学习 to Lead

学习 to lead is a challenging 和 empowering experience at Castilleja. Grounded in research 和 informed by experience, our leadership development program is woven into daily life around 和 beyond the Circle.

As our students grow as leaders, we help them think about two important concepts: exercising choice 和 building capacity. Exercising choice fills students with a sense of agency, allowing them to take active roles in reaching their goals 和 exploring new ideas. Building capacity involves developing 和 reflecting on specific leadership skills 和 competencies. In addition to these themes, our pedagogical principles 和 enrichment experiences ensure that every student graduates from Castilleja with an appreciation of her own personal leadership style.

Initiative, Agility, 和 Purpose

In Middle School, learning to lead begins with underst和ing the importance of initiative, 敏捷性, 和 purpose. Students define these terms in relation to leadership 和 explore how they use these qualities both to lead 和 to collaborate effectively. 

Middle School students grow as leaders through:

  • Theme-based Global Week exploration that extends learning beyond the classroom 和 provides students with a range of ways to express their points-of-view.
  • 选修课 that allow students to delve more deeply into an area of interest 和 develop a flexible approach to problem-solving 和 teamwork.

The 学习 和 领先的 Portfolio

Upper School students use our 学习 和 领先的 Portfolio to identify their strengths 和 choices as leaders. This unique tool helps each student frame 和 articulate her leadership development by reflecting on growth in six core leadership competencies: curiosity, purposeful reflection, embracing ambiguity, problem-solving, empathy, 和 collaboration. Students learn to assess themselves in these areas 和 和 are also reviewed by peers, 教师, 和 advisors to gain deeper insight.

Upper School students grow as leaders through:

  • Grade-level, student-driven programming 和 outreach, 包括 Global Investigators 和 Leadership Lab.
  • ACE Organization participation in 俱乐部 that tackle local 和 global issues 和 offer leadership roles in junior 和 senior year.
  • Annual events 和 workshops 如 Global Week 和 Beyond the Circle, programs that are designed to expose students to new ideas, innovations, 和 professions.

Meaningful Action

Our core leadership competencies are best practiced through experiences that the students find personally compelling, so we design opportunities for each student to learn within a context that is meaningful for her. 

Students explore by:

  • Proposing 和 then “pitching” for the next Arrillaga Annual Speaker.
  • Raising awareness 和 funds in support of victims of a natural disaster.
  • Developing a theme or connection for a new ACE Org.
  • Establishing a new Affinity Group for members of our community who share a common identifier.
  • Applying for the Katherine Hass Fellowship for Exploration, Empathy, 和 Inclusion 和 working with a mentor to complete a project of their choice senior year.
  • 领先的 programming in junior 和 senior year advisory 和 wellness that highlights the importance of initiative, 敏捷性, 和 purpose.
  • Selecting a favorite option from a series of senior mini-courses on topics ranging from financial planning to mindfulness to philosophy.