In the Belle Fourche School District, we take pride in empowering every student to become confident, active leaders both in and out of the classroom. We focus on developing essential skills that will support their success as lifelong learners and leaders who uplift themselves and others. Just the same as last year, students in the Belle Fourche Elementary schools this school year have been engaging with an online program called Leader in Me. During each month of this initiative, we are recognizing students who exemplify the leadership qualities emphasized in the program. Each school day, our young Bronc students practice and study seven foundational habits designed to enhance their personal effectiveness, guiding them toward happiness and enabling them to lead positive change in the world.
The seven effective habits that our schools work to helps students build to be great leaders and role models include:
Our South Park and North Park leaders nominated and celebrated this month at our assembly for the month of February for their outstanding leadership skills included:
KG
The first winner from kindergarten uses habit 1: be proactive by showing respect for teachers and her peers. She works hard, follows directions and is kind to all. She begins with the end in mind in being dependable and taking charge of her attitude and actions. This leader is Aliza Adams.
The next winner is very kind inside and out of the classroom. Ashlynn is a great example to her peers and she is always lending a helpful hand. She is a great example of Think Win-Win because she is always making her peers better by giving them encouraging words to help them be successful. She goes out of her way to help others and to be kind to everyone including her peers and teachers. This leader is Ashlynn Ellendorf.
1st
The first winner from first grade is an exceptional student! He always tries to make sure every situation he is part of is a win-win situation! He has been a great role model by helping others find ways to win! He is an excellent leader and tries his hardest every day. This leader is Coy Westland.
The next winner from first grade shows habit #1 “Be Proactive” because she has a great attitude and is always listening and ready to go! She also shows habit #2 “Begin with the End in Mind” when she sets goals to work extra hard to pass her spelling tests and pushes herself and do more than what is expected of her. This leader is Harper Geib.
2nd
The winners from 2nd grade had late entries and thus did not have individual write ups. However, These two students are widely known to be exemplary when it comes to all seven Leader in Me habits. Our second grade winners for the month of February are Sloan Norris and Nathaniel Fisher-Kenstler.
3rd
The first leader from third grade can always be counted on him to be respectful and responsible. He is constantly thinking about the end result in different situations and how he can approach them to achieve the outcomes he wants. He also demonstrates the trait of synergizing when the class is trying to reach a certain goal, he will ask his classmates what they can do to work together to achieve it. This leader is Cinch Cornia.
4th
The first leader from fourth grade uses habit number 5: seek first to understand then be understood when he listens to others and is an excellent friend to all. He also has a Win-Win attitude and helps others be their best selves. He thinks with the end in mind and is very responsible with his homework and assignments. This leader is Anderson Burke.
The next leader from fourth grade was nominated by her classmates for because she uses habit 4: think win-win, habit 1: be proactive and habit 3: put first things first. She is helpful and kind to others and choses to have a great attitude when coming to school. She makes smart choices and gets her work done before anything else. This leader is Hattie Featherston.
The next leader from third grade is a student who seem to always choses to do the right thing. She is great at ALL of the 7 habits and makes great choices. She is kind to all, gets to work right away and tries her best. She is a quiet leader who is artistic, loving and helpful. This leader is also a good friend, especially when someone is hurting. This leader is Ava Martin Del Campo.
We are incredibly proud of our South and North Park leaders for embodying these foundational habits in ways that highlight their unique strengths. This month, we celebrated our leaders with not only their own leader medals and certificates, but also a gift certificate for a free DQ Blizzard.
We extend our heartfelt gratitude to our Belle Fourche families, school staff, dedicated students, and community organizations for coming together to provide the opportunities, tools, and skills that empower our students to thrive and reach their fullest potential. We are also excited for next month’s Leader in Me assemblies at South Park. where we will celebrate our hardworking young Broncs as they continue to develop essential leadership skills.
Great job, South Park and North Park Broncs! Your commitment to being outstanding leaders and enhancing your skills each month is truly commendable—keep up the fantastic work!