Student leadership is one of the core tenants of Watershed’s Portrait of a Graduate. We have a longstanding history of offering students formal and informal leadership opportunities in both the middle and upper school. With elections for the 2025-26 committees coming up soon, we're excited to see who will step up to lead our various student groups and initiatives. Learn more about what student leadership looks like at Watershed:
Student Committees
Members of student committees are responsible for shaping the culture of our school across grade levels. For example, the Community Committee, which includes both middle and upper school representatives, is responsible for enhancing student life at Watershed. In addition to organizing weekly whole-school community meetings and sharing important updates and student news, they also plan fun events and activities, such as dances, to foster a vibrant and engaging school culture.
Similarly, students in the Citizenship Committee, which exists in both middle and upper school, play a key role in making Watershed a comfortable place for all its students. One of the recent issues the committee tackled was the misuse of AI in student work, developing strategies to educate peers about academic integrity and taking ownership of their learning.
The Head’s Council meets with our Head of School, Tim Breen. Students in the Head's Council play an integral role in shaping the future of Watershed by discussing ideas on how the school can evolve. They offer valuable input on areas such as increasing student involvement, enhancing the curriculum, and identifying opportunities for overall improvement. Their insights help ensure that the school continues to grow and adapt to the needs of its community.
Additionally, each year, students hold positions in both the Academic Program Committee and as Academic Department Representatives, where their input is crucial when evaluating current course offerings, schedules, and Exemplary Achievement Award submissions. Student voice helps determine what courses are offered each trimester, with a particular emphasis on ensuring that students’ academic interests are met.
The Art Department, for example, has a strong student presence, with students meeting biweekly to provide feedback on the art curriculum and student needs, like scheduling additional studio use time. They’ve also taken on projects around the school, like curating and framing student work and setting up the studio itself during the move to our new campus this summer.
“As art educators, it was easy to see the passion and agency students had around the art courses. Our program begged for the inclusion of student voice and leadership in developing the art department to be the best it can be for students.” - Jeff Osgood P’24 & art educator
Teaching Assistant Opportunities
Teaching assistant positions provide students with the opportunity to build vital skills such as public speaking, course organization, and teaching others in a meaningful way. These opportunities are incredibly valuable, allowing students to deepen their understanding of course material while helping others.
This trimester, Gabe '25 had the opportunity to serve as a TA for the upper school Gods, Heroes, and Games Skills course, taught by educator Joie Le, Ph.D. Gabe’s responsibilities in the course included sharing his expertise with the class’s game design platform by designing and delivering his own lectures and guiding students on their game design projects.
“Being a TA at Watershed gave me the opportunity to dive deeper into what I am passionate about. Last year I took an independent study on 3D modeling, where I learned how to do polygonal modeling. Then, I got invited to TA a 3D modeling class, which really secured my knowledge because I was helping teach it to other people. The responsibilities that come with TA’ing, vary depending on what class, but at least for me I got to do a lot of actual teaching and one-on-one support with students to help them with any challenges they’re having. Being a TA has truly been one of the best experiences of my school career. ”
Admissions Ambassadors
Our middle and upper school student ambassadors are essential to the experience of our prospective families during the admissions process at Watershed. Admissions ambassadors lead tours during Open Houses and provide prospective students with a firsthand experience during Shadow Days. With their in-depth knowledge of the school, they are able to thoughtfully and confidently answer questions from both prospective students and their families, offering valuable insight into what a day at Watershed truly entails.
Student-Run Clubs
One of the most exciting aspects of student leadership at Watershed is the creation and leadership of student-run clubs. Some of Watershed students’ favorite after-school clubs have included Dance Club, GSA, and Dungeons & Dragons, all of which were created and/or led by students. This year marked the launch of two new clubs: the Climbing Team, started by students Leo '26 and Harrison '25, and Watershed's chapter of Zonta Club, started by Chloe '27.
The Climbing Team started with a bang this year! Watershed’s team placed first at the Denver NW Regional Championship, with the team’s co-founder, Leo also placing first individually!
"Creating the first climbing team is really exciting for us and for the school! I have high hopes that this program will grow and expand to create a powerful team for Watershed students to root for, and to serve as a viable starting point for future sporting endeavors." - Harrison ‘25
And Zonta Club, a club dedicated to empowering women and promoting gender equality, has already become a growing group of students who meet weekly at lunch time. For their initiation ceremony this year, Chloe invited executive coach Maria Brinck to speak and welcome Watershed students as official members of “Z-Club”!
As we look forward to the 25-26 school year, we can’t wait to see who will step up to take on these important leadership roles and, perhaps, create others! With such a strong tradition of student leadership at Watershed, we know that the next generation of leaders will continue to carry the torch and make a lasting impact on the school community.
