Area students participate in Leadership Academy

Twenty-four high school students from eight Shawnee County schools participated this week in the third annual High School Leadership Academy (HSLA) at Washburn University.

HSLA is hosted by the Washburn University Leadership Institute, and is created and implemented by current Washburn University students. A three-year grant from the Topeka Community Foundation provided funding to launch this program.

The mission of HSLA is to develop leadership skills in high school students and create a greater awareness about ways they, personally, can influence positive change in their communities. Student participants lived on campus for the week and were guided through a comprehensive program introducing concepts from the Kansas Leadership Center, including awareness and application of the four competencies of Diagnosing the Situation, Managing Self, Energizing Others and Intervening Skillfully.

“This week has been amazing,” said Lauren Edelman, associate director of the Leadership Institute at Washburn. “They have all been engaged and eager to learn about everything happening in Topeka. This group is passionate about getting youth engaged in Topeka, and asked great questions to every community leader we have engaged with thus far."

Throughout the week-long program, students experienced tours, interactive presentations and guest speakers. Each day included social activities, as well as time for processing in small groups. They spent time engaging with representatives from business, government, education, nonprofit, philanthropy, health and public safety to gain understanding about the role each of these areas plays.

Edelman noted one popular activity was talking with Topeka mayor Michelle De La Isla.

“She dropped by for a visit yesterday, and was a hit with the students," Edelman said. "They were eager to engage with her around topics like diversity and how youth can voice their thoughts about community change. The students have also reported that they enjoyed learning about and touring the Family Service and Guidance Center, as well as Pine Ridge Prep, where they had the opportunity to participate in some volunteer work.”

An important part of the program involved students identifying a complex challenge in their school, neighborhood or community and then applying leadership concepts to explore how to create positive change around this issue. Edelman said the projects this group focused on related to mental health, suicide prevention, veteran’s affairs/treatment options, recycling, and diversity/inclusion.

“This is a very diverse group of students, as we have students with very different personality types, experience levels, engagement levels in their schools and communities, interests, passions and more,” she said.

Participation in the Leadership Academy was limited to rising high school juniors in Shawnee County. Potential participants were nominated by school administrators and had to apply. They were notified in April of their selection to participate in the program by a public tapping ceremony. Claire Leffingwell, a junior at Washburn University and the High School Leadership Academy Fellow in charge of coordinating the event, along with other current Washburn Leadership Institute students serving as peer mentors for the summer program, went to each high school to publicly award selected recipients with their acceptance letter.

“The High School Leadership Academy was an amazing experience that allowed me to grow as leader, create a network of other youth leaders in my community, and most importantly, embrace my love for Topeka,” said Bryce Liedtke, a soon-to-be senior at Shawnee Heights and a 2018 participant. “I saw the change, the momentum, the eagerness from adults to listen to youth, and the desire to have youth stay in Topeka. I often say you cannot love something you do not understand. For me, this was Topeka. Through HSLA, I gained understanding and fell in love with my community.”

This year’s participants included:

• From Hayden High School—Dawson Adams, Braden Allphin, Emma Bluml, and Allyson Meier

• From Highland Park High School—Virginia De La Rosa, Brendon Igercic, Giovanni Primero, Oscar Retana, and Yahir Romo-Ruiz

• From Rossville High School—Destiny Bergstresser and Tatum Gentry

• From Seaman High School—Patrick Biggs, Mary Paige Bramlett, and Wheatie Nelson

• From Shawnee Heights High School—Makinze Grittman and Madisyn Landry

• From Topeka High School—Brayan Nunez-Espinoza, Brynn Rodriguez, and Jude Wiley

• From Topeka West High School—Ryan Durst, Xavier Noriega, and Jasmyne Williams

• From Washburn Rural High School—Emily Keck and Kamri Younger