Leadership has been defined in many ways over the years.

General Electric Corporation has defined a leader as someone with vision and ability to articulate that vision to the team, so vividly and powerfully that it becomes their vision. Another defines a leader as someone who brings the situation a clear and compelling sense of the future as well as an understanding of the actions needed to get there successfully. Regardless of how one defines what leadership is or what makes a leader, it is something that is essential to the development and sustainability of organizations. Without it, organizations might not exist successfully or at all, and would most likely not be able to have an impact on the community as planned. Leadership and the development of organizations of greater and enduring capacity are at the core of community building. The organization I am involved with, Targeting New Transitions, is a program that puts leadership at the top of its priorities. This organization and its leadership foster a culture of assessment through both assets and deficits. As an academic coach with Targeting New Transitions, I (along with my fellow coaches) am employed to bring a certain set of skills to the organization which are then paired in conjunction with another coachs skills to create numerous little groups that will each work with a handful of students every week. Supervisors within the organization handpick these coaches based on what they can bring to the program, or rather their assets. As the program goes on, coaches are continually assessed or evaluated upon these assets and how they are using them to better help the high school students they are working with. They are also assessed in regards to their deficits, but in the form of constructive criticism or helpful suggestions. In this program, a deficit could mean anything from not being able to communicate in Spanish with a student to not remembering correctly how to work through an algebra problem. Regardless, if there is something that is lacking or a better way to go about doing something, the supervisors will communicate that to the coaches so that they may learn, correct themselves in the future, and better serve the students they are working with. While one may think deficits might not be valued at an organization, I am more inclined to believe that they have some merit, especially within my organization. Any deficits or mistakes among the coaches in this program are just an opportunity for the coaches to learn and grow from the experience, which usually end up positively contributing to the overall program. Assets are obviously very valued at my organization too. The different things coaches bring to the program, whether it is their outlook on the transition from grammar school to high school or their specific subject focus, are all equally important assets and essential for the success of the organization and program. As mentioned in the ABCD Institutes article, Communities are usually thought of as being made up of people sharing a common identity or special interest. In this respect, the community Targeting New Transitions serves is the freshman class of Kelly High School. In this community, my organization not only recognizes its role within, but also does its best to make sure all other in the community recognize its role. The community we serve is one that is at a disadvantage to most others; the students here are very seldom given the extra attention they most often need, especially when it comes to mathematics. Targeting New Transitions provides a solace for these students where they can come on Saturday mornings to work in small groups (or one-on-one if necessary) to help them better transition from grammar school to high school in subjects ranging from mathematics and spelling to vocabulary and earth science. This program has been show

to help students successfully navigate the demands of high school, not only during their freshman year, but also later down the road in their upperclassman years. Its role in the community is one of importance and definitely not something that should be taken as insignificant; we are helping students to potentially change their lives academically, one study session at a time. Civic development is an important characteristic every organization should promote. Targeting New Transitions contributes to the civic development of its coaches (employees) in that is constantly striving to improve the lives of its students and community through a collective effort from its coaches. The organization is constantly creating opportunities for its coaches to learn new skills and information so that they may better help the students they serve. These students are also being given the opportunity to better develop academically and even personally, giving them strategies and knowledge to help them succeed both in and out of the classroom. In conclusion, my organization, Targeting New Transitions, is one that recognizes and promotes the importance of leadership and developing organizations of greater and enduring capacity. It is one that recognizes that both of these things are the foundation of a successful organization. It fosters a culture of assessment through both assets and deficits, allowing for continuous growth, learning, and contribution. Targeting New Transitions has an important role in the community, contributing to the civic development of not only its coaches, but also the students they serve and even the overall Kelly High School community. It is an organization that I am proud to be a part of and I cannot wait to see how the year progresses.