Riverview High students win three awards at state leadership conference; emerging leaders class highlighted

Riverview Community School District students and staff told the board Feb. 25 that a delegation from Riverview Community High School won three awards at the state student leadership conference, including the conference’s Award of Excellence and the Star School Award.

The recognition came during a board meeting presentation led by RCHS student council members and staff. The awards recognize student leadership, service projects and a collective body of student work at the conference, which the presenters described as a statewide gathering of nearly 100 schools.

Student council sponsor Erica Bailey, RCHS Principal Miss Fergus and two senior students — Carly Coleman (student council president) and Selma Abraham (student leader) — described the trip and the student projects that earned the honors. "We brought home the award of excellence, which is the most prestigious award at the conference," Carly Coleman said. "It requires a significant amount of work and we filled up this big binder." Coleman also described the group’s "exceptional service project," a fundraiser called Tackle Cancer that supported a local community member.

Selma Abraham described the Emerging Leaders class as a student-led course that requires each student to form a group and execute a trimester-long project focused on service, sunshine or spirit. She said one group organized a charity fashion show in partnership with Salute Boutique in Southgate, combined with a dress-donation drive and a silent auction; proceeds were donated to a family displaced by a house fire. "Emerging leaders really gives you time, the opportunity, and the people that will help you do those things you wanna do," Abraham said.

Bailey and Fergus credited the students’ preparation and noted that 33 students attended the conference. The presenters said teams completed competitive applications at the conference — including the Award of Excellence submission — and that two students have applied to serve on the state board of delegates for student leadership.

Board members thanked the students and staff for representing the district. The presentation also included announcements about upcoming RCHS activities, including a production of High School Musical and a district-wide reading project, "1 District, 1 Book," to start after spring break.

The board did not take formal action on the presentation; it was given as an informational item during the meeting.