Category 1: Local Leaders

Local Leaders
A: Task:

Design a website and/or create a video story that identifies famous or important people in your community (e.g. politicians, authors, artists, musicians, sports figures).

The theme for CyberFair 2024 is COLLABORATE & Unite!

Let's unite to protect our communities, our environment, our culture, our health, our animals, and our future.

"In collaboration we find strength, support, and the power to overcome any challenge. Magic happens when we collaborate with an open heart and a shared vision." ~Unknown


B: Learning Objectives:
  1. Students will understand the qualities and individual responsibilities required of citizens in their country.

  2. Students will be able to list their local community leaders and describe their contributions.

C: Discussion Questions:
  • How can students find out who their local leaders are?
  • Who are the local leaders?
  • What path did they take to become leaders?
  • Who were leaders from the past?
  • Do the students personally know any local leaders?
  • What are the qualities of a leader?
  • What makes a person want to become a leader?
  • What does the term "Civic Leadership" mean?
  • What's the difference between being a "leader" and being famous?

D: Suggested Starter Activities:

The commitment of students to community service and civic responsibility is enhanced when they learn about inspirational role models from the past but particularly when the leaders come from their own community. Students can gain insights into how they personally can make a difference in the lives of other people through civic participation. Through these activities and processes, students gain a sense of self-worth that connects them to their community.

  1. View past projects produced by students in this category.
  2. Develop a questionnaire/survey to help determine who their local leaders are. Students should list any people they personally know whom they consider to be local leaders.
  3. Use the local newspaper to locate prominent people. What are they doing for their community? (To understand what motivates civic leaders students must see what values and assumptions they hold, what they honor and what they seek.)
  4. Listen to the local TV stations and/or read the newspaper for "quality of life issues." Identify and convey the main items cited as important to people living in your community according to these leaders.
  5. Look for similarities and differences between a neighboring community in terms of "quality of life issues."
  6. List several former leaders from the area. What did they do for the community? List or describe the changes they made in community. Describe any changes that have taken place since they were leaders.
  7. Interview parents, grandparents or neighbors who have lived in the community for many years and invite guest speakers who can relate details of the history of the community firsthand.
  8. Create a "Hall of Fame" of school alumni who have made contributions to the community, the nation and/or the world which can be established in the school to identify role models and enhance school pride.
  9. Students and their parents attend meetings of the school board and city council as part of the leadership process. Students can report on issues discussed at meetings, research and take positions on those issues. Students can simulate meetings of the city council or school board, debate issues, vote and compare their outcomes with those of the board or council.
  10. Discuss the term "civic leadership." Have students, working individually or in cooperative groups, select an article which demonstrates a citizen doing something for the good of others, as in being "civic minded."
  11. Create and distribute copies of a "Leader" award certificate and have students fill out the recipient's name and tell why they have selected that person to receive the award.
  12. Identify specific careers that center around public service.
  13. Identify "quiet leaders" who do important things for others with very little recognition.

E: Examples of Projects