South Park Nominated Leaders for October 2023

Check out our South Park Elementary Broncs that were nominated and celebrated as Students of the Month on Thursday, November 2nd, for being great role models and excellent examples of what leaders can be in our school!

In the Belle Fourche School District, we pride ourselves in providing each and every student the confidence and opportunities to shine as active leaders both inside and outside of the classroom, building the essential skills that will help them succeed in both the present and future as lifelong learners and leaders who build both themselves and others up!

To help students understand what it means to be a leader, the importance of being a leader for both ourselves and others, and to recognize that they each possess unique strength and abilities to be a leader, students in the Belle Fourche Elementary buildings this year have been participating in an online program called Leader in Me, and this is our second month now of recognizing some of the students that have been specifically showing the skills that align with our online leadership program called Leader in Me! This is a program practiced each school day to help our young Bronc students develop mindsets, skills and behaviors that can help them succeed both inside and outside of school through studying and practicing seven foundational habits that will help students to develop their personal effectiveness to guide them on the road to happiness and help them lead the changes that will make the world a better place.

The seven effective habits that our schools work to helps students build to be great leaders and role models include:


Our South Park leaders celebrated this month at our assembly for the month of October for their outstanding leadership skills included:

  • Adarion Johnson (1st Grade): Adarion showed his leadership skills by beginning with the end in mind (Habit #2) through his choice of principles in the classroom daily – such as by showing respect, kindness, and responsibility in finishing his work every day!
  • Henry Bishop (1st Grade): Henry leads in his classroom by being willing to help others, making good choices, and by using a think win-win mindset (Habit #4) with everyone he meets!
  • Jace Lafontaine (2nd Grade): For Jace, he has been a leader in his classroom by being proactive (Habit #1) and beginning with the end in mind (Habit #2). His leadership skills have shined in the classroom through his great attitude towards working towards his goals and being respectful to others in the classroom.
  • Avery Carmichael (2nd Grade): Avery has been leading in her classroom by beginning with the end in mind (Habit #2), while setting goals for herself, on top of being a trusted student that teachers can count on to tell the truth!
  • Heidi Willey (3rd Grade): For Heidi, she has been putting first things first (Habit #3) in the classroom, while also working to motivate her siblings and others around her to do the same. Heidi has also been doing a fantastic job seeking first to understand before being understood by listening to those around her with empathy.
  • Our other nominated 3rd Grade student leader lead in his classroom by putting things first things first (Habit #3) by asking his teacher what work he has missed after he has been gone from school. This fantastic Bronc is great at turning in their work in completed in a timely manner!
  • Reagan Eck (4th Grade): Reagan’s leadership show this month through putting first things first (Habit #3) by working proactively to get her schoolwork done well and on time, while also being a significant role model to the classmates around her!
  • Gunner Olsen-Patton (4th Grade): Gunner’s leadership abilities showed themselves through his think win-win attitude (Habit #3) and synergizing (Habit #6) by working very well with others. Gunner also demonstrated his capability to put first things first (Habit #3) through prioritizing the work that needs done!

Not only did we recognize some of our South Park leaders from each grade, but two North Park Elementary student leaders were also nominated and celebrated on November 2nd for demonstrating overall leadership abilities in alignment with our seven Leader in Me habits! Our North Park kindergarten leaders celebrated for the month of October included: Brooks Lynch and Della Wilen!


[Shown in photo: Brooks Lynch with his Leader in Me medal & certificate.]

We are so proud of our South and North Park leaders for demonstrating these foundational habits in ways that best fit their unique strengths, and we rewarded this month’s leaders with not only their own leader medal and certificates, and a picture with this month's special mascot, but also a gift certificate for a free meal at Applebee’s!


We also recognize that each and every student is working hard on honing their skills in leadership, and to reward them for their hard work and to continue to inspire our elementary students, we brought in a special leader to join us at our Leader in Me Assembly who was very excited to help support and motivate our young Broncs: Chase from Paw Patrol!


We thank our Belle Fourche families, school staff, hardworking students, and community organizations and programs that all come together to help provide students the opportunities, tools, and skills they need to help our students be their best selves and live their best, successful lives! We also very much look forward to next month’s South Park and North Park Leader in Me assemblies to continue to honor our hard working, young Broncs in their ongoing progress in building essential leadership skills to help them be their best selves!

Way to go South Park & North Park Broncs for being such wonderful leaders, and for continuing to build those skills each month; keep up the great work!