The Leader in Me: Student Leaders Work to Identify and Understand Allyship

Being an ally and promoting kindness, inclusion, and belonging was the focus of a recent interactive leadership training workshop attended by a select group of Upper School students.

Organized through the work of Upper School Director Kim Porto, Academic Dean Justine Fellows, Hamden Hall’s Director of Inclusion Equity Lisa Hill, and facilitated by guest Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity educator Pascale Musto, more than 50 juniors and seniors took part in the program. Participants were Peer Leaders, Middle School Advocates, captains of athletic teams, and leaders of Student Government and clubs. Administrators and students gathered at the Beckerman Athletic Center for the workshop with Head of School Bob Izzo addressing the students to kick off the programming.

“As campus leaders, you not only embody our core values in your actions, but help create and enhance the culture of Hamden Hall,” said Mr. Izzo. “Leadership is a skill from within, and today is an opportunity for you to think and reflect on yourself and learn from one another on how to be the best leader for our community and beyond.”

The morning began with an all-group activity in which the students formed a circle and moved in or out based on questions asked by Mr. Musto as a way for the students to understand both their own identity and the larger group identity. The exercise was followed by a board game activity called “All Access Pass or Roadblocks,” which explored how exclusion can block the path toward success both in school communities and life. Broken into seven groups, each student was asked to select a player card with an identity different from who they are and introduce themselves to the group. Rolling the dice, each player moved across the spaces of the board or back based on the written prompt.

“The workshop was designed as an educational experience for these students to understand their roles as leaders and to generate different kinds of conversations needed to be a more effective, empathetic leader,” said Mrs. Fellows. “The exercises brought the students out of their comfort zone as it required a degree of vulnerability to have open and honest conversations about life experiences. All the students now have a better understanding of themselves and can continue building trust among their team or club members.”

The afternoon session of the workshop focused on specific training modules including a self-reflection worksheet completed by each student on what attributes they have and what attributes they would like to develop. Other modules included conversations on leadership styles and how to build up a team, the importance of being an effective leader, and tips on communication and how to run meetings. According to Mrs. Porto and Mrs. Fellows, the students will participate in smaller workshops throughout the year.