On Tuesday, October 29, 90 Culver City High School students will come together to talk about leadership – from starting new clubs to assisting peers in making good choices and strategic decisions throughout high school.

The first Centaurian Leadership Conference will be held throughout the school day and will include a variety of workshops run by students and community leaders. Sessions will include everything from Effective Leadership and Community Outreach to Action Planning. CCUSD Superintendent Dave LaRose will deliver the keynote address, and Sony Pictures Entertainment, Culver City Toyota and Jackson Market are sponsoring the event.  

 
The 90 students selected to participate were picked because of their involvement with student clubs, demonstrated leadership potential, and/or desire to attend.  

Dr. Carlos Valverde, Intercultural Literature Teacher / Director of Student Activities at Culver City High School, said the conference was the brainchild of ASB President Nick Guthman and ASB Vice President Roy Gonzalez, who worked closely with their fellow ASB students to put the event together.

“In my 11 years working as Director of Student Activities at CCHS, never have I been so impressed with such a great group of young leaders willing to take on the incredible amount of work, dedication, and challenges, in order to make a difference in the lives of their peers,” Valverde said. “Their mission is to show their peers the power and nobility of community involvement and service above self. These students are true indicators that our future as a country and world is in excellent hands.”  

Valverde said the conference has its roots in other similar efforts.

Last year, the school’s Student Council began the school year with an all-student body assembly emphasizing the theme of “empowerment,” including an overview of the wide array of clubs, programs, classes, volunteer work that Culver City High School offers its students.

This year, the Student Council decided to focus on the theme of “legacy” by highlighting the accomplishments of past students and teachers. The September assembly included video footage of several alumni, founders of existing programs, sharing their thoughts on why they started the programs they did. The event included the founders of the 22-year-old Latinos Unidos club, the founder/organizer of the school’s first annual Talent Show, the teacher/founder of the 20-year-old Tolerance Club, the founder of the Black Student Union and even longtime teacher and athletic director Jerry Chabola for his work with the athletics program.

At that time, Student Council leaders challenged the student body with the question, “What will be your legacy?”

Now, they are doing their best to develop more leaders who can create their own legacies.