By MICHELLE ADAMS / Community Columnist

To kick off the school year, more than 40 Montevallo High School students attended Citizenship Day, a leadership workshop, on Saturday, Aug. 9. Designed to increase student ownership in the school, develop leadership skills and deepen understanding of civic responsibility, the workshop was moderated by Cristin Foster, program director of the David Matthews Center for Civic Life.

“Through interactive games and activities, students explored active citizenship and leadership skills,” Foster said. “These motivated students mapped the incredible assets MHS possesses, identified challenges the student body faces and made plans for working with school administration to engage their peers more actively in the life of the school.”

The daylong event was coordinated by history teacher and student government adviser Lee Pastor.  Students in attendance were selected from all organizations and athletic teams. In addition to elected officers and captains, coaches and sponsors chose individuals who have demonstrated leadership potential.

“Students’ participation in creative hands-on activities was successful,” Pastor said. “Through such activities students were able to see and discuss the importance of problem-solving skills and collaboration with others in which everyone’s ideas were valued, all achieved with a friendly sense of competition.”

Events like this workshop influence student leaders to influence other students to become more involved in school life. Students personally invested in an organization through the school are more motivated to conduct themselves at a higher level academically and behaviorally, and are more likely to endeavor to contribute their talents to their community at large.

“The workshop was a perfect combination of fun, challenge, motivation and development for our young leaders,” MHS Principal Dr. Wesley Hester said. “In addition to their personal growth and development, student-leaders generated ideas for improving our school in a number of ways. We will begin implementing these ideas together, and we will continue to raise the standard of excellence and performance at MHS and throughout the community.”