Leadership on display at NHS

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NAUGATUCK — Fourth and sixth grade students representing each of the borough’s schools came together May 24 at nigh High School to learn what it takes to be a good leader.

The students gathered for Naugatuck’s own leadership conference.

High school students and teachers organized the event after Naugatuck was unable to participate in the Connecticut Conference of Schools Leadership Conference because Naugatuck didn’t have school that day.

Not wanting her students to miss a great opportunity, Salem Elementary Principal Jennifer Kruge decided to hold her own conference.

Teachers from each elementary and intermediate school picked students who showed leadership qualities to attend the conference.

The leadership conference was unique in that it was district-wide.

“It’s really exciting when that happens,” Kruge said.

In the high school gym, the young scholars squealed with laughter as they grouped themselves into different categories—by how many siblings they had, their favorite flavor of ice cream, shoe size, and many others.

Seven high school students organized the program and led the younger students in leadership activities. The students discussed the qualities that make a good leader such as honesty, respect, confidence, and courage.

Students demonstrated how to make a good first impression by using eye contact, a handshake, and smiling. Later, they acted out some of those leadership qualities in small skits.

“The key was to show by example,” Naugatuck High School Principal Fran Serratore said. “Hopefully today when they leave, they will have good role models with our students and they can take away some of the qualities of leadership and apply it to themselves.”