1. A New Program, 2011 St. Gregory College Preparatory School Tucson, AZ The Leadership & Innovation Diploma
2. How do we define leadership? Leadership at St. Gregory affirms the civic responsibility of students and encourages using skillful facilitation and collaboration to positively influence the action of others.
3. How do we define Innovation? At St. Gregory we cultivate a mindset of innovation founded upon open-minded inquiry, divergent thinking, and purposeful action. As innovators, our students develop the creativity, ingenuity, inventiveness, and originality of thought to tackle and resolve the challenges facing our world.
4. Which students do we want to support in developing leadership and innovation? Every student. Promoting and Supporting: More group-work in class for everyone Experiential Ed on the Ropes course and elsewhere for everyone Senior Internships for everyone Community Service for everyone Many extra-curricular athletic team and performing arts opportunities for everyone More robotics and science opportunities for everyone Continued emphasis on creative writing, arts programming, and learning about innovation across the curriculum
5. What’s the special diploma for then? For those with a particularly strong interest in learning more about leadership or innovation, perhaps from having had a life-long curiosity about it. desire to be a positive and active leader or innovator as a student in school. ambition to be a leader or innovator in the future. intent to distinguish themselves on college applications as a leader or innovator.
6. How does it work? Like a college major Declare your intent, take a core course, accumulate credits, and complete a major project. Submit a Declaration of Intent freshman or sophomore year. Complete a core L/I course freshman or sophomore year. Leadership, Design/Build, or other courses to be named later. Meet quarterly with Program Director. Update on requirements, check progress. Brainstorm opportunities, give feedback. Earn 5 leadership credits between 9th and 12th grades. Serve in a leadership role in a school extracurricular and reflect on accomplishments. (Required for one unit). Use things you’d be already doing anyway, but choose to set goals and reflect upon them. Use Academic Experiences for Credit: Write a research paper on a L/I topic; pursue an extra-credit laboratory project on L/I; etc. (Maximum 2 units) Complete a “capstone project” junior or senior year. Complete a 20 hour project (can count toward Comm/Serve or be part of another involvement, such as student council) and write a 400 word reflection. This can be, but doesn’t have to be, done as part of the peer leadership program in 12th grade.
7. How do you earn units? Complete a preview form at a quarterly meeting with Director or on-line. Preview what the activity will be, what aspects of leadership you seek to practice and develop, and what success will look like when completed. Have it signed by supervisor (Coach, adviser, etc.) and Program director. Conduct the activity, on campus or off. Complete/Submit a reflection form, saying what you learned and accomplished, and have it signed by supervisor.
