What Kind of a Leader Are You?
New seminar course at Abington High explores that question
A student at Abington High School opens his laptop to the course Leadership Seminar, a predominately online course run by Jason Scott and Peter Serino of the Social Studies department. The biography/autobiography “Above The Line” by Urban Meyer and Wayne Coffey is the anchor text in the course. Photo taken on Friday, March 5, 2021.
March 5, 2021
Abington High School has many elective classes to offer. Between art, music, business, history, computer, and health and wellness electives, most students can find something that interests them.
There is one elective that can offer students real–life knowledge and universally applicable advice. That is the Leadership Seminar. The class is offered to both seniors and juniors at the High School.
The thing that I like most about the class is the independence.
— Shon Doherty
Following a Covid-19 shortened pilot semester of the class last year, Mr. Jason Scott and Mr. Peter Serino are piloting the class for a second time.
Scott, who is also the department head of the Social Studies department, hopes that he and Serino can integrate this leadership course as a regular part of the history and business departments’ offerings next year.
Aside from a few infrequent Bridge Block meetings, the bulk of the class is fully online. Assignments are posted on Mondays and students have seven days to complete and post their work. Senior Joe Beaver likes “how we collaborate with other students virtually.”
When asked why he wanted to join a class about leadership, junior Alex Maly said he sees leadership “as a very valuable skill to be learned, and with a little practice, it [leadership] can be mastered swiftly.”
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Maly is most excited about the first novel assigned to the class, “Above the Line”, which gives students a look into the leadership and empowerment that has contributed towards Urban Meyer’s successful teams.
Senior Shon Doherty said, “The thing that I like most about the class is the independence. This is a fully online class, which allows you to work on the assignments at your own pace.”
The course has a few goals in mind. “The main goal of the class is to teach students the language of leadership,” said Scott. “In addition to that, we will help guide students through the process of learning about their own leadership style and how to best leverage that in and out of school.”
The class does not focus on any leaders in particular. Scott said, “Mr. Serino and I will often ask students to write about different leaders in their life or role models so they can think about what those leaders bring to the table and how those skills can be applied to their own leadership style.”
Whether you are an upperclassman looking to become a leader on a team or in a club, or just looking to learn more about yourself and leadership, this class will get you thinking about valuable lessons.
Marilyn Weber • Mar 7, 2021 at 7:35 PM
It’s never too soon to learn how to be a leader. Now more then ever, there are so many opportunities in school, in future careers, in communities, etc. to be a leader. Also, there are so many ways to be a leader and to make a difference in this world. Discovering your leadership style can be eye-opening and provide you with inner knowledge to propel you in the most effective direction. Kudos to Mr. Scott and Mr. Serino for providing this relevant and timely course, and kudos to Connor Buckley for providing this informative article! I encourage students to take advantage of this unique educational opportunity.