Eighth Grade Leadership Team Serves Their Community

Leadership plays a prominent role throughout the walls of Westminster, and a new and upcoming group of eighth graders are paving the way to truly leading with a servant’s heart.                        

“The team of eighth graders gather about once per week to discuss how we can help out our community in and out of school. We learn how to serve with a servant’s heart,” said Ava Bidner, member of the eighth grade leadership team.

The purpose of the group is not to plan specific events for the school but instead to discuss skills that will further equip them as a team of leaders.

A statement that serves as the team’s goal in serving is to “flourish the city.” They seek to impact and encourage their community by helping in different environments.

Events that the eighth grade leaders have participated in for the 2015-2016 school year include contributing extra help towards Westminster’s Carnival and In The Spirit of Giving (ITSOG) week. Outside of Westminster, they serve at the Food Bank and Meramec Bluffs Nursing Home. Their activities also include raking elderly people’s lawns and participating in Operation Christmas Child.

Although the eighth grade leadership team is not looking to be set apart from high school leadership, one event in particular that is new for these Westminster leaders is Greensfelder Park’s team challenge course. Ashley Woodall, faculty leader of the eighth grade leadership team, explained that it was interesting to see the eighth grade leaders participate in the Greensfelder Park team challenge course because they learned how to overcome challenges together.

“Overall, the teachers and students had significant take aways from the event” said Ashley Woodall, faculty leader.

Although there has been a start to middle school leadership in the past, it is growing in strength and influence at WCA. However, the focus remains on the heart. This new and upcoming group of eighth graders are being equipped with primary leadership skills that they can carry into high school and throughout the world.