Leadership

Eighth Grade Leadership Programming

As the oldest students on campus, Calvert Eighth Graders are afforded increased responsibilities and unique leadership opportunities as they become role models for younger students. These opportunities, typically reserved for upper school students, support Calvert Eighth Graders at an age when they are naturally seeking greater independence and agency.

As Head Master Andrew Holmgren writes in The Middle School Years, "Emotionally, Calvert provides a community where every student is known. People often talk of needing a ‘larger pond’ for the middle school years, while in fact, the opposite is true. Calvert’s Middle School is a place with rich extra-curricular offerings and a culture that encourages children to try the new without fear of failure. This is how our boys and girls will come to discover their likes, dislikes, and in many cases, their life-long passions."

Hand-in-hand with these extra-curricular opportunities, the Institute for Leadership & Purpose invites Calvert Eighth Graders to lead fundraisers, spearhead new community partnerships, participate in experiential learning, and act purposefully in their upper school decision process.

The Middle School Years

Eighth Grade Leadership Opportunities:

List of 5 items.

Eighth Grade Captains

Black & Gold
Calvert's Black & Gold Leaders initiate and plan spirit events, celebrations, and guest speakers for the on-campus community. By modeling the Calvert Pillars of respect, compassion, responsibility, and honor, Black & Gold Leaders proudly set an example for their peers.

Community Action
Community Action Leaders facilitate and prepare discussions of social action and work with community partners to create positive social change.

Environmental Stewardship
Calvert's Environmental Stewards spearhead the School's sustainability-based projects and assist with outdoor education, including caring for the on-campus garden, managing the School's composting system, advocating for green initiatives, and planning school-wide activities for Earth Week.

Fine Arts
Fine Arts Leaders are creative mentors for all students on campus, and they are responsible for facilitating productions such as the Middle School Talent Show, Winter Musical, and Middle School Assemblies.
Castalia Projects

A Calvert tradition, the Castalia Project is a long-term capstone project completed during each student's final year at the School. Under the one-on-one guidance of a faculty or staff member, the students research a topic of their choosing and present their findings to the Calvert community on Castalia Night each spring. These projects represent the culmination of each student's Calvert journey and celebrate the many skills gained in their education thus far.
Mock Interviews

In the fall, every Calvert Eighth Grader meets with a member of the faculty or staff for a practice or mock interview. These meetings prepare students for the interviews involved in the upper school decision process and allow them to connect with a variety of adults on campus, who then provide feedback to encourage the students to grow their speaking skills and confidence.
Reflection Speeches

As part of their final year at the School, Eighth Graders are challenged to write a speech that recounts a special memory or expresses a meaningful message to their peers. A key part of Calvert’s leadership curriculum, the Reflection speeches require student to describe a narrative, work with teachers to fine-tune its message, and deliver the finished speech in front of their friends and classmates.

In many ways, these Reflection speeches mark the climax of each students’ time at Calvert, and each year, one remarkable student is selected to deliver their speech during their graduation ceremony.
Upper School Placement Process

Eighth Grade students prepare for school visits by completing a student resume and practicing interviews with adults in our school community. Students and parents routinely meet with the placement coordinator throughout the fall and winter to analyze experiences and ultimately make an enrollment decision.