Voices that Matter: Rural Youth on Leadership

Year 2018, Volume: 3 Issue: 2, 311 - 337, 15.12.2018

Victoria Sherif

https://doi.org/10.30828/real/2018.2.8

Abstract

Although considerable research has explored what it
means to be a leader from an adult perspective, little has been conducted from
the student perspective as an integral component of leadership education,
decision making, or educational change. Findings from a longitudinal
qualitative case study presented in this article reveal how youth perceive
leadership as a complex construct integrating diverse skills, abilities,
learning, and change opportunities as well as team and management processes
utilized to improve the world and people in it. Youth perceptions of leadership
also include responsibility, active and purposeful self-direction, inspiration,
desire and willingness to make a difference, ethical character, and
collaborative partnerships with school and district leaders. This article thus
bridges the gap in research involving rural youth and informs high school
principals and leadership educators about ways to initiate and foster a
positive educational change and sense of community among youth, community,
school, and district leaders.

Keywords

Student Voice, Youth Leadership, Team Leadership, Qualitative Research

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