Every year, the Umatilla High School Leadership class chooses a theme for the school year. This year’s theme is Step Up, encouraging students to push themselves to succeed. STEP stands for Seeking to Thrive in Everyday Places.
According to Alejandro Espinoza, UHS Junior, “I think the theme means that as an individual you
actually step up to get out of your way and do something nice toward the school and toward
someone else.”
Last year’s theme, Choose to Shine, had teachers choose students who they noticed were shining in some area, but Espinoza said he feels like the new theme motivates students to actually do more than you need to in areas of being respectful or outstanding and more.
UHS Junior Xitlaly Morales is also a Leadership student. She said she agrees with Espinoza about the feeling of the theme, adding that she thinks it means going the extra mile and pushing themselves to do it.
Every month the students will focus on a different character trait, things like respect, responsibility, outstanding, kindness, etc. Students can be nominated for Stepping Up, earning theme T-shirts and getting their photo taken. The Leadership class will create a short video each week, shown during Advisory, of that week’s Step Up winners.
April Dirksen, UHS Vice Principal, said she is excited about this year’s theme because after Covid, it felt like a period of just surviving, but “now we are really back and are thriving.”
