Student Leadership
How do we define Student Leadership at Derby?
Student leadership at Derby sometimes comes with titles—student council representative, spirit captain, team captain, yearbook editor, line leader, and more. But above all, what we hope for is that every student feels deeply confident in leading themselves.
Leadership at Derby shows up in countless everyday moments: helping a classmate study, picking up trash when no one notices, or being the first person to step onto the field for practice. Often, the strongest form of leadership is doing the right thing when no one is watching. At Derby, we call this “choosing the hard right over the easy wrong,” and it’s at the heart of what it means to be a leader in our community. Not only does this build personal character, but it becomes contagious as it’s intentionally reinforced around campus and in the “commendations” portion of our community morning meetings.
Leadership at Derby begins as early as Pre-K and grows intentionally through every grade, culminating in the middle school years with distinct programming focused on developing authentic leaders.
Lower School
In the early years, student leadership looks like good citizenship, such as first graders creating public service announcements to keep our playground clean after seeing trash on the ground or third graders offering shoe-tying clinics after noticing many younger students haven’t mastered this skill.
Rotating classroom jobs are one of the first ways our youngest students experience leadership. Fourth graders become Big Pals and lead their own Friday community meetings. Across all grades, students find meaningful ways to contribute, take initiative, and support their community.
Middle School
In the Middle School at Derby, students have many opportunities to lead—whether as sports or spirit captains, members of student council, or editors of the yearbook.
Leadership also shows up through our Pals program, and participation in the Middle School theater productions. Our 8th graders take on additional leadership by running community meetings and organizing service initiatives, including the highly regarded Foley Prize. Students further develop both personal and collaborative leadership skills through group projects such as Future City, Model UN, and Public Speaking, which require creativity, teamwork, and initiative. Additionally, 8th graders participate in a dedicated leadership course, It’s LIT (Leaders in Training).
Leadership in Action
Portrait of a Graduate: Authentic Leader
An authentic leader stays true to themselves and their values. Derby Academy graduates lead with integrity, honesty, and transparency, always striving to do what is right. They inspire trust and confidence through their actions and words, and are consistently reliable and accountable. Derby students are genuine, respectful, and empathetic, treating everyone with kindness. They are open to feedback, willing to admit mistakes, and show humility. Their authenticity fosters deep connections and a sense of belonging.