STUDENT leaders from multiple groups and clubs throughout Granger High School gathered for the second annual Lancer Leadership Summit in the middle of July. After the success of the first summit last year, GHS administrators decided that the summit should become an annual event. As the summit is so young and new, students weren’t sure what to expect from the 2016 summit.

The purpose of the summit is to bring together and train Granger’s student leaders as student ambassadors to better the school in a variety of aspects. The Lancer Leadership Summit is seen as an opportunity for students to have their thoughts, opinions, and ideas heard by faculty and fellow students. At the 2015 summit, students spent two days bonding and addressing important issues within our school community.

At this year’s summit, the administration tried something different by bringing in Wade, Benji, and Dave from the New Wilderness Project. For the first two days of the summit, Wade and Benji shared a presentation about the New Wilderness Project and explained how it is focused on social justice, individuality, and community. Being musicians themselves, they held a strong emphasis on art and its many forms, stating the belief that every person is an artist in a way.

In an attempt to strengthen the Granger community, Wade and Benji aided students in putting together and hosting a production to perform for the community titled “Listen Up!”. Lancer Leaders were given the opportunity to share their talents and display how the New Wilderness Project had strengthened them as leaders.

On the third and final day of the summit, faculty and ambassadors worked together to find ways to apply what they had learned from Wade and Benji to Granger High. Student leaders, teachers, and administrators addressed and offered ideas as to how to improve the school as a whole. Topics such as school spirit, ambassador involvement, dress code, attendance policy, service, diversity, the G-Store, and freshman orientation were the main points of conversation.

In a survey created by the Tri-Color Times, about 25% of attendees gave input about the summit. Most ambassadors who took the survey agreed that the summit had “bettered [them] as a person and as a leader.” The majority of student leaders also voted that their “opinions and thoughts were voiced, heard, and respected.” Overall, student leaders and faculty who took the survey seemed to have a very positive experience at the summit.

Lancers who might hold leadership positions here at Granger and attend future summits in upcoming years should expect a productive and eye-opening experience that will help them step out of their comfort zone and give them an opportunity to voice their opinions and ideas.

The first two summits both had positive and negatives aspects to them, but it is hoped that the administration will learn from those experiences and consider the students’ feedback when planning future summits. It is anticipated that the summit will continue on as an annual tradition at Granger High School for many years to come.