Students showcase leadership programs: SLA, Voice and NASA present to board

Greenfield Central High School principal Dan Walbone and student leaders presented the school's Student Leadership Academy (SLA) and related student organizations at the board's spotlight segment.

Walbone opened the presentation: "I've said from the beginning that... one of the things that was most appealing about GC to me was the fact that we offer so many opportunities in different areas of student life," he said. Students from SLA and the Athletic Leadership Council (ALC) then described their work and led a brief team-building activity for the board.

SLA/ALC details supplied to the board: SLA is in its 25th year; the presenter said there are 111 student members (70 in SLA and 41 in ALC) and about 20 adult volunteer team leaders. The group said its themes this year included "self awareness, courage, accountability, empathy, passion, and commitment." Students demonstrated a "spider web" teamwork exercise and invited board members to participate.

Also during the spotlight, student leaders from Voice described the group's tobacco- and vaping-prevention work. A student said: "Voice is Indiana's statewide youth empowerment brand dedicated to educating, engaging, and empowering teens to sustain promoting tobacco free lifestyle." The Voice group reported 15 members at the high school and 22 at the junior high and listed events including homecoming, Red Ribbon Week and World No Tobacco Day.

Members of NASA (Neighborhoods Against Substance Abuse) described month‑long youth-council work and elementary-school presentations using Generation Rx materials. A NASA presenter said the group conducted in-school presentations, recorded public-service commercials and planned a youth summit to reach junior-high students next year.

Why it matters: the board spotlight showcased student leadership development, peer education on public health topics and cross-school outreach. The presentation was informational; no board action was required.