Third form students at the Louise Garland-Thomas High School in Long Bay, Providenciales, who were selected to be groomed as peer leaders, had their first taste of adept leadership via the school’s Annual Peer Leadership Workshop, held at the Shore Club Resort, Friday.
Diene Paul, one of the guidance counsellors at the institution told NewslineTCI that the exercise was the genesis of a series of teaching sessions that the school hopes to conduct with the 27 selected students in order to transform them into remarkable leaders.
“The purpose of this leadership seminar is basically to build leadership skills as well as getting our students to start to think about their future. What do they want to do…what do they want basically to see for the Turks and Caicos in terms of leadership, because we want to be peering them, not just to lead at the Louise Garland Thomas High School, but whatever position they serve in the Turks and Caicos Islands community, Paul outlined.
She said every term the students would undergo a run of leadership activities, to mould them into the kind of leaders needed for the growth and development of the country.
“We have 27 peer leaders from various third form classes, and they were selected by their form teachers and the staff body at the Louise Garland-Thomas High School.
“They will be going through a series of training every term, and they are going to be assigned different responsibilities that are geared towards, not just building their skills, but also cultivating a positive school culture,” Paul noted further, adding that the selected students were greenlighted after meeting the set of established criteria.
“These students are from various backgrounds. We look for students who perform academically, perform in sports, music, and different extracurricular activities,” she revealed.
Ashley Gardiner, who was named Head Girl for the school’s peer leadership group, was elated at the level of impartations from the rich list of resource persons.
“The training will definitely help me to be a better leader and to allow me to understand more about leadership,” she said. “So far, I learnt what active listening skill is all about.”
She believed the trainings would definitely equip her to become a transformational leader.
“I will take away from this training, how to be a better leader and how to serve the school as the head girl of the peer leaders,” she concluded.
Friday’s list of presenters at the event were: Principal for the school, Kordell Campbell-Forbes, who gave the orientation and welcome remarks; Vivian Otuonye, who spoke on Peer Leadership – First Responder (Help Skills); Guerta Domerus, who spoke on the topic – Leadership Styles; Wesley Malcolm, who spoke on – The Peace-Maker (Conflict Resolution); and Paul herself, who spoke on Peer Leadership Role (Group Dynamics).
The seminar was held under the theme: “Peer Leaders – Student Leadership Exemplify.
Paul stated that the Shore Club is a major sponsor of the Louise Garland-Thomas High School, hence the event being held there.