These Worksheets Will Help You Develop Student Leaders

Student leadership is part of a rock solid foundation for strong school culture, but steering students in that positive direction can be a challenge. That’s why our leadership expert, Stephen Amundson, has put together three worksheets designed to address three common leadership issues.

Feel free to use any or all of them as they fit your specific needs. If you’re not sure what your specific leadership needs are, you may want to check out this post which covers some of the basic starting points for student leaders.

FREE Student Leadership Worksheets

The first of the three worksheets addresses what a leader is, and what their role can and should be. This can be a great jumping off point for new leaders, or a valuable way to regroup with more senior student leaders. It also offers an opportunity for self reflection that can be valuable for adult leaders as well

Download the first worksheet, “Leaders Are, Can, & Think.”

It isn’t always easy to keep your student leaders focused and motivated, but I’ve found that most leaders thrive on guided thought exercises like the one in this worksheet. Most student leaders have a strong desire to contribute in a positive way, but they don’t always know how to get from “I want to help” to “here’s the plan.”

Try to remember that direction in leadership is something you obtained over a lifetime, and your students don’t yet have that benefit. They’re still experimenting, observing, and listening. Each experience is an opportunity for them to hone their skills, and each challenge is a chance for them to become an even stronger asset to both their school and their community.

This simple worksheet will help your students to reflect on where they are as leaders. It will also help you to steer them toward growth and agency. Feel free to download, share, and use this student leadership worksheet in your own lesson plans!

In case you missed it, here’s a link to the free worksheet.

Downloadable Leadership Worksheets #2 & #3

The second worksheet is a more focused look at who we want to be as leaders. One of the best ways to find a starting point for any new leader is to look at leadership role models and extract the qualities we see in them which we want to develop in ourselves. This worksheet focuses on that approach, and even offers action steps

CLICK HERE for the second worksheet, on leadership role models, “Who Do You Admire, and Why?”

Finally, the third worksheet takes a more advanced step into leadership, focusing on attitude. If you’ve followed TEEN TRUTH or RISING UP even for a short while, you’ve likely heard of the impact attitude can have. In fact, it’s one of the first things I look for when I’m visiting a campus.
CLICK HERE for the third worksheet, on leadership attitude.

Be sure to develop your leadership (both student and adult). It is one of the quickest ways to improve school culture, and can be a massive return on your time. Special thanks to Stephen Amundson for these fantastic worksheets! His site can be found here and is an excellent resource which I highly recommend checking out.

Check out more student leadership activities and continue learning about how to build an inclusive and diverse culture of leadership at your school with our guide to building student leaders.

Ready to take your school leadership to the next level? Check out TEEN TRUTH’s Leadership Summits!

Leadership Activities and Exercises for Students

Helping students build leadership skills early in life can make a lasting difference in their confidence, communication, and teamwork. Whether you’re a teacher, counselor, or youth mentor, incorporating hands-on leadership activities for students can encourage personal growth and create a stronger classroom or group culture.

Below are a variety of practical, engaging leadership exercises for students across different age levels and group sizes. Each activity encourages critical thinking, collaboration, responsibility, and self-awareness—essential qualities in young leaders.

1. Lead the Class (Rotating Leadership Roles)

Let students take turns leading part of the day—whether it’s a morning routine, class discussion, or group project. This is one of the simplest yet most effective leadership activities for students, especially in elementary and middle school.

What they learn: Responsibility, public speaking, confidence.

2. Team Challenge: Build a Tower

Divide students into small groups and give them materials like spaghetti, tape, and marshmallows. Their task? Build the tallest tower they can in 15 minutes. This is a fun, hands-on leadership exercise for students that requires problem-solving, time management, and teamwork.

What they learn: Collaboration, delegation, creative thinking.

3. Conflict Resolution Scenarios

Present real-life school-based conflict scenarios and ask students to work in pairs or groups to find a fair and respectful solution. This doubles as a social-emotional learning tool and an excellent leadership activity for students in middle or high school.

What they learn: Communication, empathy, decision-making.

4. Student Council or Leadership Club

If your school doesn’t have one already, create a student council or leadership club. Students can plan events, create school improvement ideas, or organize service projects. These long-term leadership exercises for students foster a sense of ownership and initiative.

What they learn: Planning, responsibility, civic engagement.

5. The Leadership Journal

Ask students to keep a weekly journal where they reflect on decisions they made, challenges they faced, or times they helped others. This simple reflection is one of the most underrated leadership activities for students—and it works well in both classrooms and after-school programs.

What they learn: Self-awareness, growth mindset, reflection.

6. Follow the Leader – With a Twist

In this activity, one student is assigned as a “silent” leader who gives nonverbal cues to the group while trying to complete a task (like forming a shape or lining up by birthday). The group must observe, follow, and adjust.

What they learn: Observation, nonverbal communication, adaptability.

7. Service Learning Projects

Organize community-based service projects like a campus cleanup, fundraiser, or food drive. These kinds of leadership exercises for students help them understand the impact of taking initiative and giving back to others.

What they learn: Purpose-driven leadership, teamwork, responsibility.

8. Public Speaking Challenges

Give students a topic and 5–10 minutes to prepare a 1-minute talk. They can speak about an issue they care about or an idea to improve the school. This is one of the most empowering leadership activities for students because it encourages courage and clarity.

What they learn: Communication, confidence, persuasion.

9. Mentor-Buddy Program

Pair older students with younger ones in a structured buddy program. This builds connection across grade levels and gives older students the chance to lead by example.

What they learn: Mentorship, patience, relationship-building.

10. Leadership Quote of the Week

Each week, assign a student to choose a leadership quote and explain what it means to them. Use this as a quick classroom opener that sparks discussion and reflection.

What they learn: Inspiration, values, interpretation skills.

Why Leadership Activities and Exercises Matter

Strong leadership skills help students succeed in school, sports, and social situations—and those skills often carry over into adulthood. Introducing structured leadership activities for students alongside more reflective leadership exercises for students gives them a well-rounded foundation. It also helps shy students find their voice and gives natural leaders a place to grow responsibly.