As I drove back up the Hill five days into summer break, I asked myself two questions: why am I wearing my polo? And, more importantly, why am I coming back to school? It was hard to imagine, but I was giving up two days of freedom to come back to school and learn about leadership.
For many Tologs, leadership is nothing new. From ASB to affinity group boards, Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy has always offered its students opportunities to take on lead positions. Starting this summer, however, an entirely new conference, dedicated specifically to leadership was hosted at the FSHA Residential Life Hall.
The conference, held June 4th – 5th and August 8th – 9th, hosted students from Honor Council, class boards, affinity group boards, and campus ministry, or CMLT. I begrudgingly chose to attend both legs of the conference, giving up, in total, four whole days of freedom. However, by the end of both conferences, I walked away with more ambition and excitement for the new school year, as well as fun memories, inside jokes, and closer friendships.
The idea for the conference, according to head planners Ms. Kim and Ms. Guerrero, came from a need for student leaders to understand what their positions entailed.
“ For the Student Leadership conference,” Ms. Kim explains, “after speaking with Ms. Sam and Ms. Guerrero, we thought, ‘Oh, can we find a time where we get to explicitly learn certain skills people may need, not just for leadership on FSHA’s campus, but beyond?’ So, that was the main idea behind it.”
The first leg of the conference focused on what defines a leader. Students networked with FSHA staff, learned how to balance the various responsibilities of a leader, and learned practical skills such as chairing meetings and determining which leadership style fits them best.
One of the most memorable aspects of the first conference was the opportunities groups received to work together.
“It sparked excitement for the upcoming year,” commented Junior Alex M on the collaboration between affinity groups. “Also, just the atmosphere in general created good vibes. It was so easy to connect and share ideas with others!”
Ms. Guerrero also noted the collaborative atmosphere throughout. “ I think one of the best outcomes that I’ve seen out of the conference is this sense of collaboration. Some of our groups were independent and operated independently–and, already this year, I’m seeing so much more collaboration.”
The second leg of the conference focused more on concrete planning for the school year– bulletin boards were decorated, calendars were marked for events, and conversations were held about the opportunities the coming school year held.
“Another one of my favorite parts back in August was sitting down and planning,” Ms. Kim mentions. “And, for what it’s worth, when the year starts, it’s really hard to plan ahead. I know that within planning time comes socializing and joking; yet, you’re sitting down and saying, ‘let’s look at this calendar, let’s brainstorm,’ because we have that luxury of time.”
When surrounded by so many talented Tolog leaders, it’s easy to forget why a conference like this is needed in the first place. However, when we take a look at data surrounding women in leadership, it becomes clear why leadership empowerment for FSHA students is so valuable.
Pew Research Center’s data on women leaders highlights the lack of women in leadership. In 2023, only 10.6% of CEOs of Fortune 500 companies were women. According to Rutgers University’s Center for American Women and Politics, 26% of the current Senate is composed of women. However, out of those 26 women, only five are women of color.
That final number– the five women of color in the U.S Senate– speaks to the need for women of all races, ethnicities, and backgrounds to assume leadership positions. This is another reason why there is a need for a conference like the one held this summer.
FSHA’s demographic is changing. According to data from the current freshman class, 67% of students identify as people of color. And it isn’t just the class of ‘29 that is diverse.
“Last year, our freshman and sophomore classes’ demographic leaned into a majority of people of color or mixed race identities.” Ms. Guerrero notes.
As a Latina, women from my community are severely underrepresented in positions of leadership, despite Latinos being the largest minority in the United States. Coming out of the retreat, I felt more empowered to collaborate with others and work towards events and meaningful actions within my affinity group and larger school community.
Through the efforts of everyone involved with the conference, FSHA’s student leaders left not only with skills to help them in their positions, but also with chances to employ their newly-gained skills.
“ My final feelings are really just pride– I’m so proud of our students,” Ms. Kim concludes. “We are all gifted leaders, and my hope is that every student on FSHA’s campus knows that and learns that about themselves, so that they can share that with others.”