Leadership

Our students become leaders.  This is the heart of the Dunn School experience-- we use our individual talents to strengthen the community. We believe that students learn best by doing, and at Dunn they hone leadership skills in the classroom, on the athletic fields, on outdoor ed trips, and in the dormitories. Whether as team captains, project team members, members of House Council or Class Senators - Dunn students are learning by doing.

Dunn students take ownership of learning opportunities by planning and hosting community awareness days like International Women’s Day or Earth Day. They run committees that plan service events, spirit days, and weekend activities. They demonstrate their commitment to improving the environment through sustainability initiatives. Dunn students are learning to lead themselves and their community, and they take these skills with them to college and beyond.  Whether they win a coveted Forbes 30 Under 30 distinction, start a production company and are nominated for an Oscar, run family businesses, become leaders on collegiate athletic and pro teams, or become major players in tech firms, Dunn graduates all around the world are having a profound impact.

As the social scientific study of leadership has become more in-depth in recent years, we now know that leadership—as a set of skills, capacities and mindsets—can be taught and learned, even in high school.  In conjunction with Jay Conger, Professor of Leadership at Claremont McKenna College, Dunn developed a cutting-edge leadership development program where students master essential skills and attitudes for successful leadership.

Our program is augmented by several other initiatives at Dunn: outdoor education, student leadership opportunities, international travel, and community service.