Founded on a vision of growth and community, the Chick-fil-A Leadership Academy is steadily transforming into its humble beginnings. Despite being in its developmental phase, members are already putting in significant effort into many of their service projects including their Do Good December project. The project the students are working on expands on their impact by teaming up to make a difference in their community during the holiday season. With each passing year, the club’s leaders also want to incorporate board executives’ teams into the mix. As the club grows, its potential to shape a vibrant community becomes increasingly clear.
After deeper consideration from the officers of Chick-fil-A Leadership Academy, they plan on giving back to the community, more specifically elementary schools. For ‘Do Good December’ their project is a school supply drive that will collect all types of supplies such as pens, pencils, bags, sharpeners, and much more that can help a little one be able to help the ones who do not have those resources.
Senior Usivuyise Dapo plans to partner up with other club organizations to help with this drive such as Kerr Pals to create a seamless transition into a wonderful community-aiding event.
“We want to send out teacher request forms about supplies they do need and have the Alief higher-ups get involved with this project to help spread the word,” Dapo said. “We plan on sending out Google forms and emails regarding our plans.”
Dapo was stepping into his new role as president of the Chick-fil-A Leadership Academy, balancing the responsibilities that came with it. Together with his officer team, he’s navigating the challenges and opportunities of leadership, working to make a positive impact through the academy.
“Currently, the goal is to foster a welcoming community of dedicated members who are going towards a like-minded way of giving back to the community,” Dapo said. “The goal is to better the community since the club is still relatively new. I want to focus more on the community aspect within ourselves before branching out regarding new initiatives. Everything we’re doing would be new and we’re still trying to figure out things in terms of reaching out to members within our community. Especially those who need help or services of any kind, finding ways for us to expand in that regard and trying to reach as many people as we possibly can and change the lives of others.”
Junior Bao Luong, a newly appointed secretary, shared some insights on the academy’s progress and challenges.
“Since the academy’s inception, we’ve faced several challenges, particularly with maintaining active membership and ensuring consistent attendance at meetings,” Luong said. “In the last year, issues with members and other complications affected our ability to keep a steady flow of participants. This year, we’re focused on bringing everyone together for each meeting. We’re also working on scheduling meetings on less busy days to accommodate members involved in other clubs and activities, making it easier for them to commit without feeling overwhelmed. Additionally, several more steps were put in place to ensure member attendance would be perfect, such as offering members more incentive to be involved in their communities.”
Alongside newly appointed officers, Freshman Wilson Hong is eager to find new ways to get involved in his community and participate in school clubs.
“I’m a bit on the shy side, but I want to use Chick-fil-A Leadership Academy to build my confidence and step out of my comfort zone,” Hong said. “I’m also close to Usi and already consider him a mentor. He supports me in so many ways, even outside of the club, and I’m incredibly grateful for that. Joining this club has been one of the best choices I’ve made for myself.”
As the Chick-fil-A Leadership Academy continues to grow, its members and leaders remain focused on building a strong foundation for the future. By addressing past challenges and fostering a supportive environment, the club is steadily improving its systems and expanding its impact.
The Academy is going through a development phase in which we insist we mainly ask prior members who are currently in the club for their experiences from last year, and we’re taking that input to implement a better system for this year all the while doing our service project this year,” Dapo said. “By embracing feedback and staying committed to our mission, we’re confident that the Academy will continue to grow and make a lasting impact in the community.”
