Leadership

The Institute for Leadership & Purpose (ILP) uses the power of experiential and reflective learning to inspire tomorrow’s leaders to impact their communities and the world through student leadership program.

Grounded in Calvert School’s mission, the Institute offers students and teachers an opportunity to unite with community partners, engage with civic leaders, explore meaningful outreach, and leave behind a legacy of partnership, leadership, and innovation in Baltimore through our student leadership program. Our goal is clear – a commitment to raise students to be leaders with a purpose.

ILP Leadership Journeys Expand to Include Costa Rica and New Mexico

More than seventy Seventh and Eighth Grade students ventured out of state last month, October 20 to October 27, for four immersive leadership journeys that focused on cultural learning, outdoor education, community engagement, and conservation. Led by Calvert chaperones and partner organizations like the World Leadership School, the Island School, and Experience Learning, the students traveled to West Virginia, the Bahamas, Costa Rica, and New Mexico. The latter two signified an expansion of the leadership journey program, bringing the total number of trips offered per year to five – four this fall and one in the spring.

Keep reading for a comprehensive look at each fall leadership journey.
Seventh Grade Ventures to Eastern Shore for Purpose Summit

Last week, the Class of 2024 headed to the Eastern Shore in Maryland for an overnight student leadership retreat and summit. At the summit, Calvert’s Seventh Graders connected with their peers in a beautiful outdoor education setting outside Baltimore and learned more about the concepts of leadership and purpose.

In advisory groups, students participated in a series of workshops, middle school leadership activities, and bonding experiences including outdoor education, a zipline, a climbing wall, and a ropes course. They reflected on their Calvert journey and talked about middle school leadership, specifically how they have been leaders at Calvert through community partnerships and the gifts they bring to the larger community. Throughout the two days, the Seventh Graders had the opportunity to connect with each other and to learn more about their teachers.

Mr. Bennett and Ms. Dennison both took the time to share personal reflections with the whole group about their lives not only as teachers and coaches, but also as individuals in the world. Ms. Liotta was also an important presence, helping remind students that the work they were doing at this summit would lay a strong foundation for next year’s high school placement process.

These conversations were a great starting point for their Eighth Grade year, which includes a thorough journey of self-discovery when they will delve deeper into topics of leadership and purpose while considering where to continue their educational journeys.

In the end, students crafted purpose statements that reflect their individual strengths and the impact they want to have on the world around them. They designed puzzle pieces with their individual statements, which they shared with their classmates at the end of the summit. These puzzle pieces are a visual representation of how each member of the Class of 2024 plays an important role in making the group whole.
Eighth Graders Focus on Community Engagement, Conservation During Puerto Rico Leadership Journey

Fifteen members of Calvert’s Class of 2023 traveled to Puerto Rico earlier this month, April 8 to 14, for an experiential leadership journey that focused on conservation, community engagement, and cultural immersion. This invaluable experience, made possible through Calvert’s Institute for Leadership & Purpose (ILP), featured seven days of team-building and exploration that encouraged the students to look outward and think globally, as well as inward to identify and overcome their own hesitancies and fears.

“I think this entire trip has helped us learn the importance of deep experiences, getting to know local people and processing what we learn,” Claire S. ’23 wrote in the student-led trip blog. “We have had the chance to do that this week and we are all grateful for the opportunity.”
Fulbright Scholar Dr. José B. González Talks the Power of Poetry with Students

Author, poet, and Fulbright Scholar Dr. José B. González spoke with Calvert students and teachers about the power of poetry and language last month as this year’s featured guest in the Luke Stone '86 Speaker Series, a valuable learning opportunity for students made possible through the Institute for Leadership & Purpose (ILP).
Mighty Bees Make A Difference

Purpose-driven leadership and community engagement are core principles of Calvert’s curriculum – both on campus and off – and nowhere is this more evident than in our Middle School, where students continually seek out new ways to improve the world around them. Through food drives, fundraisers, and acts of service, these Mighty Bees are eager to make a difference.
Luke Stone ’86 Speaker Rosalind Wiseman Talks Leadership with Calvert Community

Educator and public speaker Rosalind Wiseman, author of Queen Bees and Wannabees and Masterminds and Wingmen, spoke about the importance of strong leadership and emotional intelligence with the Calvert community on Thursday, April 7, during three sessions focused on the school experiences of children ages 10 to 15 years old.
Calvert Community Donates 1,000+ Supplies in Support of Afghan Refugees

The Calvert community came together this month and last to gather more than 1,000 items in support of refugee families fleeing turmoil in Afghanistan. Led by Calvert’s Diversity and Outreach Club, our community donated these materials as part of Calvert’s fall drive, The New Beginnings Project, in partnership with The International Rescue Committee (IRC). Calvert students packaged the donated materials into more than 135 welcome kits for families joining the Baltimore community.
Meet Sarah DeCamps, Incoming Director of the Institute For Leadership & Purpose

Please join us in welcoming teacher, coach, and advisor Sarah DeCamps to the Calvert community! This fall, Sarah will join the Calvert School team as the new director of the Institute For Leadership & Purpose. We recently caught up with Sarah to learn more about her teaching style, leadership philosophy, and goals for the ILP.