Leadership in Action: Cultivating the Next Generation of Student Leaders

A title can make someone a leader. It takes practice to become one. 

At Taipei American School, student leaders spent Saturday doing exactly that: listening to different perspectives, examining their own leadership styles, testing ideas, and learning how their decisions can shape the experiences of others. These student leaders are developing the skills to listen, understand their community, communicate ideas, and turn those ideas into action. 

That idea was at the heart of a student leadership retreat on Saturday, where TAS student leaders spent the day developing the skills and perspectives needed to lead with purpose. 

Planned by Dean of Student Life Zahra Brodie, the retreat brought Upper School Class and Student Government representatives together with faculty and staff who led seminars focused on different leadership practices. Each session gave students something specific to consider and practice, from understanding different perspectives to communicating an idea in a way that connects with what an audience cares about. 

The retreat is an annual TAS tradition, but this year, Ms. Brodie wanted to focus specifically on Class and Student Government representatives. After meeting with many of the students in the weeks leading up to the retreat, she was struck by how motivated they were to grow as leaders and contribute to the student experience. 

“I wanted students to leave feeling more confident and intentional about how they lead, understanding that leadership is a journey and that this is just the start,” Ms. Brodie said. 

The result was a day built around a simple idea: it takes a village to cultivate the next generation of student leaders. 

In one seminar, students explored what it means to design experiences with an entire community in mind. Garrett Hayes, Middle School Dean of Student Life, gave students five lenses to consider when planning: purpose, equity, dignity, participation, and scalability. 

“When we represent, we consider whose experiences we have accounted for and whose we might still be missing,” Mr. Hayes said. 

Students considered what an activity rewards, who it might advantage, and how leaders can make sure everyone can participate while maintaining their dignity. 

“Every design choice creates an experience, and every individual is going to experience that differently,” Mr. Hayes reflected. “The goal is to make sure that, as much as possible, everyone who participates feels like the event was designed with them in mind.” 

The session also opened a conversation about the difficult decisions leaders sometimes face and the importance of putting human dignity and respect at the heart of those decisions. 

“Effective student leadership means understanding that you are part of the group you are leading,” Mr. Hayes said. “You are there to represent and advocate for the whole community, not just the people you know best or naturally align with.” 

That idea of representation extended into the retreat itself. Students from different grades and leadership groups had opportunities to learn with and from one another, building relationships across the wider student leadership community. For the newest Grade 9 Class and Student Government representatives, the retreat provided a chance to connect with one another and with more experienced student leaders. 

Before students can effectively lead others, they also need to understand themselves. An activity led by the Upper School administration team encouraged students to explore their own leadership styles and natural tendencies, recognizing both their strengths and areas for growth. 

Another session tackled a challenge familiar to any student who has tried to organize an event: How do you get people to care? 

Director of Strategic Communications and Marketing, Ms. Rachel Caldas, led “Getting People to Care,” a session focused on collaboration and action. Students considered who they were trying to involve, what mattered to that audience, and why someone would choose to participate. They then identified an audience and its barriers, developed a 20-second pitch, tested it with peers, and revised their message based on feedback. 

The lesson was simple: effective leaders connect their ideas to something their audience genuinely values and make participation easy. Students had an immediate opportunity to put that practice into action during this week’s club fairs, where they are starting conversations, inviting others to participate, and helping shape student life. 

Across the retreat, students were not simply told what good leadership looks like. They were given opportunities to practice it. At the end of each session, they reflected: Which leadership practice had they just practiced? What was the big idea? What challenged their thinking? And what was one thing they wanted to carry into their own leadership? 

“Our goals are to build connection and community among our student leaders, while collectively establishing a shared language, skills, and expectations around effective leadership,” said Upper School Principal Theressa Smith. “Our students are curious, capable, and keenly interested in being active contributors to our community and impactful change agents. The workshops give students an opportunity to develop as leaders, reflect, and practice.” 

That work of developing as leaders is exactly what Ms. Brodie hopes students will carry beyond the retreat. 

“TAS students are incredibly driven, and our responsibility is not only to create opportunities for students to lead, but to intentionally support their development while they are doing it,” Ms. Brodie said. “For me, it’s really about ‘becoming while doing.’” 

One student leader described that responsibility in similarly community-centered terms. 

“An expectation I have for myself is to be able to communicate with all of the grades so that we can get a holistic view on what everyone wants,” the student said. “So the plan that we implement would actually fit student needs and not just be something that only represents our opinions and our ideas, but it has to represent the class as a whole.” 

That perspective gets to the heart of what TAS is trying to cultivate. Students are given opportunities to lead, but they are not expected to become leaders on their own. Faculty and staff contribute their expertise, students bring their experiences and ideas, and the school creates spaces where students can practice, reflect, and grow. 

Leadership at TAS is not simply something students are given. 

It is something they practice, and something the community builds together.