Opp City School Board members received a firsthand look at the Leader In Me program at Opp Elementary School this week.

OES Principal Shawn Short said the program is a big investment for the school board and he wanted them to see it in action.

“It’s one thing for me to go to the board meeting and tell them what we are doing,” he said. “It’s another thing for them to see what the students are learning.”

The Leader in Me is Franklin Covey’s whole school transformation process.

It is designed to teach leadership and life skills to students and creates the idea that every child can be a leader. It also has been implemented in Andalusia Elementary School.

OES students gave a presentation in which they spoke about the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, which are:

• Be proactive;
• Begin with the end in mind;
• Put first things first;
• Think win-win;
• Seek first to understand, then to be understood;
• Synergize; and
• Sharpen the saw.

LaTashia Coleman said her favorite habit is “Begin with the end in mind.”

“At the beginning of school, I know I want to go to the AR Party, so that means I have to read more books,” she said.

Reid Ellis said his favorite habit is “Put first things first.”

“It reminds me to do my homework and chores first,” he said. “Then, play outside or play the X-Box.”

Maddie Barnes chose “Seek first to understand, then to be understood.”

“I think good leaders are good listeners,” she said.

Rylie Kate Thrash talked about Synergize. She said teamwork was important.

JayMarcus Head talked about “Sharpening the saw.”

He talked about eating right and exercising.

Afterward, the entire student body sang songs associated with the Leader in Me program.

Those songs serve as an action-packed way for students to learn the 7 Habits.

–Kendra Majors