The cost of the Leader in Me program has increased in the last few years and many schools are abandoning the curriculum based on Franklin Covey’s 7 Habits, but the staff members and parents of Butterfield Canyon Elementary are committed to continuing with the program.

“I think that it’s worth paying for,” third grade teacher Janet Hall said. “It’s just such a valuable resource to help us implement these habits in meaningful ways to the kids. I feel like these habits really set kids up to be successful in life to be the leader of their own life and the direction they want to take.”

The school community council holds a lead-a-thon fundraiser each year to pay for the evidence-based program’s licensing fees and materials as well as an incentive program which rewards students for exhibiting the habits.

Principal Jay Eads said this will be a more expensive year because, while the school has used the program for many years, about half of the staff members have not had in-depth training on it.

“This summer, we will be doing a relaunch of the program so all teachers have been trained on this program,” he said. 

The Leader in Me is a school-wide program with a specialist who works with students once a week and teachers reinforcing the program’s 7 Habits through developmentally appropriate lesson plans. When the kindergarteners practice the habit First Things First, they identify what tasks are work and which are play. By the time they are in sixth grade, students are learning to prioritize tasks on their list according to their values.

“I try to take advantage of every opportunity that just comes up naturally in the classroom to refer back to how these habits help us in our life to be successful, not only in our schoolwork, but in relationships with peers and at home, so I just feel like they’re really valuable,” Hall said.

She has observed her third-graders applying the habits on the playground and while working on group projects. Students confront someone for not ‘seeking to understand’ or compliment someone who is ‘being proactive.’ 

Families are also encouraged to support students by applying the habits at home. The lead-a-thon fundraiser invited students to engage in activities with their families that reinforce the 7 Habits of the program, such as make a to-do list as a family and prioritize the tasks, or do something to help a family member without being asked. The students asked family and friends to make a donation based on the number of tasks they completed.

“While it is about raising money, we also want to showcase the skills that the program teaches to kids,” Hall said.

The school achieved their fundraising goal of $10,000, which will fund the Leader in Me Program, Principal’s Pride recognitions, the Kids in Action afterschool program and possibly a structured recess program next year.

To celebrate achieving their goal, students earned a fun assembly in which their teachers entertained them with silly skits, songs and games. The Mountain Ridge High School pep band kept the students’ energy high and high school SBO officers talked to kids about leadership skills.

MRHS SBO Junior Class Officer MJ Darton was impressed with the school’s leadership program.

“I love that they’re starting early in elementary,” she said. “Because I feel like a lot of kids in our high school don’t really know what leadership is, so I think it’s amazing that they’re teaching their kids to be optimistic and have leadership.”

SBO Spirit Officer Carter Jackson said learning leadership skills at a young age will give kids the confidence to be able to excel in high school.

Hall said the program prepares students for life.

“Learning and living these habits are such a powerful skill for kids that they’re not just going to use now, but that they’ll use their whole life,” she said. “That will help them feel empowered to be in charge of themselves and the direction their life takes. λ