Voices that Matter: Rural Youth on Leadership

Although considerable research has explored what it means to be a leader from an adult perspective, little has been conducted from the student perspective as an integral component of leadership education, decision making, or educational change. Findings from a longitudinal qualitative case study presented in this article reveal how youth perceive leadership as a complex construct integrating diverse skills, abilities, learning, and change opportunities as well as team and management processes utilized to improve the world and people in it. Youth perceptions of leadership also include responsibility, active and purposeful self-direction, inspiration, desire and willingness to make a difference, ethical character, and collaborative partnerships with school and district leaders. This article thus bridges the gap in research involving rural youth and informs high school principals and leadership educators about ways to initiate and foster a positive educational change and sense of community among youth, community, school, and district leaders.