“ Every moment when I’ m being a leader makes me feel like I’ m helping guide the next generation … and that makes me feel like I made a difference.”- Saint David’ s Student
The final meeting for the 2025-26 school year of the Lower School Community Club. Throughout the year, older boys worked alongside younger students in service-oriented activities, learning how to guide, support, and connect across age groups.
that you helped your community.” Another shared,“ One thing I learned about myself is that I can make an impact not only on kids my age but also younger kids.” And perhaps most powerfully:“ Every moment when I’ m being a leader makes me feel like I’ m helping guide the next generation … and that makes me feel like I made a difference.”
What stood out just as much was the reaction of the younger boys. They looked up to these“ big boys.” They listened. They followed. There was excitement and trust in those Saturday sessions that extended far beyond basketball drills or organized activities. And that connection did not end there. When we hosted home games, those same younger students returned— this time sitting in the stands watching the boys who had coached them. You could feel it in the gym: pride, connection, and belonging. The relationship had come full circle. At the center of it all was belonging.
“ Every moment when I’ m being a leader makes me feel like I’ m helping guide the next generation … and that makes me feel like I made a difference.”- Saint David’ s Student
Perhaps the deepest insight from both our research and daily practice is that leadership and belonging are inseparable. Boys who feel seen, valued, trusted, and connected are far more willing to take risks, speak up, lead, and care for others. Belonging is not simply the result of leadership; it is often the condition that allows it to emerge in the first place.
And perhaps most importantly, this learning lasted.
We saw these habits carry beyond Saint David’ s— into classrooms, onto teams, and into new communities. While championships often draw attention, this outcome may be the measure we value most: approximately one in four boys who continue playing interscholastic sports in high school become team captains. Not because they were handed titles, but because they earned trust through consistency, empathy, accountability, and character.
In a culture that often teaches boys to equate success with status, achievement, or dominance, this work offers a different vision of leadership.
Leadership is not about power. It is about presence. It is how you respond when things are difficult. How you treat people when nobody is watching. How you recover after mistakes. How you show up for others.
When schools intentionally create environments rooted in character, mentorship, reflection, and belonging, something lasting begins to take hold. Not just better athletes. Not just stronger students. But young men— who understand that leadership is ultimately about serving something larger than themselves.
Perhaps that is the greatest lesson these boys begin to discover: that leadership is not about being the center of attention, but about helping others grow, feel valued, and believe they belong.
And in doing so, they begin helping guide the next generation. •
Hampton, A.( 2023). Working with boys: Creating cultures of mutual respect in schools. Routledge. Koch, D.( 2024). Refocusing on education-based athletics: A call to action. Academic Press. Nerbun, J. P.( 2022). The Culture System: A Proven Process for Creating Extraordinary Team Culture. TOC Culture Consulting. Zinsser, N.( 2022). The confident mind: A battle-tested guide to unshakable performance. HarperOne.
Pedro Morales is Director of Athletics and Co-Director of Community and Inclusion at Saint David’ s School.
24 • Saint David’ s Magazine