other Leadership Ideas

AWSP Resources
Check out the ideas and activities resources on the Association of Washington School Principal Website. Click here.

Bite of RHS (submitted by Teri Galloway, Roosevelt H.S.)
Bite of RHS for Diversity Week. All the clubs (French, Japanese, Chinese, La Raza, MSU, Filipino, etc.) cook ethnic foods and sell them for $1.00 -$2.00 each during lunch. This is part of our diversity week.

Check-Ins (submitted by Cody Stitt)
Check-Is are used to build relationships and see how your students are doing. Be creative and have fun! Mix-it-up ad share in partners, small groups, or whole group.
  • Weather Report: For a weather report check in, ask your students to describe how they are feeling by describing the weather in their world. For example, if you are having a good day, your weather might be sunny warm. If your day is not going so well, your weather might be cloudy with a chance of rain.
  • Fist-to-Five: This check-in is a quick way to see how others are doing. Tell them to pick a number from 0 to 5 that best describes how they are doing. (5 being great, and great not so great) Have them share all at once, or have them share in partners. It's great!
  • Car Tune-Up: This check-in is a creative way to see how others are feeling today. Tell the group that they are a car, and they had to go in for a tune up. Now, have them describe in words what the mechanic said about how things were running. They could say that the tune up was great, or they could say that the car wouldn't start, it needs more fuel, the tires are flat....whatever-
  • Animal: Have the groups share what kind of animal they feel like today and why.
  • Color: This check-in is best done with partners or in small groups. Have the class describe how they are feeling by what type of color they feel like today and why.
  • Pipe Cleaners: Pass out one pip cleaner to each one of your students. Have them create a shape that reflects how they feel. Let them share with each other, with partners, small groups...
  • Cartoon Character: Have your students think of a cartoon character tat they feel like today. Let them share with each other who they feel like...and why.
  • Highs-Low: This is a great way share things from our weekends. Have the class get partners or get in groups, and let them share a high and a low point from their weekend.
  • Doctor's Check-Up: This is a creative way to check in by asking your students to think about what their doctor would say to them if they went to get a check-Up. (I went to the doctor , and the doctor said...)
  • Closing Activities for Groups A Pat on the Back: Make copies of an outline of a hand, and tape one on the back of each team member. Team members then write a short note of thanks or praise on everyone's back.
  • Pay Envelopes: Cut small pieces of paper (4" x 4"), making sure that each person has a piece of paper for each member of the group. Write all team members' names on envelopes and place on chairs in a circle. Have everyone sit in their chair with a pencil or pen. Begin by passing your envelope to the person on your right. Look at the name on the front of that new envelope, write a short note to that person and put it in the envelope before passing it on. Set a time limit to keep the activity going. Hint" you can put in a poem, note, or quote in the envelopes ahead of time.
  • Gold Starring : Have everyone sit in a circle, with one person in the middle. Go around the circle and allow each member of the team to share a word, phrase, or short story about that person. Set a time limit so each person gets the same.
  • Remember When : Have students shut eyes and picture a moment that the group has shared together. Open eyes and share their "Kodak Moment."

Common Dance Resolution (submitted by Bruce Overstreet, Everett H.S.)
A WACA discussion on "Dance the Grind," we discussed the possibility of a resolution signed by Activities Directors establishing minimum standards for dance behavior. Email WACA Board member, John Bittinger, for more on this idea.

Getting To Know You Introductions (submitted by Chemai Gray, Marysville M.S.)
Have a getting to know you session. Students have a paper with key personnel listed. When they have introduced themselves, they get a form signed. When the form is complete, have a drawing for prizes.

Leadership Computer Pals (submitted by Kim Peterson, Lincoln M.S.)
Leadership Computer-Pals. Locate a leadership class somewhere in the state and develop a Computer-Pal Program. This would allow the students to interact with other leadership students in other locations and share ideas, successes, conferences, etc.

Monthly Character Themes
Accountability • Ambition • Appreciation • Assertiveness • Caring • Change • Character • Charity • Citizenship • Class • Community • Compassion • Confidence • Conservation • Cooperation • Courage • Courtesy • Creativity • Culture • Dedication • Desire • Determination • Dignity • Earth Appreciation • Education • Empathy • Energy Conservation • Enthusiasm • Equality • Fairness • Family • Friendship • Forgiveness • Freedom • Gardens • Generosity • Giving • Goals • Happiness • Health • Helping Others • Heroes • History • Honesty • Honor • Imagination • Independence • Inspiration • Integrity • Inventions • Kindness • Laughter • Leadership • Loyalty • Manners • Mentoring • Music • Nature • Opportunity • Optimism • Passion • Patience • Patriotism • Peace • Perseverance • Poetry • Pollution • Praise • Pride • Purpose • Respect • Responsibility • Rights • Safety • Self (Discipline, Esteem, etc.) • Sincerity • Smiles • Spirit • Sportsmanship • Success • Teamwork • Time • Tolerance • Trust • Truthfulness • Unity • Voting • Wisdom

Movies that Teaching with Movies (from Jim Pateron, Olney, MD, author in Leadership Magazine; January 2006) 
Examples of movie recommended by student activity advisers to teach aspects of leadership and other critical skills.

  • Cool Running: True story of persistence by unexpected and unwanted Jamaican Bobsled Team.
  • Radio: acceptance and hard work as a high school football coach and community accepts a very different booster.
  • Remember the Titans: Lots of lessons about leadership, teamwork, and open mindedness in a true story about a football coach and team fighting racism and difficult opponents. "Attitude is leadership" is one of many key points.
  • Apollo 13: Leadership, creativity in real life drama.
  • A Bugs Life: Pixar computer-animated story teaching leadership and persistence.
  • Mean Girls: Awareness of changing maturity and adolescent girl social patterns.
  • The Empire Strikes Back: Leadership and persistence, particularly the scene where Yoda tells Luke his inability to raise his own ship came from a lack of conviction.
  • Seabiscuit: "Everybody deserves a second chance"; persistence and loyalty.
  • Saving Private Ryan: "One short clip should you more about the chain of command than anything you could teach," says one leadership teacher.
  • Rudy: A true story about an unlikely football player whose persistence is remarkable.
  • The Lion King: Leadership, grief, redemption, and the urge to run away are discovered in this animated Disney movie.
  • Thirteen Days: War and conflict, leadership and moral questions are highlighted in this movie in which President Kennedy avoids nuclear war.
  • Wizard of Oz: Teamwork through an old classic.
  • Sandlot: Creativity, leadership, and teamwork as a group of young ballplayers overcome major hurdles, including a monster dog.
  • Finding Neverland: Collaboration and inspiration and how the author of Peter Pan discovered both.
  • Legally Blonde: Integrity and making wrong assumptions about others as classic "dumb blonde" proves doubters wrong in law school.
  • Mr. Deeds: Old and new versions both feature integrity despite all the odds.
  • Finding Nemo: Cooperation among fish colony, and a very funny, purposeful journey. Parental responsibility is also an issue.
  • Erin Brokovich: True story about a scrappy woman showing responsibility and persistence.
  • 12 o'clock High: A classic used to teach military and business people about leadership.
  • School of Rock: Innovation, as a substitute teacher forms a clandestine rock band in a prep school classroom.
  • Hoosiers: having high expectations and team work in a touching basketball tale.

Public Speaking Skills Lesson (submitted by DeAnna Whitton, Marysville Junior High)
When teaching students to use speaking skills including: volume, pitch, eye contact, and filler words, have students get up and talk for 30 seconds on a candy bar or other general topic. Select four students to sit in the back with text cards of the four speaking skills. Then they have a card (3x5) with each card with a #1-10. The student speaks for 30 seconds and the four students grade them on the given skill. The kids love to be a judge!

Read Across America as Public Speaking Practice (submitted by Ruth Comstock, Mariner)
Each year when Read Across America Day comes, use it as a chance for your leadership students to practice public speaking at the elementary school.
  • Arrange time at local elementary school classrooms
  • Teach students mini-lessons about Dr. Seuss (March 2nd is his birthday), speaking in public, reading to others, and leading groups in an activity.
  • Student choose a book and complete a work/planning sheet to prepare for the class. Their planning should include an introduction, reading the book, and an activity to do with the elementary class.
  • Practice in class before the big day!

Student Justices (submitted by Britt Harris) 
Use student justices to run school elections and constitutional issues. This helps establish accountability and a higher trust factor.