Logger Leadership bridges community, student gap

In its second year a new program allows kids at Libby High School the opportunity to take a class which empowers them to better their community.

Logger Leadership is a class that teaches leadership skills and allows kids to learn through hands-on experiences.

Teacher Nik Rewerts said when he interviewed for the activities coordinator job in Libby seven years ago, he asked the school to consider creating a class like Logger Leadership.

Then, in 2021, the opportunity arose for the school to add a new class. In addition to his activities coordinator responsibilities, Rewerts teaches the leadership class.

It’s a class the school has created for kids that want to be a positive change in the culture and community overall, Rewerts said. He wants to see school spirit increase and have students taking pride in the school.

“The class really connects with community involvement and we want our community to know that we support them as much as they support us,” Rewerts said. “The community is pretty remarkable in how they support kids, but sometimes it doesn't feel that way to kids.”

When the school reaches out to the community, be it raking leaves or shoveling snow, it helps people that need it and it’s a learning experience for kids, Rewerts said. It can also be a good way for the community and students to interact with each other, he said.

The program, in its second year, has two dozen students in class out of a school of around 365 kids, Rewerts said.

“I’m also open to ideas. If people have things they feel a group like this is capable of doing to make a difference in our community, or in the way our school is represented or something the community readily thinks is needed around here, we are more than interested in it,” Rewerts said.

Rewerts added that anybody that has a need and is able to give us a brief description of what is needed, can reach out and the class will see if they can help.

Comments or requests can be made to this email: loggerleadership@libbyhighschoool.org.

“We have kids that really want to be involved in our community, but they’ve never really had the guidance on how to do it,” Rewerts said.