Journal: 2-4

The "Leadership" Program

     This past Friday in class, we discussed issues of the Leadership and International Relations Program at our school and how the program can be improved for the future. It seemed almost as though the issues of the program however outweighed the possibilities of improvement that were suggested. A couple of issues that were addressed were the disfunction of PTO manager, the complicated issue of LEAPs, the fact that the program is more centered on leadership more than international relations, the way we are so isolated and also the issue of having a board of ambassadors within the program just to name a few. However, there were suggestions for improvement. Some of the suggestions included: redecorating the Quad, changing the name of the program, going on group service trips, and making the program seem like an elite program to be in.

    For me, there are several things that I strongly feel should be considered for changing the program. Something I really feel discouraged by in the program is the fact that there is a Leadership Board of Ambassadors. Granted, I could have easily signed up for it, but I didn't. I feel like by having this group within the program, it excludes the majority of students in the program from knowing a lot of what is going on in Leadership at the moment while giving others special knowledge and recognition. I believe everyone in the program should be given equal opportunities and should be treated the same. I also believe that LEAPs should be gotten rid. LEAPs I feel are forced upon us to do in order to fulfill an obligation set out by the program and most of the time are not fully enjoyable or give us any real "Leadership Enrichment" at all. An improvement I would really like to see made to the program would be for all of the Leadership Program to go on a group service trip where we get to experience the benefits of volunteering together, making us closer as a group and making a stronger impact on the community as well. Also personally, I think the name of our program should be changed from Leadership and International Relations Program to the "Leadership in Action Program" so we can really stay true to our name.

     Over all I do believe that our special center needs some extra "pizzazz" not only to create a better experience for those who are enrolled in it but also to make students want to apply to James River and give us more notoriety and prestige within not only our community but state and maybe even the whole nation. I believe if we make all of the changes we suggested on Friday to the program, our program would overall become more effective in the lessons it teaches to students and also have a greater impact on the community. We can become the program that doesn't follow the rules and thinks outside the box in regards to education.

    

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