Harrison Elementary Hosts First Leader in Me Community Day
WARSAW, IN - Harrison Elementary School welcomed 41 community members last week for its first-ever Leader in Me Community Day, offering a firsthand look at how leadership is embedded into the student experience at Harrison.
The event brought together all Harrison students in grades K–6 along with staff members for a morning centered on student leadership and engagement. The day began with a Husky Huddle, a school-wide, student-led assembly where “Leaders of the Pack” were recognized and students introduced the leadership habit of the month. Students played an active role throughout the assembly, modeling the leadership skills they practice daily.
Following the assembly, guests participated in guided tours across grade levels. Each classroom highlighted key components of the Leader in Me program, which Harrison has implemented over the past three years. Visitors explored students’ Wildly Important Goals (WIGs), reviewed student leadership binders and observed Leader in Me lessons in action. The morning concluded with a Q&A session, where guests had the opportunity to hear directly from a panel of parents and teachers about the impact of the program.
Fifth grade student Sydney Stump shared, “My favorite part of Community Day was singing the National Anthem, performing in a skit about Habit 6 Synergize and seeing all of the community members, especially the mayor.”
Community member and Executive Director of the Warsaw Education Foundation, Courtney Sale, reflected on the experience, “Today was a great opportunity for people around the community to experience the unique opportunities at Harrison Elementary School. I was able to learn more about the Leader in Me program while seeing so many student leaders in action. The kids are amazing. I particularly enjoyed learning about the club opportunities.”
Max Maile added, “It was incredible to see the way that Harrison Elementary is teaching leadership to the kids in our community. Companies spend years trying to teach these habits to managers and employees to develop culture and problem solving. Harrison is doing a great job of using the 7 Habits framework to enrich our kids’ education and prepare the next generation of leaders.”
First grade teacher Amiee Hagg emphasized the long-term impact, sharing, “Leader in Me helps teach students to be responsible for their own learning and actions. It encourages accountability for their choices and attitudes, while promoting goal setting both individually and collectively.”
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Photo Provided: Members of the community joined Harrison student leaders for building tours