Oak Knoll Develops Tomorrow’s Leaders

Students in grades 4-12 can pursue leadership positions in many contexts: homeroom, Spirit Week committees, fundraisers, liturgies, and class meetings, among other grade-level activities, many of which are initiated and facilitated by the Student Council of Oak Knoll. Each year, incoming sixth graders are encouraged to pursue positions with the Student Council Executive Board as either co-presidents (one boy and one girl) or co-vice presidents (one boy and one girl), taking on leadership roles within the school and leading our Lower School Assemblies. Each September, students in grades 4-6 are also elected to represent their respective classes. The Upper School Student Council is made up of Academic, Athletic, Campus Ministry, Creative Arts, Social, and Core Council which includes class presidents, vice-presidents, council presidents for each of the five councils, student council president, secretary, peer leader coordinators.

Since their inception in 2001, Prayer Families at Oak Knoll have fostered cross-grade relationships from PK-6, including faculty and staff, with a focus on prayer and communal activities. Notably, students in the sixth grade assume leadership roles within these families, guiding discussions on various topics and participating in school liturgies and service projects together.

This signature program focuses on preparing students for middle school by developing leadership skills through structured exploration. The program emphasizes creativity, design thinking, presentation techniques, and foundational leadership abilities, highlighted by the all-day Sixth-Grade Leadership Retreat, where students refine these skills in a supportive environment.

Sixth-graders shine as Lower School leaders by serving the community on selected ministry teams, such as Art, Music, Liturgical Dance, Lector, Altar Server, and Hospitality.

A unique Oak Knoll program that teaches girls to take risks, build confidence, and be themselves. The program is facilitated by grade 7 and 8 teachers and incorporates a variety of class bonding and self-discovery activities.

The Student Diversity Leadership Board focuses on empowering students to promote Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice (DEIJ) within the community. This student group leads initiatives to enact real change, strengthening leadership around justice principles and fostering deeper connections within the school and its broader community, ensuring every voice is heard and contributing to a more inclusive environment.

The Student Ambassador Program consists of approximately 30 students in grades 9-12 who have applied and been selected by the Upper School Director of Admission to represent OKS in a number of different ways. These students serve as tour guides during the school year while also representing OKS at various admission events (Open Houses, Accepted Student Visit Days, Information Sessions, School Fairs, etc.).

The Social Innovators Program is a unique opportunity that allows Oak Knoll girls to learn about social entrepreneurship and experience it first hand while earning a Certificate in Social Entrepreneurship from the University of Pennsylvania. The program is a partnership with the University of Pennsylvania, Schoolyard Ventures, and Oak Knoll.

This program provides an opportunity for members of the senior class to serve the Oak Knoll School community in a special way. Potential candidates must be Roman Catholic, have received the sacraments of initiation, and demonstrated a mature understanding of the Eucharist. Students may apply during the spring of their junior year. After an application process and interview, candidates participate in a training program that includes the history of the ministry, the theology of the Eucharist, and the practical dimensions of this ministry. Candidates who complete this program are commissioned at the Liturgy of the Feast of the Ascension. Special ministers of Holy Communion serve at school-wide Masses and at the weekly morning Masses.

The Leadership Evaluation and Development (L.E.A.D.) Program aims to teach and discuss leadership with student-athletes at Oak Knoll. Through speaker series, team workshops, and an extensive Captains Academy, Oak Knoll students are exposed to leadership teaching throughout each season that transcends the playing surface. Learn more.

The Peer Leader program comprises two seniors working with small groups of seventh-, eighth, and ninth-graders. The Senior Peer leaders meet once a cycle. The meetings include discussions about social and academic pressures; relationships with peers, parents, and faculty; and any problems or concerns that need to be addressed. The younger girls develop a special rapport with their “older sisters” and emulate their behavior and attitude. Students in grades 7-9 gain a sense of comfort and belonging and more connectedness to the high school.

All seniors are required to participate in the Emerging Leaders of a Globalized World program. The program is directed to foster leadership skills for “emerging leaders of today and the future.” Students acquire skills to become confident leaders who can “effectively lead and collaborate in an inclusive world.” The program runs from September to April. There is a synchronous online component that takes place once a month for two hours during the school day, an executive coaching session, and a Learning Team Project component. The program is facilitated by Dr. Rebecca Stilwell, Ph.D., an Organizational Psychologist and Professor at Teachers College, Columbia University.

Underclasswomen look to the Oak Knoll seniors as leaders and role models. Students participate in discussions about their responsibility as role models, their “call to service” as leaders, and the opportunities available for leadership development. The school strongly encourages all juniors to answer this “call to service” by assuming leadership of an Oak Knoll student activity or by running for an elected position. All students in the Senior Class serve as impressive leaders of the school.