Steve Jobs once said, “Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower.”

A leader is all about being able to support a team through it all–to be calm and collected in a crisis. Being  part of a team also requires a collective voice. Thankfully, the Engineering, Technology and Innovations (ETI) school of study has come up with an innovative program, giving students an opportunity to be part of a team designed to bring forward new solutions and new ideas for the future of the engineers of Elkhart High School. 

This ETI Leadership Team will be in charge of promoting every event that occurs inside their school of study, providing crucial information needed to the student body so that they can be more connected with all that ETI has to offer. Two such events in October, for example, will be Manufacturing Month and the College Fair. Interacting with the Freshman Division will also be a focus of the team, which will allow more underclassmen to become familiar with ETI before selecting a school of study.

Each member of this team is designated as an “ambassador.” And, each has the opportunity to contribute further by signing up for an officer position where he or she feels well suited: President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Historian, and Public Relations Officer, to name a few. Despite their positions, all ambassadors will have the opportunity to participate in events where they will converse with parents and teachers, as well as community business partners.

As Mr. Greg Stover, ETI principal, explains, “The Student Ambassador program is a valuable tool that allows students to learn leadership skills in a student-centered, collaborative environment. Skills learned will help prepare our students for a successful transition to post-secondary school or employment.”  

Six Brewer couldn’t agree more. “Being an ambassador as a senior is wonderful,” she begins. “I get to help people figure out what they want to do as they get older, which is a great feeling, because I know what it’s like to not know what you’re going to do when you get older.”

Naomi Cachiguango, an Elkhart graduate and now junior at Purdue University, confirms Brewer’s statement. “Being more involved at any age is important, but starting in high school can really affect you more, because right after high school is where you have become an adult in the real world,” Cachiguango stresses. “It is where you have to start from scratch and make your way up to the top.”

The ETI school of study is centered around designing and creating ways to help make the life of others easier. Being an ambassador will allow one in that domain to practice the art of leadership and gain real world skills. As of now, there are about 14 official ambassadors. Others interested in becoming an ETI ambassador may wish to contact Mr. Stover via email to inquire further.

The ETI Leadership Team is not only an innovative concept in education, it is also a great way to crucial skills that will help prepare for college, working environments, and beyond.