Contrary to its name, the Chick-Fil-A Leadership Academy is not designed to entice chicken fanatics around the school. While clubs around the U.S are sponsored by local Chick-Fil-A restaurants, students who participate in this program gain leadership skills through workshops, getting the opportunity to apply their synthesis by planning an end-of-the-year “impact project.” The Chick-Fil-A Academy is a new club this year at both Brookfield Central and Brookfield East, sponsored by Chick-Fil-A’s local chain. They support high schools in 300 communities around the nation to promote servant leadership, encouraging the idea of “impact through action.”
Mrs. Amie Farley, vice principal of BC and founder of the club, said, “When I heard what the program was about, I thought, ‘Absolutely, our students need to be a part of this.’” After being approached by the local Chick-Fil-A in Brookfield, she extended an offer to all student leadership clubs and got an immediate response from the class council advisors. Students who previously had run for class council or currently hold council positions were sent a chance to apply and answered a rather unconventional and unique set of questions.
Evy Doan (‘18), member of the academy, said she immediately filled out the application upon receiving the email. “The program intrigued me and I was interested in becoming more involved within my community,” she said. After her sophomore year, she decided that she wanted to become integrative in and contributive to as many things as she could.
The club had its second meeting Oct. 13, run by Farley. Students enjoyed complimentary Chick-Fil-A cookies and started to brainstorm ideas for a holiday service project, which would take place in December. They are hoping to engage in a service event and come up with ideas that could potentially take place anywhere, ranging from nursing centers to homeless shelters. Mrs. Ellen Linnihan and Mr. Larry Hipp helped execute the most recent meeting as class council advisors, and Mr. David Salyers, vice president of branch activation at Chick-Fil-A, also attended the meeting.
Farley enthusiastically expressed her high hopes for the club this year: “Ultimately, I’m really excited to see how the students feel about […] a project that they’ve engaged in, they’ve built, they’ve created, and then to see that impact […] later on.”