Redwood students say Little Leaders program builds service, leadership and college awareness

Three students speaking about the Little Leaders program at Redwood described it as a student-led leadership program that emphasizes community service, mentoring and college awareness.

Student Speaker 1, a student, said the program began after a teacher introduced it at Redwood and helped set the speaker on a path of community service: "So when I first joined leadership, it didn't really exist at Redwood. It was something mister Valencia brought that year, and and I didn't really understand what it meant to, like, join the leadership club or even what ASB was... All I knew was that I was gonna have an opportunity to plan events that were gonna benefit other students, that I was gonna be doing community service, and it meant doing good for the community. And it set off, like, just the career that I have in giving back to my community and education."

Student Speaker 2 said the program teaches selflessness and service to younger students: "Being a part of Little Leaders isn't about myself. It's what I can give back to the younger generations. And so I I think this program has taught me to be selfless and that this life is not about me, but what I can do for others."

Student Speaker 3 described how returning alumni and older program members model college aspiration and community involvement for younger students. "It's I think it's like the best education when you actually put it to you... being a leader is being of service. So then them coming back and then they're talking to the other students and telling them how important going to college is and that there are scholarships so that there's places like UC Berkeley, they continue to work with the communities and come back." The speaker added that alumni-run meetings and approachable mentors help students and families connect with the program: "And now they're the ones running the meetings. Being accessible to to the students, to to the parents. What I tell them is when somebody sees you, they wanna know they have to be able be able to connect with you."

Speakers repeatedly framed Little Leaders as practical leadership training: planning events, performing community service and mentoring younger students. One speaker encouraged participation in local civic life in Fontana and suggested activities such as volunteering at senior centers: "What I would give to Ingrid students would be to be involved in community service. Go to the local senior center. Be involved in the city of Fontana."

The transcript shows consistent praise for the program's role in building civic-mindedness and in encouraging students to consider college; speakers named UC Berkeley as an example of a college they discuss with younger students. The transcript uses two similar spellings for the teacher who introduced the program ("mister Valencia" and "mister Valente"); the recording does not provide a full, verifiable name or title for that teacher.

No formal actions, votes or policy decisions regarding the program are recorded in the provided transcript segments. The remarks appear to be testimonial descriptions of the program's effects and encouragements for student and family engagement.

The meeting or recording date and the body convening these remarks were not specified in the provided transcript.