What does it mean to think like a leader?

This is just a sampling of our 4th and 5th grade student-created Bills of Rights, designed to connect their study of American history with each student's vision of inalienable rights. As a school leader, I’m continually inspired by what our students find important and by how creatively our teachers help them connect learning to their own lives. It’s a remarkable contrast to my own 5th-grade experience, which often meant reading a section in the social studies book and answering questions at the end.

Reciting key events of the American Revolution, for instance, is one thing. But for our students, exploring what might cause a group of people to rise up against their leaders brings history to life in a personal, meaningful way—one with clear relevance to the world they’re growing up in. They’re learning what it means to unite people and create governing principles—and discovering that even small actions can lead to positive change, a quality that makes their leadership unique.

I’m incredibly proud of our elementary teachers, who connect today’s historical events to lessons from the past. Projects on family history and immigration are also part of the Upper Elementary curriculum, where students explore their roots and connect them to their understanding of U.S. history. This process helps students recognize their family’s values and builds an appreciation for diversity, one of our school’s core values. At a minimum, these young leaders will step into the world (starting with middle school) and, as one student put it, “Be a leader, not a boss!”