Students will answer, “How do leaders make decisions, solve problems, and support a team while reaching a shared goal?” by collaboratively planning a realistic March 2027 trip to Puerto Rico. Beginning with a Puerto Rico Planning Party, they will apply leadership styles, organization, stress management, and SMART goal setting to research the destination, schedule, budget, and logistics. Teams will reflect after each session, document collaboration, and revise their proposals after midway feedback from Ponce resident and community partner Giselle Woodward. The project culminates in an evidence-based class presentation and visual display for the Head of School and Upper School Director that highlights key decisions and revisions.

Students will examine how leaders make decisions, solve problems, manage stress, and support a team while reaching a shared goal. They will identify their leadership styles and use shared decision-making, respectful boundaries, organization strategies, and session reflections to collaborate effectively. Students will develop SMART goals aligned to a shared trip vision, then research and justify Puerto Rico destinations, schedules, logistics, and a realistic budget. Using their kickoff board and Giselle Woodward’s feedback, they will revise their plan and communicate key decisions, collaboration evidence, and revisions through a visual display and class presentation for the Head of School and Upper School Director.

Students will create a kickoff board featuring Puerto Rico travel inspiration, project constraints, team roles, and first-step goals. Teams will develop a shared SMART goal plan, decision log, organized research collection, trip schedule, realistic budget, and brief session reflections that evaluate progress, collaboration, stress management, and next steps. Midway, teams will present a draft proposal to Giselle Woodward and revise destination choices, logistics, and budgeting based on her feedback. The final product will be an evidence-based class presentation and visual trip display for the Head of School and Upper School Director, highlighting the destination, schedule, budget, key decisions, leadership contributions, collaboration, and revisions.

Launch with a Puerto Rico Planning Party featuring a short challenge brief from Ponce resident and business owner Giselle Woodward. Students explore travel images, maps, sample costs, and March 2027 constraints, then add inspirations, questions, and first-step SMART goals to a shared kickoff board. Teams identify individual leadership styles, assign initial roles, and respond to a realistic planning dilemma involving budget, stress, organization, or respectfully saying “no.” Close by introducing the final presentation for the Head of School and Upper School Director and reflecting on: “How do leaders make decisions, solve problems, and support a team while reaching a shared goal?”

Students will host a Puerto Rico Trip Planning Showcase for the Head of School and Upper School Director. Teams will present the destination, March 2027 schedule, budget, key decisions, and visual display, highlighting how Giselle Woodward’s feedback strengthened their plan. Each student will explain their leadership role and share evidence of collaboration, organization, stress management, goal setting, and revisions. Guests will ask questions and provide feedback on the plan’s feasibility, clarity, and alignment with the class’s shared goals.