Leadership Program

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The Dunn School Leadership Program

Aligned to Dunn School’s long-standing mission of educating the whole student to his or her fullest potential in preparation for a life of learning and responsible leadership in society, the Leadership Program has been developed by incorporating the five following components (listed alphabetically):

• Community Service

• Global Leadership

• On Campus: Seminars and Speakers

• Outdoor Education

• Student Leadership

Community Service

Objective: Establishing a school program to instill helping others as a philosophy of all Dunn Community members – how to encourage “random acts of kindness” as the Dunn way. All students will be required to participate in Community Service activities throughout the year. For example: “Dunn School Day of Caring” on September 17^th, 2011

– 6^th – 8^th – Provide opportunities for them to participate in Upper School projects listed below

– Freshmen – Beach clean-up

– Sophomores – Restoring hiking trails and landscaping at Sedgwick Ranch

– Juniors – Painting playground and landscaping the park at Sunny Fields

– Seniors – Campus project TBD

Entire Community helping and participating culminating in a BBQ for all

"Glocal" Initiatives

Thinking Locally & Acting Globally

Objective: To expose Dunn students in grades 6-12 to a vast array of cultural experiences that contain components of cultural literacy and immersion, community service, and environmental awareness through travel both nationally and worldwide. We will investigate and execute trips that students and faculty can participate in to make a difference in the world and for them.

Examples include:

First Trip completed in February 2011: In conjunction with Los Olivos Rotary, 11 students and two faculty members went to Guatemala to help Constru Casa build four houses for people in the town of Antigua.

“We came to Guatemala to make a change, but we also have been changed by this powerful experience.” – Faculty leader Ulises Castaneda

Additional Trips: Middle School Mexico Trip – first week after graduation – working with the organization PEACE

The Dunn School Thailand Photo Expedition with Rustic Pathways June 13^th – June 29^th

On Campus: Seminars and Speakers

Objective: To develop a curriculum to teach leadership, character, integrity, and knowledge of self and others

For example: Each class will have a “Seminar” during H period and selected speakers will be brought in to help supplement the curriculum

Outdoor Education:

Objectives: To experience physical and mental challenges during which students feel risk and reward and stretch boundaries of comfort; To experience group decision making; To experience student and teacher bonding, peer to peer bonding and self-leadership; To increase an appreciation of the outdoors and to develop an environmental consciousness; To learn basic outdoor skills.

Examples include:

6^th grade experience: Will again visit Camp Ocean Pines which provides Environmental Education and a basic camping experience for the 6^th graders. The Middle School teachers will run this 4 day trip bringing a comfort to the students as they experience the wilderness.

7^th grade experience: Will visit the Pinnacles area for their outdoor experience. This 5 day trip staffed by hired instructors and the middle school teachers will give the 7^th graders a personal challenge as they learn to work together as a group

8^th grade experience: Will visit the Joshua Tree area for a backpacking experience in the back country. Together with hired instructors and the Middle School teachers, this 6 day trip will challenge the 8^th graders as they learn to be leaders in the outdoors.

9^th grade experience: Will visit Montana de Oro State Park in Morro Bay to give these 9^th graders a trip which includes sea-kayaking, rock climbing and hiking. The 4 day trip in the fall staffed by the High School teachers will give these students a bonding and team building experience.

10^th grade experience: Will visit the Los Padres National Forest for a 5 day back-packing trip focusing on learning about working with others in the woods. This 5 day trip will be staffed by 4 hired Instructors and 4 Wilderness First Aid Dunn teachers.

11^th grade experience: Will visit the Los Padres National Forest for a challenging 5 day back-packing trip focusing on more leadership skills that are necessary for the back country. This 5 day trip will be staffed by 4 hired Instructors and 4 Wilderness First Aid Dunn teachers.

12^th grade experience: Will have two experiences: the first will be an overnight trip in the fall to help them focus on their goals for the year and their leadership expectation. The second is the spring experience focusing on the final bonding of the class through a service project, a solo experience and a white water rafting trip. This will be staffed with hired instructors and Dunn faculty members.

OE Fundraising: The Leadership Program is currently funded and sustained through the annual operating budget. Approximately 90% of that budget ($40,000) is dedicated to the Outdoor Education component of the Leadership Program. Because of its importance in the history of the school and the value it has provided to so many Dunn students, it is the intention of the school community to add to the Outdoor Education budget with an end of 2010-2011 school year fundraising plan to support immediate program needs. For the 2011-2012 school year, we will create a fundraising plan to raise endowment to fund Outdoor Education program improvements.

Student Leadership

Objective: This committee is focused on helping to teach, work with, and to inspire the student leaders. There is an emphasis on training the student leaders and training those adults who work with them.

For example: We have developed an action-packed Orientation weekend created to incorporate the student leaders in a more active way as they welcome new students to our community.