Students LOL at Queen Creek Unified schools

The Queen Creek Unified School District recently hosted its annual Leading Out Loud Conference, a leadership event aimed at empowering fourth through 12th grade students.

"The LOL conference started several years ago as part of our strategic plan to develop leaders at all levels," QCUSD Superintendent Perry Berry explained in a district press release. "We bring students with leadership potential from all our schools into this district-wide conference, teaching them about essential leadership characteristics such as positivity, integrity, empathy and dependability."

LOL conferences feature motivational speakers, breakout sessions and hands-on activities. Students are nominated to attend by their teachers for possessing leadership qualities with the potential for continued development.

A key component of the LOL Club is the “C.A.R.E. Challenge,” which stands for champion in the community, all-in, raise school spirit, and emphasize your leadership activities, the release stated.

"Leadership is an action, an attitude, a behavior – it’s not just about the position you hold," Berry stated in the release. 

Another focus of the LOL Club is getting students engaged in the budget decision-making process to improve their schools and collaborate with school administrators, business officers and parent-teacher organizations in joint initiatives.

"We focus on students who may not already have formal leadership roles but possess the potential to lead. Teachers and staff nominate these students, giving them an opportunity to grow and connect with others in their district," QCUSD Associate Superintendent Erika Copeland, who helped organize the conference, stated in the release. “The conference is unique in involving students from elementary to high school, creating a diverse environment where young leaders can learn from each other."

Luke DeLong, a seventh-grade career explorations teacher at Crismon High School, noted how the conference can transform students into future leaders.

"Many of our returning students have grown more confident," he stated in the release. "They've taken ownership of projects, like the participatory budget initiative, which focuses on leaving a legacy and making meaningful legacies in their schools."