I always love when I get an email or call from a teacher asking me to come fill in for a class. While I love the work I do on property at The Leadership Center, taking to the road and spending time with students is always a welcome opportunity. Today’s adventure was just a few miles down the road to Geneva, Nebraska where I had the privilege of taking over Mr. VanDeWalle’s classroom to work with six incredible students. 

Today’s goal: conduct a community needs assessment and have the students lead both the conversation and the action plan. To some, that could seem like an overzealous work load for a 46 minutes class period and for some, it could be. Today’s class was up for the challenge. After some guided questions, the conversations and ideas that came about were quite insightful. The areas and need for action were far from surface level. It’s equal parts excitement, inspiration and insight. Needless to say, these students took the task to heart. 

Forty six minutes flew by. Of course it did. Time usually does when you are having that much fun, right? I am so excited to see how these students take the opportunity to lead and make their own impact on their wonderful community and the world. 

Thank you so much, Mr. VanDeWalle for inviting into your classroom. It was wonderful. 

-Maile Ilac Boeder, IOM