Taking the Lead

Steward’s Leadership Program is a three-year pathway for students in grades 9-11 that combines hands-on learning with academic studies, enabling participants to become effective, empathetic leaders. The program focuses on group dynamics, conflict resolution, global engagement, and social justice. 

Students complete a capstone project during their junior year or during the summer between their junior and senior years if they joined the program as sophomores. They design and implement a project at Steward or in the broader community aimed to create positive change on an issue of their choice. As part of the requirements of the program, students present their capstone projects to their families, plus faculty and administrators.

This past April, the Leadership Program celebrated the accomplishments of 17 members of the Class of 2025 who completed their capstone projects during the 2024-2025 school year. They were joined this September by four more students who proudly presented their projects, which they completed over the summer. 

Creating Positive Change
From leading campus workshops and classes to organizing service projects and engaging in advocacy campaigns in the broader community, students made a significant impact. 

For example, Luke Eiben ’25 collaborated with Capital Trees, which aims to bolster Richmond’s public green spaces. His initial plan was to plant some trees in these green spaces. However, a series of obstacles forced him to change direction, and he instead worked with Capital Trees to collect data (including type, diameter, and health) on all of the trees in Capital Trees’ digital inventory. “Through this unexpected obstacle, I learned a valuable leadership lesson,” shared Luke. “It’s okay to pivot as long as the heart of the project remains the same.”

Anna Carpinelli ’25 saw her capstone project as an opportunity to make an impact at Steward. Concerned by the litter she saw on campus, she organized campus clean-ups during Upper School community time. “This capstone project has shown me how to step up for an issue in today’s society that I am passionate about and that relates to our smaller community,” she said. 

Student Reflections
The capstone presentations were also an opportunity for students to reflect on how they have grown as leaders during their time in the Leadership Program. 

Meira Boyle ’25 reflected on her experience canvassing for the Richmond Triangle Players: “The Leadership Program has helped me become more confident in myself and my abilities as a leader. It also gave me the skills and resources to advocate for issues I care about to bring positive change to our community.”   

Justin Fratkin ’25, who organized free tennis clinics for elementary school-age children, spoke on the value of teamwork in leadership: “I learned how important it was for me to gain the respect of the players and in turn for the players to have respect for me. This respect is crucial to the performance of the team. If one side of the coin, whether boss to employee or coach to player, does not respect the other, then there is no hope for success. Being a leader is ultimately a team effort.” 

Morgan Shigley ’25 learned valuable lessons about adaptability and resilience through her capstone project aimed at addressing housing insecurity. She shared, “I learned that not everything will go according to plan and that staying calm when you face an obstacle is the best thing to do. A good leader has to adapt to any situation and use the resources that are available to you at the moment and make the best out of it.”

Making a Difference
“We are enormously proud of these students,” said Eliza McGehee, who coordinates the program with the assistance of fellow Upper School Teacher Scottie O’Neill. “This inaugural cohort of Leadership Program students have set an impressive example for other students in the Upper School about how they can make a difference in their community.” 

Congratulations to all the Class of 2025 Leadership Program students: Jordyn Adkins, Brian Archer, Meira Boyle, Anna Carpinelli, Jay Damodar, Lina Dawson, Luke Eiben, Caroline Everett, Justin Fratkin, Sadie Goldberg, Nathan Gu, Meg Harrison, Nels Moore, Shreya Natarajan, Xavier Nelson, Sienna Rankins, Braylan Rice, Matthew Ruiz, Morgan Shigley, Sarah Vermaaten, and Kaylyn Whiteside.