What does good leadership mean to you and how do you practice being a good leader?

To me, a good leader isn’t defined by one set of specific qualities but is instead defined by the success and motivation of their team. Leading means uplifting others to achieve a common goal––a good leader sets an example in their passion and dedication, actively communicates, trusts others, and positively impacts their community. I still have a lot to learn, but I practice what I believe is good leadership by energetically serving my team and setting clear goals, such as sales targets in Xiaohusai and tangible project impacts for Global Issues Network. I’ve learned to be flexible, communicate empathetically and assertively, and optimize productivity by utilizing the unique skills of each team member. Above all, whether I’m spearheading pep rallies for Student Council or organizing campaigns to inspire girls to pursue STEMM, I create a positive team dynamic in which everyone feels empowered to work towards our shared vision.

Tell us about your leadership position and your organization.

Xiaohusai is a student-run social enterprise that sells tea from a village in rural Yunnan. All profits go towards scholarships and infrastructure––our mission is to help break the rural poverty cycle in one village through education. As the CEO of Xiaohusai, I coordinate our departments, communicate with the villagers, manage all inventory, and organize packing and selling sessions.

Concordia’s Student Council aims to raise school spirit and bring positive change by communicating between students, staff, and administrators. As StuCo VP, I create plans for events and activities, lead meetings, and speak at pep rallies and other events.

At Girls in STEMM, we aim to empower girls to pursue passions, knowledge, and careers in the often male-dominated fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, Math, and Medicine. Leading Girls in STEMM involves coordinating field trips with the Women’s Empowerment Council to companies and organizing projects and experiments to spark engagement and awareness.

What impact or change has student leadership had in your school?

At Concordia, students are empowered to be changemakers. One avenue for students to practice being passionate servant leaders is the Global Issues Network (GIN). GIN consists of six subgroups, each working towards a UN Sustainable Development Goal. As co-leader of GIN and of the subgroup Shanghai Styles, I’ve seen firsthand the shift in mindset between being a bystander and an active global citizen. For example, Shanghai Styles works to mitigate the environmental and ethical impacts of fast fashion by selling secondhand clothing. The Lily Project aims to end gender-based discrimination, educating about menstrual health and providing sustainable menstrual products in school bathrooms. Food Sustainability creates a school hydroponics wall and reduces cafeteria food waste, while Sustainable Success promotes mental health through data-based wellness sessions. As a whole, GIN allows students to emerge as compassionate leaders who are empowered to solve the most pressing issues of their generation.

What leadership opportunities do students have at your school?

Students have the opportunity to shine through a number of responsibilities:

• Class Representatives (2 per class): They represent their classmates, communicate with teachers, and participate in class activities to ensure that all students feel well-integrated.

• Eco Delegates (1 per class): These students collaborate on initiatives to make the school and its operations more eco-responsible. They meet and propose actions, which are then validated by the school management.

• High School Student Council (CVL) and Middle school student Council (CVC) Representatives: These students (10 in the high school and 10 in the middle school) are elected by all students in the high school or middle school. They work on improving student life at the school and can make proposals on internal regulations, premises, exam organization, and timetabling.

• Members of the Maison Des Lycéens (MDL): These high school students volunteer to organize festive and convivial events at the school (e.g., student ball, country day, talent show, refurbishment of the foyer, etc.).

• Club Founders (e.g., chess, KPOP, sports):

Volunteers for the Student-to-Student Mentoring

• Program: These students provide help in specific subjects to their peers.

How do you teach students about being a good leader?

Commitment is essential for students to assume these roles with seriousness and continuity. To support these commitments, we organize awareness-raising and training sessions for the various elections, ensuring that each student understands the expectations and is willing to commit, while also feeling assured that they will be well supported by the adults in charge.

We encourage students to make innovative and creative proposals. To ensure the success of these projects, we teach them how to develop their ideas effectively and present them to the adults in charge. As a result, there is a strong emphasis on communication training for the students.

What impact or change has student leadership had in your school?

Last year, the CPEs (Senior Education Advisor) from the Asia-Pacific region gathered in Bangkok for two days. Each CPE was accompanied by a representative from the CVL (High School Student Council) or an eco-delegate.

The students had the opportunity to work on a joint project and meet with the CVL students from the Bangkok lycée. In Shanghai, the CVL organized a charity run called “Operation H2O” last May and raised funds for a local association. The students managed the entire event (finding a charity, logistical organization with the various school departments, etc.).

What does good leadership mean to you and how do you practice being a good leader?

To me, good leadership begins with initiative—the courage to act on the issues we want to change. In addition, passion and perseverance are essential for carrying your initiative through. It takes a fair amount of stubbornness to pitch a project to a principal, reach out to potential guest speakers, and consistently promote the event—even when the initial interest is low. Regardless of what problem we want to tackle, I believe initiative and perseverance are essential components of good leadership.

Tell us about your leadership position and your organization.

I am part of the SAS chapter of the Rho Kappa Honor Society, a society that aims to promote the social sciences. Last year during International Women’s Month in March, I created the Women in Social Sciences Forum to build a platform where those interested in the field can feel supported and inspired. This year as president of Rho Kappa, I am committed to supporting the initiatives of other students and continuing to strengthen the social sciences community.

In addition, I serve as the Events Coordinator for the New Student Committee. My team and I organize new student orientation in hopes of making the transition just a little bit easier for our new eagles. Having experienced firsthand how hard it is to be a new student, I am dedicated to making SAS feel like home. Eagles can soar alone, but we want to build a nest for them to come back to.

What impact or change has student leadership had in your school?

We were lucky to have welcomed students and faculty from over six international schools across Shanghai to attend the Women in Social Sciences Forum. We also had the honor of hosting incredible guest speakers, including professors, an NGO founder, high school students sharing their experiences in a panel discussion, and more. By providing role models at every stage—from high school to college and beyond—we supported students in navigating their path in pursuing the social sciences.

It was incredibly rewarding to receive messages from participants who described the presentations as eye-opening and found more strength, confidence, and clarity in pursuing their passions through the forum. We are proud to have begun building a community where students interested in social sciences can feel supported and empowered.

What leadership opportunities do students have at your school?

At Shanghai American School, we are committed to nurturing the leadership potential of every student to embody eagle spirit. Our Student Life program offers a wide range of opportunities for students to cultivate their talents. Our student-led core councils play a vital role in fostering student voice, spirit, passion, and action in the over one hundred clubs and societies that flourish at our school. We welcome our community partners to participate in our annual club fair, international fair, and service club workshops to help educate our school community on important issues.

How do you teach students about being a good leader?

Our student leaders undergo a comprehensive training program that includes both in-house sessions and workshops facilitated by external partners, tailored to their specific needs. For example, last year we collaborated with JUMP! Foundation to conduct a three-day leadership training for student leaders from both our campuses, resulting in the establishment of a common Vision and Mission for Student Leadership at SAS. This year, we partnered with Inspire Citizens to provide cross-campus training for student leaders, focusing on leadership styles, skill evaluation, role-playing, and project planning. In addition, we regularly invite in-house experts such as our Directors of Finance, Marketing, and Government Liaison to provide specialized training for our student leaders. In the words of their own Vision statement, our Student Leaders aspire to develop as empathetic, open-minded, and responsible leaders, who amplify student voices, drive change, and advocate for inclusive representation.

What impact or change has student leadership had in your school?

Our student leaders have been crafting creative solutions to real-world challenges. Through our Eagle Innovator award, student entrepreneur teams chosen for the program receive funding to prototype and test solutions for researched problems. We have witnessed numerous sustainability-focused innovations come to fruition, with our student leaders implementing them as tangible actions within the school community. For example, a project to compost cafeteria food waste has successfully transformed it into fertilizer for the school's garden, where fresh produce is now grown. Additionally, initiatives promoting wellbeing and social responsibility are becoming increasingly prevalent at our school. We actively involve our student leaders in analyzing school survey data to identify areas for improvement in student wellbeing and to propose solutions.

What does good leadership mean to you and how do you practice being a good leader?

Every group has different needs and goals, so approaches in leadership do vary. However, an overarching trait of a good leader is their ability to understand and listen to what their group needs, and then adapt. In my case, for both the student council and my club, my first priority was to foster an environment where students felt comfortable telling me their needs. I approach and practice leadership by positioning myself on the same level as my peers as it is about working together towards a common goal.

I also strive not to micromanage but instead create an atmosphere where we are able to work independently but towards that shared goal. Additionally, my role as the liaison between students and school officials requires me to articulate a comprehensive strategy, ensuring that my team has a clear understanding of our organization’s goals.

Tell us about your leadership position and your organization

To alleviate the social stigma that Shanghainese seniors feel about getting older and moving into retirement homes, I established the club Golden Years. As president and founder, I give students the opportunity to make a positive impact on their community, learn the value of connecting with others, appreciate the significance of companionship, and gain insight into the importance of fighting loneliness in our society.

People in China are living longer than ever, and it is up to my generation to help out those who either do not have children or their children cannot take care of them. With over 400 million people in China expected to be 65 and older by 2040, Golden Years hopes that its modest efforts will inspire other students to embrace the noble responsibility of caring for not just our grandparents but all elders in our community.

What impact or change has student leadership had in your school?

Student leaders at SAS maintain our strong sense of community and school spirit through their student-led initiatives. As the Head of Events Planning for the entire high school, I always consider this when planning an event. I also think about what I want people to remember most. It could be a sense of strength and community from participating in a group activity, or simply the joy of careless fun from an event that we organize. Like the Summer Sizzler Event I organized last year, where students gathered at various water-themed stations, such as the water fight and the water bouncy castle, for lighthearted fun and laughter.

So, whether I am leading those students in community service initiatives or providing a safe space for classmates to hurl water balloons at one another, the same leadership traits will always apply.

What leadership opportunities do students have at your school?

Student-led CCAs are really impactful where the Y12 CAS students often lead after-school clubs and incorporate leadership by providing opportunities based on passions for the wider school body. The student leadership team (school council) is broadening and providing an opportunity for all year levels to make the school a better place. In addition, within mentor groups, service learning projects are becoming more and more available for students to find passions and gain leadership skills.

How do you teach students about being a good leader?

We teach students about being good leaders by modeling the behaviors we believe they should exhibit, such as integrity, servant leadership, and giving back to the community to make it better. We have leadership awards at YCIS where students participate in workshops and ultimately attain certificates. Being servant leaders and giving back to the community to make it better and having integrity is important.

What impact or change has student leadership had in your school?

The student leadership has positively impacted the school community in many ways. From student-led assemblies celebrating successes in sports, maths, and drama to new initiatives such as the Qinghai coat drive where budding leaders are reaching out to the community to support friends in other areas of the country. The list of initiatives from Autism Friends, Dementia Friends, the Migrant School, Hope Beans, and more show the diverse opportunities that YCIS students have to improve the school community through intangible benefits.

What does good leadership mean to you and how do you practice being a good leader?

To me, good leadership manifests in good teamwork. Understanding the unique strengths and passions of team members allows tasks to be delegated effectively. It also ensures that everyone feels fulfiled knowing that they each made an indispensable contribution to team projects. I try to create an open team dynamic by building reflections into our meetings — this is crucial as it promotes honesty and trust. We congratulate each other for our achievements but also speak candidly about initiatives that did not work out as expected. I realized that a good team builds itself around strong core values but allows itself to be flexible in how it lives up to these values. The Student Voice team keeps our school values — value every voice, do the right thing, and make a difference — at the heart of our initiatives but also draws lessons from past experiences to adapt our approaches.

Tell us about your leadership position and the organization you are a part of. What are your responsibilities and what are the organization's goals?

I am the Head Prefect of the Student Voice Portfolio. As a team, we have two main objectives: responding to student feedback and empowering student voice. We hope to foster a learning environment that is actively shaped by student input. Through diverse channels of feedback collection — anonymous online forms, focus groups, and break and lunchtime conversations — we compiled suggestions and concerns into action proposals for the school leadership team. Transparency is valued by our team. Some students leave contact details after providing feedback; in these cases, we reach out to update them on how their feedback is being implemented or discuss alternative possibilities. We are also responsible for organising Dulwich Talks, a student-driven academic event revolving around a theme of our choice. We secure keynote speakers, support student-led workshops, and facilitate a student vs. teacher debate to promote intellectual curiosity and the exploration of topics beyond the school curriculum. 

What impact or change has student leadership had in your school?

One of the goals of the Student Voice Portfolio is to expand student leadership and allow more students to feel empowered to suggest changes and express their interests. We focused on giving Middle School students greater agency through the Middle School Student Council — this year, we drafted a constitution that details the responsibilities of the Council and stipulates the election process. The feedback we gathered through the Council led to tangible changes on campus over the summer — bathrooms and changing rooms were revamped with new air fresheners, and new lines were painted under basketball hoops. While these changes may not seem grand when taken individually, we believe it is important to treat every piece of student feedback we receive with the care and respect it deserves. The Council has also been behind events like the K-pop random dance, which allowed students to showcase their talents and brought the school community together.

What does good leadership mean to you and how do you practice being a good leader?

To me, good leadership isn’t just defined when the people working around you listen and do what you say. Rather, it is having the ability to let the people around you choose to work alongside you and achieve goals together. A strong leader strives for something greater while also embracing the responsibility that comes with facing challenges. A good leader is committed to making the work environment better and will do all they can to lift up those around them. To develop strong leadership skills, one needs hands-on practice and involvement in various activities. Those experiences can help us learn, improve and ultimately shape our leadership characteristics.

Tell us about your leadership position and the organization you are a part of. What are your responsibilities and what are the organization's goals?

As Head of College, I am a part of the Pupil Leadership Team (PLT). We act as the bridge between pupils and teachers. We build trust while working with and communicating with a range of different stakeholders. We act as role models to those in the younger year groups and encourage them to become a better version of themselves. Our goal this year is to have fun and make everyone within the school feel like they are a part of a strong, inclusive, and supportive community. We strongly encourage all pupils to ‘be the change they hope to see’ by stepping out of their comfort zones and making an impact in their communities.

What impact or change has student leadership had in your school?

In one recent successful project, we created a suggestion/complaint box where pupils could share their thoughts. The idea was that to achieve our goal of having fun, we wanted to ensure that everyone felt heard. However, some pupils are shy and might not feel comfortable sharing their ideas openly. By providing the suggestion box, we provided our community with a platform that enabled them to make their voices heard in a way that they were more comfortable with. Within the first week of setting it up, we received more than 50 suggestions and comments. Most of them were great ideas that could be put into action.