Imagine your first day of high school all over again. The big, daunting halls, classes you’ve never even heard of and peers years older than you. High school can seem intimidating to incoming freshmen, but there is a class that teaches valuable skills that wipe all those worries away.
“ASB is teaching freshmen valuable lessons and letting us engage in learning leadership hands on,” said Lennox Leath (27). Freshmen in ASB are getting a chance to learn new life and leadership skills. They are going through lessons learning things such as communication, being a leader in life, and listening/talking to peers and adults.
From the skills learned in ASB, freshmen are able to apply them to their blossoming high school careers.
Freshman Kapri Mejia said, “We are learning how to communicate with everyone in the class and our organization skills.”
Freshmen in ASB are being taught these skills and many more by a variety of ASB teachers. These teachers are teaching freshmen how to use the skills they learned to follow up their previous classes, winning the Outstanding Leadership Program award from the California Association of Student Leaders. ASB teachers are not just preparing these freshmen for that award, but they are preparing them for real life, outside of high school.
Freshman Joise Brazil said, “Most of the skills that I have learned in ASB I am going to take into the real world when I get a job or I am doing a group project.”
“Most of the skills that I have learned in ASB I am going to take into the real world when I get a job or I am doing a group project.”
— Joise Brazil '27
Teaching them many skills that are needed lifelong. Communication is one of the key leadership skills that the freshmen have been learning. They have been using leadership hands-on during their class time, and even when they are not in class.
“It taught us to be able to be focused and use listening skills, as well as cooperate and engage with peers,” says Mejia.
When in a classroom the skills of listening, staying focused, cooperating, and engaging are necessary for a good learning experience. Freshmen learning these skills at this age could help turn these underclassmen into even better students. This is causing higher grades for these freshmen in ASB. While interviewing they all revealed that since learning about and using the skills from their ASB class their grades have gone up and they can engage and focus more in class.
Isabella Chou (27) comments,” When we learn communication we learn all aspects of it. Including improving our social dynamic.”
Improving social dynamics and communication is a main asset to having great leadership. Learning these skills can positively affect freshman learning leadership. Maybe when doing a group project, presenting, or even asking teachers or peers questions. Social dynamic is if you are able to behave orderly and communicate in a group subject. Having this skill can highly help these freshmen outside of school because they are able to have better communication skills in things like sports, jobs, and other activities.
ASB has helped these students turn into better students in just a few months. This program offers in-class opportunities to show off and learn leadership skills as well as giving hands-on experiences that these freshmen would not normally get. ASB is an amazing opportunity for these freshmen and they are all so grateful to have this wonderful program.
