Leadership Team An Asset For Grenada Upper Elementary

By Kerry Waugh
GUES Leadership Team Sponsor

The Grenada Upper Elementary School Leadership Team is a new, prestigious organization comprised of students selected by their peers based on their excellent leadership skills. One student from each of our fourth and fifth grade classrooms was chosen for the team. The members comprising our GUES Leadership Team include CisLee Trost (President), Zach Braswell (Vice-President), Zion Clay (Secretary), Anna Kuhn (Treasurer), Savannah Laughlin, Shaunna George, Iyanna Leavy, Nicholas Wilson, Samuel Craven, Ainsley King, Collin Staten, Heidi Clark, Adarius Harris, Hayes Harrison, Harrison Taylor, Braylee Shaw, Jerlyn Brown, Kashun Williams, Haley Ferguson, Melissa Wiggins, Madison Mallett, TiEricka Reece, Jasper Williams, and Addison Sansone. The Team Sponsors are Dr. Teresa Jackson,
Mrs. Carol Tharpe, Mrs. Jan Walton, Mrs. Kerry Waugh, and Mrs. Carie Housel.

The GUES Leadership Team meets on the second Wednesday of each month to work together on all types of projects and to engage in character building activities. The members performed a dress code “fashion show” for the parents at each Open House in August and September to model a variety of combinations of clothing that fit our current school dress code. The Team has also been trained how to give tours of our school and its facilities for guests. During this month’s meeting, the students were joined by numerous speakers who educated the students about parliamentary procedure and community government. Guest speakers for this particular meeting included Mayor Billy Collins, Mr. Harvey Gordon (MSU-Extension Service), Mr. Chad Gray, and Mrs. Linda Barnette. The guests engaged the students in kinesthetic activities to reinforce the information that was presented. The students also learned about the voting process and were allowed to cast votes on their “Mississippi Favorites” using an authentic voting machine.

The GUES Leadership Team has a yearlong action-packed agenda planned with a variety of learning experiences and service projects. This year the students have adopted the Make-A-Wish Foundation as their on-going school service project. They will be involved in an assortment of activities to help raise funds to grant the wish of a child battling a life-threatening disorder. The team will host Grenada Upper Elementary Idol as one of the many fundraising activities for Make-A-Wish.
The GUES Leadership team will also present many educational programs within our school as well as in the community. Our upcoming presentations will include skits and plays focusing on the negative effects of bullying, the positive effects of healthy eating habits, and the importance of respecting others. In order to expand their leadership skills, the students will be attending School Board and City Council meetings throughout the school year. These experiences are only a glimpse of what’s in store for the GUES Leadership Team during the 2011-12 school year.