(COVINGTON, La.) — Over the past few months, the St. Paul’s Student Council has helped put together Leadership week to help acknowledge, celebrate, and encourage student leaders on campus. Celebrated on campus April 11-15, Leadership Week is designed to be fun, informative, and inspire future leaders from within the ranks of students.

“To me, Leadership Week stands as a hallmark of St. Paul’s ability to shape quality leaders,” student body president Leland Van Deventer said. “Thanks to the current faculty and student leaders that strive to guide our younger students, we can continue this cycle of excellent leaders for many years to come.”

The Student Council every year puts on this week for students to attend and participate in events that happen around campus. On Monday, SPS hosted and lost its annual Challenge Night against St. Scholastica Academy.

Tuesday was to include a President’s Assembly, hosted by Bro. Ray Bulliard, FSC, but the assembly was cancelled due to bad weather.

Wednesday,  Leadership Breakfast took place, which recognizes the extracurricular leaders of the school. The breakfast included a keynote speech by alumnus Larry Rase, who encouraged the student leaders to be active in the community.

Thursday, guest speaker Jonathan Kerning spoke to the student body about getting back on your feet after adversity. On this day, elections were also held for the 2016-2017 Student Council Executive Board, resulting in the election of President Will Murphy, Vice-President Oliver Sibley, Treasurer Josh Devier, and Secretary Alex Nunez, who will all preside over the student body next school year.

Friday, senior Parker Layman created the annual year in review video for the student body to watch at assembly. Also, SPS announced the results on Executive Board election, and afterward, celebrated the 50th year alumni at the assembly.

“Much of Leadership Week is based on tradition, what has worked in the past,” Principal Trevor Watkins said. “Every year the new Student Council modifies the events to try to improve on past years; I have no doubt that this year’s events will be the best ever.”

The Student Council, under the leadership of moderator Joanna Case and the Executive Council, have been planning this event for many months. They have also met with their corresponding leaders from St. Scholastica to plan and organize the combined event of Challenge Night.

“The Student Council has been working tirelessly for three months now to have everything in motion for this week,” Van Deventer said. “From our election preparations to our Leadership Week speaker discussions, this week has been a major project for all of our members and associates.”

Leadership Week is also put in place to emphasize that SPS has many extracurricular activities that can give a student a chance to become a leader in an activity he likes.

“A leader is not afraid to stand up for what is right even when everyone else is against him, puts the good of others before his own self good, embraces the ideals of the organization that he belongs to — in this case St. Paul’s school — and does everything he can to promote those ideals,” Bro. Ray said.