Nine members of Shipley’s Middle School Executive Committee recently joined students from 13 area schools to attend RISE: Reflect, Include, Serve, Empower, a new student leadership conference for middle schoolers, hosted by The Montgomery School in partnership with PAIS and The Shipley School. The one-day summit brought together students from independent schools across the region to explore the qualities of effective leadership through interactive workshops, team-building, and reflective discussion.

Shipley played a leading role in the inaugural event, with Dr. Bill Lyon, Assistant Head of Middle School, and Jim Fiorile, Middle School history and SEED teacher, among the workshop presenters. Blair Atkins, SEED teacher, also helped design and facilitate sessions. Shipley senior Cassie McDaid ’26 delivered an inspiring keynote, and Middle School Theater Director Ozzie Jones brought energy and laughter as the day’s icebreaker emcee.

Exploring Leadership from Every Angle

Students rotated through workshops such as True Leadership Begins from Within, The Second Leader, Intent vs. Impact, The Skill of Listening, Giving Directions, Considering the Big Picture, and Leading with Empathy and Inclusion.

Dr. Lyon led two sessions: “Making an Impact with Public Speaking” and “Leading Through Differences: Managing Conflict and Building Understanding.” Fiorile’s workshop, “Should I Send Them an Email?”, guided students in navigating difficult conversations and practicing empathy. “The goal was to teach student leaders to communicate face to face when something needs to be worked out,” Fiorile explained. “Practicing empathy when things don’t go as planned is key to resolving conflict.”

Lessons in Empathy, Fairness, and Listening

Each student returned with meaningful insights about what it means to lead. Maren reflected, “I learned about the difference between equal and fair. What’s right for some might not feel right for others. When you are treated less than others, it makes it much harder to prove yourself as equal.”

Milo discovered that leadership takes many forms: “Not all leaders have to be loud and in the front. It’s important to have many different types of leaders so we can get things done both efficiently and with grace. Leaders should lead with empathy and inclusion.”

For Ronan, teamwork stood out: “Everyone has their own strengths and weaknesses, which is what makes a group of leaders so strong. A group of leaders is so much more powerful than one.”

Several students emphasized the importance of listening. Claire described learning the FACE protocol—Focus, Ask, Confirm, and Empathy—while Alexa added, “Sometimes people don’t want a solution—they just want someone to listen.”

Looking Ahead

With its success and enthusiasm from participants, the RISE conference will become an annual tradition, alternating between Montgomery and Shipley as hosts. Shipley will proudly host the event in 2026.

Rooted in the belief that “a rising tide lifts all boats,” RISE inspires students to reflect, include, serve, and empower—principles that align with Shipley’s mission to help students grow as compassionate leaders who contribute to the greater good.