LEADERSHIP CLASS

Leading by example New class offers unique earning experience for students

Graphic by Ellie Albin and Fletcher Haltom.

Students in English teacher Eduardo Torres’ leadership class walk to Sand Creek Elementary during class while on a trip to fi gure out a solution to reduce waste at the school. Photo by Mia Morales. Fletcher Haltom haltofle000@hsestudents.org

In English teacher Eduardo Torres’ class, students work on independent projects that focus on leadership, success, communication and community service, all while gaining English credits. However, Torres’ class, Themes in Literature: Leadership, is not a standard English class. In the project-based class, students better their leadership abilities through their use of English skills. “We spend a lot of time in leadership class dealing with how you can make levels of systematic change in an organization without having a position of power,” Torres said.

<orres¼ class takes place during fi rst and second period, which allows <orres to give students more uninterrupted time to work. The class is a semester long course that gives two English credits. Many students believe that this unique structure is benefi cial and allows them to learn in a diff erent way through projects.

“The class is based on projects, starting with smaller projects that build up to larger projects,” junior Alyssa Bollenbacher said.

One of the main focuses of the class is learning how to make an impact in the community, which is primarily achieved through the use of real-world proRects and e`periences, such as fi guring out how to improve recycling at the school.

“The students launch their own independent projects where they try to make an impact on the community,” Torres said.

Projects that students create also teach skills such as goal setting and personal improvement. Torres believes that the skills learned in the class can be diff erent for each student, but in general, students learn more than Rust leadership skills.

“The class also teaches a level of entrepreneurial skills,” Torres said. “It teaches students skills so that they can assess and critically think about situations and how those situations can get better.”

Students’ projects demonstrate the importance of English and leadership skills in their future careers. The class allows students to lead and run their own independent projects, which students believe to be an important experience. Torres expresses a similar belief, saying that the class provides various important experiences that teach skills.

“I think it’s important because it provides students with what I believe to be the most real-world, career-based skills,” Torres said. “I want students to understand the concept that English, especially at this level, is a very practical skill.”

Torres believes that his students appear to be invested in their projects, and are learning about diff erent skills as they progress. ;tudents agree, and believe that the skills the class teach are positive for them.

“I usually struggle with trying to be a leader,” junior Emma Puckett said. “The class has been teaching me about how I can work with people and about the psychological side of how to be a leader.”

<he class is off ered to Runiors and seniors, and according to <orres, both students who believe themselves to be leaders and those who do not believe themselves to be leaders would benefi t from taking the class. <orres said that even students who do not enjoy English should take the class, because it is not a typical English class, and it teaches students about useful skills for their futures. “It really is a class for everyone,” Torres said. “It’s a practical class that will allow you to step into any organization and be impactful in that organization.”