Mercy Academy hosts Student Leadership 101 workshop 

Mercy Academy recently hosted Student Council Officers, House Captains and Class Officers on-campus at Student Leadership 101, a two-day workshop that was held July 29 and 30. The event was designed to help student leaders reflect on their leadership styles, build stronger team dynamics and prepare for the school year ahead. 

Led by Director of Student Life Angie Laemmle, Director of Service Learning & Leadership Melissa Smith and Retreat Director Elissa Horrell, the workshop offered hands-on activities, along with engaging discussions among students. 

The first day of the workshop was centered around self-reflection and personal growth. Students explored key questions, including: 

• How have I shown leadership thus far?
• What do I want to do more of as a leader and how can I grow?
• What strengths do I bring to the team? 

Students took the time to identify their strength and gifts, and set two personal leadership goals to carry with them into the school year. They were also taught lessons on effective collaboration and how to utilize their natural qualities effectively in their leadership roles. 

On day two, the focus shifted to team dynamics and collaborative leadership. Students began the day by taking a personality quiz to better understand the roles they naturally fill within a group. Discussions followed on how to maximize each team member’s strengths, effectively communicate, build trust and manage conflict. To further reinforce these points, students participated in hands-on activities, including a Mine Field Trust Walk exercise.   

A stand-out exercise during the Workshop was titled “Handle It Like a Mercy Girl,” in which students were given real-life scenarios they might encounter at Mercy and were tasked with practicing effective communication and conflict resolution. Practical tips for improving communication rounded out the conversation.

Later, teams put their leadership skills into action during a campus-wide scavenger hunt, applying insights from the personality quiz to work together more effectively. Students then recapped their experiences, identifying the roles they naturally played and how their teams succeeded.

As the workshop concluded, students formulated Team Agreements to guide them for the school year ahead, and reflected on how to keep morale high while amplifying all voices to create an inclusive environment. The day concluded with students passing compliments to one another, celebrating the day’s work and the spirit of comradery that comes with being a Mercy student. 

To learn more about Student Council, Class Officers, and other extracurricular activities offered by Mercy, click here.