Young Leaders

September 26th 2014

Form Captains from Year 7 and 8 were recently given a fantastic opportunity to attend Wellington College’s Leadership Challenge Day. It was a day that offered a range of varied activities for the girls to participate in which certainly put their skills to the test in a variety of scenarios. It also afforded an opportunity for the girls to mix with aspiring leaders from other schools and listen to stories of leadership by speakers on the day.

When the girls arrived they were given a conference goody bag and delegate badge and were quickly divided into groups to start the day’s proceedings. The first talk was from a Royal Marine Captain, Andrew Wilkinson who spoke about character and how to lead through example, using examples from his own experiences of serving in Afghanistan.

Then it was on to group tasks. The first task was based on current issues within the UN which required considerable teamwork skills, negotiation and compromise. The girls also had to complete physical activities on a low ropes course and team building games with their groups.

Finally, Dr Seldon, Master of Wellington College, talked to the delegates about the three key aspects of leadership - respect, courage and initiative. At the end of the event the girls truly felt able to take this message away with them and are keen to look for ways in which to use their leadership skills both in their capacity as Form Captains in school, as well as in their everyday lives.

Head of Year 7, Mrs Collins, said “It was an inspiring day for all the girls involved. They learnt a lot about themselves and others and talked about their experiences with confidence on the journey back. They all agreed that it was a really worthwhile experience.”