Members of the Superintendent’s Student Advisory Council recently participated in a district service initiative titled “Reading is Leadership in Action.” Through the project, student leaders visited elementary schools across Emanuel County to read leadership-focused books and serve as positive role models for younger students.
The project promoted leadership, responsibility, and meaningful connections between older and younger students. By sharing stories of perseverance, character, and positive decision-making, council members modeled leadership in daily life.
ECI student Anna Caroline Fyre said the opportunity to read to younger students was especially meaningful. “It feels like an honor and privilege to be a leader for younger students, because when I was a kid, I loved it when the clubs and organizations came to the school to read to us and talk to us about the ‘big’ school,” Fyre said.
Swainsboro Middle School student Stetson Sheppard, a Georgia Young Authors Award winner, reflected on the importance of reading and storytelling as leadership tools. “Reading and storytelling are important tools for leadership because they can help you tell stories to people, and you will be able to entertain individuals better,” Sheppard said. “By having these skills, they will help you describe things better, and you will be able to give more details about what you are trying to convey.”
The “Reading is Leadership in Action” project encouraged student council members to reflect on the books’ messages and apply those lessons to real-life leadership. Swainsboro High School student Yi’Zhariah Bell said, “I hope the younger students learned that reading can be fun and that it can help them grow their imagination, confidence, and knowledge. I also hope they saw that older students care about them and want to support their success, both in school and in life.”
The Superintendent’s Student Advisory Council continues to offer students opportunities to lead, serve, and share their perspectives, strengthening connections across Emanuel County Schools.
