High School Leadership Awards Winners to Learn to Lead with Purpose
Widener University is currently seeking nominations for the 2013 High School Leadership
Awards, but the recipients of last year’s awards continue to reap the benefits of
their selection with a day-long leadership development conference at Widener on Oct.
27.
The 69 winners of the 2012 High School Leadership Awards are invited to attend Leading
with Purpose, a day-long conference at Widener's Oskin Leadership Institute. The conference
will focus the Five Practices of Exemplary Leadership developed by Jim Kouzes and
Barry Posner,coauthors of the award-winning, best-selling book The Leadership Challenge.
Students will learn how to:
- Model the Way: By leading by their actions and demonstrating their commitment.
- Inspire a Shared Vision: By having a vision and being able to eloquently share that vision with others.
- Challenge the Process: Through change and innovation.
- Enable Others to Act: By fostering teamwork and encouraging others to exceed their own expectations.
- Encourage the Heart: Fostering a strong sense of community by providing team members with recognition and celebration.
The conference will be lead by Dr. Arthur Schwartz, executive director of the Oskin
Leadership Institute. Schwartz previously served as senior scholar at the United States
Air Force Academy. He is widely-known for collaborating with Dr. Martin E.P. Seligman
at the University of Pennsylvania in catalyzing the field of positive psychology,
and he co-conceived the idea for the award-winning National Schools of Character program,
administered by the Character Education Partnership.
"These extraordinary young leaders have already exhibited the ability to make a significant
change in their school and community," Schwartz said. "The purpose of the conference
is to strengthen their leadership skills and inspire them to be lifelong leaders who
live out their purpose."
"These students are undoubtedly the next generation of leaders, and I look forward
to personally welcoming all of them to campus for this unique leadership experience,"
said Widener President James T. Harris III.
Last year's winners attended a celebratory breakfast at the National Constitution
Center in February and were recognized for their community efforts by NBC10. Most
notably, the winners will receive a scholarship of $20,000 over four years should
they enroll at Widener for undergraduate studies.
Among the 69 winners selected, the Widener University High School Leadership Awards
recognized students who:
- Created a dog sitting company that benefits the Delaware County SPCA
- Founded an anti-bullying club for her school
- Volunteered at an institute for disabled children in India
- Taught karate lessons as a black belt instructor
The mission of the Oskin Leadership Institute is to perpetuate the university's long
and noble tradition of inspiring students to be strategic leaders and responsible
citizens who possess the character, courage and competencies to affect positive change
throughout the world.
Widener University is a private, metropolitan university that connects curricula to
social issues through civic engagement. Dynamic teaching, active scholarship, personal
attention, leadership development, and experiential learning are key components of
the Widener experience. A comprehensive doctorate-granting university, Widener is
comprised of eight schools and colleges that offer liberal arts and sciences and professional
and pre-professional curricula leading to associate's, baccalaureate, master's, and
doctoral degrees. The university's campuses in Chester, Exton, and Harrisburg, Pa.,
and Wilmington, Del., serve approximately 6,500 students. Visit the university's website,
www.widener.edu, for more information.
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