Author: Tammy Lane • First Posted: Monday, February 06, 2012

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School board vice chair Melissa Bacon joined Mayor Jim Gray for breakfast at Beaumont Middle School, hosted by the SLT2 club.

Students in a new club at Beaumont Middle School have heard firsthand from a local elected official about the importance of effective leadership.

“What y’all are doing with this club is really valuable,” Mayor Jim Gray told eighth-graders gathered in the school library early Monday. “You have a chance to intervene and really lead your group and your friends in a responsible direction.”

The mayor was invited by SLT2 (Student Leaders Today, Society Leaders Tomorrow), whose mission is “to help student leaders recognize their unique talents and use these talents in leadership positions to aid their school peers and community by dedicating their time in projects beneficial to their school and world around them.”

Lucy Yang, who is among some dozen students whom the faculty tapped for SLT2, said club members might spearhead Beaumont’s annual canned food drive for God’s Pantry, serve as school ambassadors to give tours for parents and incoming students, and volunteer to offer homework help after school.

“For leadership, you have to participate, too,” Lucy said. “And to lead, you have to use the talents that are unique to you.”

The SLT2 members already display leadership qualities among their peers, in the classroom, in extra-curricular activities and outside school as well. The hope is that they’ll use the momentum to inspire fellow students in pursuing common goals that enhance Beaumont and the surrounding community.

During the breakfast meeting with the mayor, the students heard how problem-solving skills are crucial to strong leadership, especially when decisions “go against the grain.”

“Often progress doesn’t come through just taking the path of least resistance,” Gray noted.

One key is to be patient, step back and listen, especially to those with different opinions. “Hearing dissenting voices is an important part of leadership,” he told the students.

He used the poignant example of the debate over what to do with Rupp Arena in the larger scope of reimagining downtown Lexington.

“Examining this is a leadership challenge. How do you bring people together to work on the problem, and what process do you use?” Gray said. “There’s no perfect formula.”

After the half-hour exchange, Lucy said she appreciated Gray’s point about leaders sometimes having to make tough decisions and not backing down in the face of obstacles. Classmate Sara Talwalkar said the club plans to hear from other local leaders as well, perhaps from the business community and medical profession, to get their take on “leadership.”

“The students understand that effective leadership is important to accomplish any goal, whether it’s learning about physics or improving the economy,” said social studies teacher Patt Owen, the club’s sponsor. “Our students are surrounded by excellent examples of educational leaders, from the teachers and administrators to counselors and custodians. (Principal Kate) McAnelly and I believe that exposure to local leaders will allow students to see leadership talent outside of the school setting and how those talents are put to use for the community.”

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