Leadership
LEADERSHIP
At Leadership Academy of Utah, “leadership” is not just a part of our name. Leadership is a fundamental part of our mission.
As in other schools, we measure success in part by helping students set and achieve specific goals. But in other schools, students are taught to be consistent and responsible employees, insightful academics, or specialists in fields like medicine or engineering.
By contrast, our curriculum prepares students to be great leaders in every endeavor they pursue.
What Leadership Is
We believe a leader is someone who takes the initiative. We do not want our students to simply react. We do not want them to be coerced to conclusions by whims, fads, and compelling rhetoric.
Rather, we believe our students have the ability to make decisions based on proven principles. We believe they have the capacity to stand firm in their beliefs.
We teach our students how to stand firm by teaching them principles through historic contexts. We teach them to make and fulfill commitments. Then, with practice and encouragement, our students develop the discipline to follow through on their promises. In short, they learn leadership through experience.
Why We Educate Students in Leadership
We focus on leadership for two reasons. First, we believe a leadership education will best prepare our students for the demands of the future. By mastering leadership principles, they will be equipped for meaningful and fulfilling lives. They will have the ability to learn and excel in whatever field they enter. They will know how to be successful in their own businesses or to be highly valued by employers.
Second, we believe humanity needs leaders on a national and global scale. We are doing everything possible to prepare our students to put in the effort, creativity, and initiative to advance liberty across the world.
How We Teach Leadership
Leadership courses are at the center of our curriculum at both the middle school and high school levels. Leadership classes are designed to set students up for success in all their courses.
In leadership classes, mentors lead discussions on important principles, give students the chance to practice making serious commitments, and teach them how to manage their time and energy so they can keep their commitments.
Mentors also integrate leadership principles into other courses. For example, in their liberal arts courses, our students are exposed to the thoughts and arguments of many of the greatest leaders in history. As they are exposed to leadership thinking, they are given opportunities through project work to emulate the great leaders in thinking, communicating, and acting.
At the end of each school year all students are enrolled in a 3 week Leadership Block Course. This is the capstone leadership course and includes teaching humanitarian service. 2018 Theme is Fortitude and Optimism.