COLUMBIANA- The families of Elvin Hill Elementary School students got a glimpse of what their kids are learning at the third annual Leadership Day on Friday, May 5.

“It shows the parents what we’re doing every day to prepare the whole child. It gives parents the chance to see students in leadership roles,” Principal Betsy Smith said.

During Leadership Day, students led an opening assembly, conducted a tour around the school for visitors and hosted a student-led question-and-answer panel to discuss the importance of leadership at their school.

Smith said Leadership Day is part of The Leader in Me program, which is an international initiative to promote leadership, responsibility and other positive character traits in schools.

“The purpose is to help students practice their leadership skills,” Smith said. “In everything we do, we ask how we can let our students be leaders.”

Smith said Leadership Day also served as a way for students to teach the community about “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People,” a book written by Stephen Covey and used in the curriculum at EHES.

“I believe this could become community wide,” Smith said.

Vice Principal Melody Byrne said this year’s Leadership Theme was titled “Great Leaders Look Like…” and fourth graders dressed like famous people connected to Alabama.

Fifth grader Ethan West and second grader Skylar Smith said Leadership Day was an educational and fun experience.

“We get to talk in front of other people and show them what we do over the school year,” Ethan said. “It teaches you how to be a leader and how leaders behave.”

“We’re also sharing the ‘7 Habits’ with other people,” Skylar said. “Some people don’t know what they are, so we’re telling them all about it.”