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Dover Intermediate students tell Westlake board how 'Demon Leaders' ease new-student transitions
Summary
Sixth-grade Demon Leaders from Dover Intermediate presented orientation, peer-support and school-spirit activities at the Westlake City School District board meeting, describing practical changes (a scavenger-hunt orientation, neon T-shirts, video and photography roles) intended to help new students settle in.
Dover Intermediate School's sixth-grade "Demon Leaders" group presented its program to the Westlake City School District board on Feb. 23, describing how student-led activities help new students adapt and build school spirit.
A student spokesperson told the board, "We are some of the Demon Leaders of Dover Intermediate School, and we are excited to share with you the ways that we support our school and help make DIS a welcoming, positive, and spirited place for everyone." The students said they were selected by fifth-grade teachers for qualities including leadership, kindness and responsibility.
Students detailed specific roles: leading new-student orientation, greeting visitors, giving tours, helping classmates find lockers and homerooms, and escorting new students to buses. They described practical improvements they developed after identifying problems in earlier orientations, including a scavenger-hunt style map to guide families around the building and neon T-shirts so parents and students can easily spot leaders during events.
Students also described inclusive and service tasks: a "Helping Hands" program that pairs Demon Leaders with students who have disabilities, an informational video the leaders produced about the program, and roles in documenting school life (Oliver as cameraman; Anna Hill and Emmy Volkman as photographers).
Board members asked the students how leadership felt and what changes they wanted; students answered that initial anxiety about lockers and class changes fades as peers make friends and leaders offer practical help. The board praised the group for public speaking and community building.
The presentation concluded with plans for Demon Leaders to visit local fourth graders to ease their transition and ongoing work to organize shared storage spaces at the school.
The board proceeded to the business portion of its agenda after thanking the students for their presentation.
