r By Janelle Barrett
Cherry Creek Elementary in Springville recently became the newest Lighthouse School after four years of implementing The Leader In Me program. This award is given by Franklin Covey Co. to schools who have demonstrated excellence and consistency in implementing The Leader In Me, a school transformational model based on Steven Covey’s 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.
To celebrate this milestone, the school hosted a community celebration on Monday, May 7th. Corbin White and Matt McGrath from Franklin Covey presented the lighthouse award to Mike Duncan, principal of Cherry Creek. Entertainment was provided by special guests Cosmo the Cougar and the BYU Dunk Team.
The entire Cherry Creek community has contributed so much time and effort to reach this point in The Leader In Me process. Four years ago, the faculty was presented with the option of implementing this model of culture and curriculum and they decided with unanimous support to do so. Since then, it has required the support of families, staff, and especially the students to make The Leader In Me take life. In March of this year, a Lighthouse Review Team from Franklin Covey took a student-led tour through the school, visiting classrooms and walking the halls, to determine if the school had demonstrated consistent and mature implementation of leadership principles. Mr. Duncan was then notified in April that the school had met all the necessary requirements to be designated as a Lighthouse School.
Students have taken these leadership principles to heart, and they truly are the life-blood of The Leader In Me model. They have taken great pride in reaching Lighthouse status, and they were thrilled to hear the news. Scarlett Robinson, a second-grade student, said, “It’s special because all the kids in the school had to work together, just like Habit #6: Synergize. Our school is doing what’s right to help us learn.” Seth Ramirez, in fourth grade, said, “We’re inspiring other schools to live the habits. The habits help us stay focused on what’s most important–learning and preparing for the future.” Adrianna Herold, a second grader, shared how Cherry Creek is like a lighthouse. “Our example shines bright, and we help each other to feel good about ourselves,” she said. “Habit 2: Begin With the End in Mind has taught me that we can’t get what we want right away, we have to earn it,” said Brayan Monge, a fifth-grade student.
Cherry Creek Elementary is a PreK-6 Title 1 school located in Springville, UT. Cherry Creek strives to live by its mission statement, “We Lead. We Learn. We Inspire. I am important!”
