Mount Mercy Academy, under the direction of Suzanne Overdorf, is once again offering its Leadership Program to females in eighth grade from local Catholic, public and charter schools. The program meets once per quarter at Mount Mercy Academy in South Buffalo. The Institute will culminate with a graduation ceremony in May.
All local grammar schools were invited to participate, and 26 girls received recommendations from their principals to be part of the Mount Mercy Academy Leadership Academy. Participating schools include South Buffalo Charter School, Notre Dame Academy, Queen of Heaven, St. John Vianney, West Seneca East Middle School, Southtowns Catholic, St. Monica at Nativity Miguel, Our Lady of Victory and Discovery School.
The program is designed to develop and refine inherent leadership skills. Public speaking is one of the main areas of focus during the program as it is an essential component of leadership. Students are also instructed on how to identify strong role models through the use of literature, film, poems and inspirational quotes.
Another facet of the program is learning about the moral responsibility that comes with leadership. This includes the onus to use one’s gifts to improve the world.
Students create a vision board to help them realize their short-term and long-term goals for the future. The future leaders are also charged with the task of creating a service project based on a need in their school or in the community.
Overdorf, who is also a member of Mount Mercy’s Board of Trustees, commented: “Each year I witness the transformation in students when high behavioral expectations are set. These students enter the program a little unsure of themselves and leave very confident with a better sense of who they are, where they want to go and what their responsibilities are in making our world better.”
