By Verity Sayles, Associate Head of Upper School and English Faculty

In mid-August, when the start of the school still seemed far away, a group of thirty-five Upper School students returned to school to participate in the first annual Compassionate Leadership Camp. For three days, members of the Student Leadership Council (SLC), Grade Level Representatives (GLR), leaders on the athletic field, and club and affinity group leads worked together to practice the skills to lead compassionately in this upcoming year.

The camp kicked off on Wednesday, August 21, with a welcome session to set the tone for the days ahead. Sam Uzwack (Head of School) and Dr. John Stegeman (Upper School Head) joined us as guest speakers to talk about their personal leadership journeys and what the phrase “compassionate leadership” means to them. Their talk emphasized that true leaders not only guide by making decisions, but also with empathy, understanding, and an openness to diverse perspectives. Maya (’25) reflected, “Leadership is about considering multiple beliefs.” After the talk, students did a word bank exercise to define their own personal leadership values. Tanmay (’25) reflected that “Assertiveness and hearing people out can coexist to build an organic environment where respect is a natural practice.”

The afternoon session focused on empathetic dialogue, the theme of our 2024-25 academic year. Participants explored techniques for conversing with individuals who may hold differing viewpoints. Bess McKinney, EICL Co-Coordinator, led students through the value of talking to build understanding rather than reach a shared decision. Melissa (’27) wrote, “One idea about leadership (of the many I learned at this camp and will take into the school year) is implementing listening leadership and empathetic dialogue into my leadership actions.” The day concluded with a session on vision and goal setting. Here, students applied the insights gained throughout the day to set clear, actionable goals for the year ahead, ensuring their leadership would be guided by their personal values.

Thursday, August 22 began with a calendaring activity where participants discussed priorities and the challenges of balancing multiple responsibilities and needs. Reflecting on the complexities of leadership Andrew (’26) noted, “Sometimes we make difficult or unpopular decisions for a greater goal, and we must find ways to deal with the results.” The day continued with cohort-specific sessions tailored to different leadership roles: Sports Leaders, Affinity Groups and Club Leads and SLC and GLR. Each group explored aspects of their roles and developed strategies for success. Nathan (’25) wrote, “I want to show up in sports more than I have in years past, starting with some tactics Ms. Eng suggested to make people comfortable and willing to listen to me as a leader.” After breaking for lunch, the entire group reconvened to share their findings and close out the day. “An idea I gained through participating in this camp is that leadership can take shape in many different ways. It takes multiple different types of leadership to create a good leader,” observed Anisa (’27). Fellow tenth-grader Nikhil said, “I want to take more time to build an environment where both productivity and enjoyment can happen.”

On Friday, August 23, the group headed off-campus in the pouring rain to a ropes course—a test of heights, tackling challenges, and persevering through the wet conditions. Students shared laughter playing games in the parking lot and helped each other adjust their harnesses and helmets. Navigating the ropes course required students to communicate among the obstacles in the treetops, cheer each other on, and keep good attitudes. They showed teamwork, resilience, and spirit on the course.

Overall, the Compassionate Leadership Camp was a great success. Huge thanks to Karla Harris, Bess McKinney, and Kim Eng for helping us get this initiative realized. Students left with a greater understanding of what it means to lead with empathy and a set of practical skills to apply throughout the year. As we look forward to the new school year, we are confident that our students are well-prepared to lead with compassion and vision.