Part four of this six-part series offer insights into Clairbourn’s educational philosophy and the elements of the program which have led to noteworthy accomplishments by its alums.
Leadership opportunities need not wait for high school or college-level programs. Leadership lessons, such as the ones taught at Clairbourn, begin as early as preschool and extend through Grade 8—and exciting things can happen when children learn to lead at a young age. Take for example Madhatter Knits, an organization which makes and donates hats for premature babies in the NICU and also works to protect expectant mothers and infants from COVID-19.
This nonprofit was founded by Tiffany Chang in 2014 while still a student in the fourth grade at Clairbourn School. The organization is run by a large executive team which includes Clairbourn alumnae Kimberly Chang, Christie Huang, Kathryn Huang, and Sara Lowin. After only six years, they have expanded across the U.S. and have chapters in Germany, Italy, England, Uganda, Costa Rica, South Africa, Ireland, Canada, India, and Ecuador .
Madhatter Knits executive directors Tiffany, Christie, Kimberly, and Sara all started in Clairbourn’s preschool, with Kathryn starting in Kindergarten. And while there, they experienced age-appropriate exposure to leadership opportunities. They were taught ethical concepts combined with opportunities for social and emotional development, growth-mindset acquisition, and problem-solving skills.
As they moved up through the grades, their educational opportunities for leadership expanded to include planning skills, peer coordination, listening skills, emotional self-regulation, self-confidence, public performance, and persistence. They happily took on classroom-helper roles, participated in small group and whole-class activities, became involved in service learning projects, and experienced frequent public speaking opportunities—all of which contributed to their foundation for expressing strong leadership skills later in life.
Madhatter Knits sprung from young minds that were equipped at an early age to lead and effectively organize others towards a desired goal, and it is impressive to see the level of sophistication they have achieved since their early beginnings. The group has a mission that resonates with people, volunteer participation is accessible to a wide range of ages and locations, it is easily scalable, they know how to generate media interest, and they partner well with other organizations. Plus, they know how to present well-crafted messaging and clear calls to action on their website like:
THE POWER TO HELP PREEMIES IS IN YOUR HANDS.
Madhatter Knits Website
Make an impact. Use your passion. Start now.
They have a powerful engagement strategy for site visitors with their wonderfully clear and inspiring visual guides for joining the Ambassador Program, starting a chapter, or conducting a fundraiser, in addition to standard involvement like donating money or learning to knit preemie hats. They also have a motivating tie-in with the Presidential Service Awards program, open to US citizens ages 5 on up to adult, which awards bronze, silver, or gold pins and certificates to volunteers based on the number of hats knitted and donated in a 12-month period.
Their whole website is a leadership lesson where they explain their mission, how they intend to accomplish their goals, and how people can step up to help. The way Madhatter Knits engages their community not only provides inspiring examples of leadership in action, but helps those who volunteer to have a clear roadmap of how to awaken their own latent leadership skills.
Through all of their communication tools, you can feel their passion and love for helping preemie babies and expectant mothers, as well as their excitement to get others involved. While many schools offer leadership opportunities as a way for their students to acquire resume-building advantages, Clairbourn emphasizes the higher reasons for developing leadership ability—the lasting satisfaction that comes from compassionate giving and the fulfillment of a higher purpose.
Long after achievement awards gather dust on a mantle and certificates yellow with age, what has staying power is an education that equips students to find their passion, take effective action, and make a positive difference in the world.
PART 5 dives deeper into the story of Tiffany Chang and her fellow alumnae at Madhatter Knits and shows how Clairbourn’s public speaking program played a role in their successful media exposure and digital outreach.
Clairbourn School Provides Private School Education for Preschool, Kindergarten, Elementary School, and Middle School Grades | Serving Families in the Pasadena, California, Area and Surrounding Cities (K-12 Private Schools) Clairbourn is a 501(c)3 charitable organization. Click here to request information.
Creating Scholars and Leaders with Heart