The National Center for Girls' Leadership at Stuart delivers on its mission through an innovative preschool through grade 12 leadership curriculum that is committed to teaching the five standards of leadership: values, intellect, agency, collaboration and vision.
The National Center for Girls’ Leadership at Stuart Leadership Endorsement is a customized and personalized opportunity for each girl to leverage her unique passion and interests towards developing authentic leadership skills. While each girl has the freedom to guide her own experiential learning program, she does so following an organized, and clear set of experiences scaffolded in a developmentally appropriate way. During her four years as an Upper School Leadership Endorsement candidate, she will not only practice leadership skills and learn more about a content area of her choosing, but she will learn how to take a casual interest and conduct authentic, productive academic inquiry.
Leadership Endorsement Concentrations
Leadership Endorsement in STEM
Leadership Endorsement in Arts & Humanities
Leadership Endorsement in Social Justice
Leadership Endorsement in Business and Entrepreneurship
Selected courses already in curriculum will count (like a minor) - Plus 1 required Leadership course which will be offered every trimester and in the summer
Summer Beyond Stuart Experience (Portfolio Reflection)
Off-site conference related to leadership or content area (Portfolio Reflection)
Participation in a minimum of 3 #LLAG initiatives/events (Portfolio Reflection)
Expansion of the leadership programs at Stuart has been made possible by the Harris B. Siegel Fund for Student Leadership, established by Patricia Costante and Stephanie Champi ’12. Their generous gift was given to Stuart in gratitude for Mr. Siegel, a long-time director of college counseling.
Student Reflections
“I consider the endorsement opportunity a truly awesome experience, for it not only allows me to further my own interest in computer science but also leads to numerous interactions with other motivated students here at Stuart. I joined the endorsement as a freshman. Back then, I was pretty determined that my life-long passion lies in computer science, yet I was still not very sure how to pursue such a path. The endorsement really helped me a lot by providing detailed guidelines and potential plans for what a student might want to do in the Upper School. I remembered reading through the requirements line by line and finding matching courses to fulfill the credit needed. Earlier this academic year, I presented my junior venture project, which was a simulation of spin z-axis measurement in a three-qubit system, inspired by a quantum computing class I was taking. This is definitely a challenging experience, but also a valuable one that paves the way for any future research. Overall, I enjoyed enrolling in the Leadership in STEM endorsement a lot, and I look forward to mentoring some juniors! " - Caroline Chen '22, STEM Endorsement
“Being a STEM Endorsement candidate has opened my eyes to new opportunities that I would never have seen. Through the endorsement, I've been able to attend scientific conferences, take classes with exceptional instructors, and conduct research in areas of my choice. I started with conferences in my freshman year, taking me across the state and even to New York; these showed me the possibilities when it came to student-led research. Fast forward to my junior year, I was able to conduct research of my own. My Junior Venture was centered around breath work and yoga--things that I thoroughly enjoy. I've even been able to apply my research in my own life, showing me the real-world benefits of research. Now, I'm able to mentor other candidates and ensure that their experience is one that they'll never forget. Overall, the program has been an incredible experience, and I'm excited to use what I've learned here at Stuart in my life after high school.” - Kelsie Bouyer '22, STEM Endorsement
The National Center for Girls' Leadership hosts the Women in Leadership Speaker Series and invites panelists to address topics related to STEM, Business, and Social Justice. Each panel included professional women from within and outside the Stuart community and is open to students in all three divisions. The panel format invites more community building and networking opportunities for our students and demonstrates that women are leading in all professional sectors! The Women in Leadership Speaker Series meets goals 2 and 4 of the Sacred Heart Goals and addresses all five of the NCGLS Leadership Standards: Values, Intellect, Agency, Collaboration, and Vision.
Our work in advancing the mission of girls’ schools includes ensuring our students have role models and mentors to help them see a career pathway with their skills and talents, especially in male-dominated industries. The Office of Alumnae Engagement has partnered with the National Center for Girls’ Leadership at Stuart for a Career Day with alumnae and parents, followed by a networking fair.
The expansion of our leadership programs has been made possible by the Harris B. Siegel Fund for Student Leadership, established by Patricia Costante and Stephanie Champi ’12. Their generous gift was given to Stuart in gratitude for Mr. Siegel, a long time director of college counseling.