In October, 27 sophomores kicked off the inaugural year of the Chick-fil-A Leadership Academy program at Notre Dame. The Chick-fil-A Leadership Academy is a national high school leadership program focused on impact through action.
Our students completed three service projects, including a unique impact project where students worked to put the leadership principles they learned in the classroom into practice into the community. Students also participated in monthly leader labs where they learned timeless leadership principles through engaging curriculum.
The group’s first service project was titled Million Book Giveaway. Chick-fil-A provided 1,500 books for area grade schools. Notre Dame students delivered the books and read to students at Jefferson Elementary, St. Francis Xavier, Guardian Angel, St. Denis, St. Joseph and St. Mary.
The second project was Do Good December, where students made door decorations for the Christmas season. Students delivered the decorations and visited with residents of the Life Care Center of Cape Girardeau.
For their impact project, students were tasked with taking the leadership skills learned during leader labs and creating a project that helped their community. Together, students decided to collect items for families in need.
The impact project kicked off in February with Hallways for a Cause during Notre Dame’s Homecoming Week. For Homecoming, each class decorated their hallway based on the week’s theme. Each hallway had a collection box, and viewers were encouraged to make a donation towards their favorite decorated hallway. Through Hallways for a Cause, the Chick-fil-A Leader Academy raised $3,848.06 for the Annalee Acts of Kindness organization, which went to purchase diapers, blankets and sleepers for families in need.
For the final push for the Impact Project, students chose to focus on collecting items for LifeHouse to support their grand opening in Cape Girardeau. Students wrote letters to businesses, schools and parishes asking to display a collection box at their location to collect the needed items. Students then hosted a drive at Notre Dame. In total, Notre Dame’s Chick-fil-A Leader Academy collected over 4,000 tooth care, hair care, hygiene and body care items for LifeHouse. Students also applied for a grant through the Chick-fil-A Leader Academy for their Impact Project, and received $250 to be donated to LifeHouse.
“To say I am proud of this first group of Chick-fil-A Leader Academy students is an understatement,” said Laura Halter, director of student life at Notre Dame and Chick-fil-A Leader Academy advisor. “We went into the program not knowing what to expect and the students embraced the opportunity to serve, and went above and beyond. From the very beginning, they were all in with whatever we asked them to do. What impressed me the most is how their leadership and confidence grew throughout the year. I have to thank Mrs. Garner and Mrs. Gremaud for their help and support of the Chick-fil-A program at Notre Dame. Mrs. Kate House, our Chick-fil-A Leader Academy representative, was outstanding in her support and generosity throughout our program, and is the perfect model of what a servant leader does for their community.”
Notre Dame is excited to announce its acceptance as a Chick-fil-A Leader Academy school for the 2024-2025 school year.
2023-2024 Chick-fil-A Leader Academy Students:
TJ Bolen
Sonnie Childress
Mary Tyler Cox
Lily Coy
Charleigh DeShaney
Emmie Gamel
Cole Graham
Ella Hahn
Kambri Huckstep
Parker Hulshof
Nate Imhoff
Jake Jansen
Cierra Landewee
Chase Lawson
Tanner Le
Parker Lemmons
Grayson Maurer
Minh Pham
Harper Rafferty
Annabelle Rhodes
Elena Ripperda
Lucy Ripperda
Samantha Schoolman
Maya Thebeau
Anna Turner
Elle West
Haley Wissinger
