Leadership 101 by Sela

Leadership 101 by Sela - August 2015 Scholarship Essay

This generation seems to be more focused on how many followers they have on Twitter or Instagram than having innovative ideas. They want to be followers, not leaders. If there are only followers in the world, then how will the world evolve? Therefore, leadership class should be added to the American high school curriculum.

Leadership class would benefit not only the community but will also teach the “followers” to become leaders. This course will have more impact than the average student council or government clubs because students will learn what it truly means to be a leader and implement their knowledge. They will study how great leaders such as George Washington or business leaders such as Steve Jobs led their followers. The students will list the pros and cons of different leadership skills and will gather the ones they believe will benefit themselves in helping them become successful leaders. Although being a follower may be easier at times, how will you learn from your mistakes and gain resilience if you do not break away from following and embrace your differences?

Parents had a point when they said, “If your friends jumped off a cliff, then would you?” Being a follower may have dire consequences such as deciding to do drugs just because other people do it too. Therefore, having this new subject in the high school curriculum will not only teach leadership skills but also give impressionable teenagers confidence in making the right choices. Leadership class will teach students to be a leader of their own lives, not followers of someone else’s life.