Lamar High School recently held its inaugural Male Leadership Summit, drawing 130 enthusiastic student participants. The summit, aimed at fostering positive male leadership, covered various crucial topics relevant to teenagers, ranging from social and self-awareness to the impacts of drugs and alcohol.
The event featured sessions such as "He Ain’t Heavy; He Is My Brother," "Read the Room," "You Can’t Get in Trouble for Being Mad," and "Identity-Facing Adversity and Overcoming Challenges." Students were given the flexibility to choose sessions aligned with their interests, exploring themes like brotherhood, decision-making, mental health, and overcoming teenage challenges.
Volunteers from Lamar, other Arlington ISD campuses, and the Greater Arlington Chamber of Commerce generously shared their personal experiences, providing valuable insights to the Lamar students on positive male leadership.
The initiative was born out of community feedback following Lamar counselor Clarissa Savoy's successful hosting of Lamar’s All Female Career Day. Initially planned for 2020, the summit faced delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic but was successfully implemented during the current school year.
Clarissa Savoy expressed her satisfaction with the summit's success, saying, "Together as a team, we were able to kick off our very first Male Leadership Summit, which was a huge success." The summit concluded with a general session panel discussion, where students took the stage to express gratitude to the volunteers for their guidance and mentorship.
Reflecting on the positive feedback received from both community members and student participants, Savoy confirmed that this summit would not be the last. She remarked, "Working with teenagers in general often affords us many opportunities to make a difference. The goal was to make an impact, and we did exactly that."
Learn more about Arlington ISD’s guidance and counseling department.
