Leading The Way

I have enjoyed leadership roles for as long as I can remember.

- Derek James

From always wanting to lead the line in elementary school, joining student council in middle school, being elected president of our middle school Tech Education class, and leading my high school’s very own TV show, I’ve always looked to lead. I’m sure my teachers always warned my new teachers how to handle me. “You have Derek. He’s smart and knows how to get people on his side, but he’ll take over the class if you let him.” That may have happened on one or two occasions — or 50.

Now that my two boys are getting to the later years of elementary school, they too are starting to look for ways to be leaders. Thus far, they both seem to be going about it in ways a bit subtler than I did. My younger son Chase is that kid in the class who helps his teacher or a classmate without being asked while in the process also getting the class involved.