So you want to join the student council but aside from having leadership skills, are there other traits that a young leader should possess? We went straight to the source: the TK grade 6 student council members:

• Macallister G
• Kieran T
• Kuma H
• Matteo R
• Brendan O
• Jae-Baek C
• Lilia T
• Lida R
• Josephine K
• Elena S
• Elizaveta B
• Zee B
• Min-seo C
• Nora G
• Megan K
• Hiroyasu K
• Brendan O
• Iida R
• Ellie S
• Xiaoya Z

So, what makes a good leader? The TK grade 6 student council — with TK teacher mentor to the student council, Mr Austin Wellman — gave us their top five tips:

Tip #1: Listen with respect
Active listening helps to build positive relationships because it shows people that you are interested in their needs as well as what they are trying to say.

Tip #2: Take care of others
When you show that you care, you create a collaborative environment that encourages everyone to do their best. This includes teachers, students and anyone who works at CIS.

Tip #3: Show kindness
A kind leader puts people first and treats them with empathy.

Tip #4: Be a confident risk-taker
When a leader shows confidence, they demonstrate that they have the necessary expertise and can be trusted to lead the team.

Tip #5: Communicate, communicate, communicate
Last but not least, make sure to communicate well with others so everyone understands what needs to be done.