith also talked about some goals leadership wants to accomplish this year.

“Some leadership goals for this year is to get more people involved, set a good example for the other students, and help new students feel welcome to the school,” Smith said. “Leadership is currently working on homecoming, and slowly starting on the Sadies event.”  

As years went on, leadership became more of a responsibility than a class. It allowed student leaders to interact with other classmates and encourage them to get involved with events put together by leadership. This year especially, leadership has generated a mass interest to many students across campus, gaining almost 10 more students than last year.

New to leadership this school year, junior Bekah Micu felt God calling her to join the class during her sophomore year.

“I’m looking forward to getting to know people and to play a part in their life,” Micu said. ”My goal this year is to be a light of Jesus and to set the example for others around me.”

But leadership could not run smoothly without the help of the advisors. Each year, two teachers step in to guide students through the class and help organize events, plan activities, and even assign Bible studies to them, as leadership qualifies as a Bible class.

For advisor Robert Foshee, this year marks his tenth on the leadership team. Foshee first became involved when volunteering with student activities. He was then offered to join the team when the position opened up.

“In student leadership, students not only help lead events, but also volunteer, serve and pray for the student body,” Foshee said. “Through these times, students learn lessons of patience, forgiveness, problem solving and grace for their fellow students and teachers.”

Christian living teacher and leadership co-advisor Aubri Foster is beginning her second year in leadership. Foster joined Foshee as his partner when school principal Amy Deffenbacher inquired if Foster would be willing. Foster explains the motto for this year’s leadership class: LEAD: Love, Encourage, Answer, Do.

“First, it’s to love others how Christ loved us: the greatest commandment,” Foster said. “Love is the first thing we focus on when in leadership. We hope our students feel encouraged from us and through that they are encouraging others. They’re required to have mentors who are pouring into them throughout the year as well.”

With homecoming a week away, leadership focuses on planning spirit days, organizing the princess pageants, and planning the bonfire rally, which takes place this Friday, Sept. 28 at 6:30 p.m. They are also working towards Sadies, which takes place this year at Great America, Oct. 27th.

For more articles, read COLUMN: Erin Wilson discusses leadership roles and and BREAKING: Campus band fundraises for Hawaii trip.

Kyler Garza can be reached via email.