The Power of Student Gratitude
By Andy Farley and Eric Hagen
At Brookfield East High School in Brookfield, WI, we work tirelessly to develop a culture of gratitude and recognition as we live our mission: “Dedicated to Academic and Human Excellence.” Like most schools, we recognize students and their many achievements with students of the month, daily announcement celebrations, scholarship and awards nights, and even hallway walks to recognize state championships, most recently in girls’ tennis. These are all important and impactful, but they are typically adult generated or staff determined. To truly create a culture of thankfulness and appreciation, we believe recognition must extend from our students to their peers and back to our staff members. By empowering students to share their genuine thanks, we are helping them to develop a gratitude mindset and establishing life-changing habits amongst our students as they pursue academic and human excellence.
Our culture of respect and recognition begins early by devoting time and effort to two fundamental programs for freshmen: our annual Respect Retreat and Freshmen University. Freshmen University is a student-led class period during the first portion of freshman year where several of our junior and senior student leaders organize and deliver lessons that focus on helping our students build healthy habits and effective study skills so they can succeed in high school. Likewise, our Respect Retreat is a one-day on-campus retreat where students explore team building through activities and get inspired to respect themselves, respect others, and stand up for respect. Student mentors help lead the retreat, which ultimately reminds students of their importance and that they belong to a supportive community of educators, mentors, and classmates. The day marks the beginning of a culture-building journey that starts at the beginning of their time at Brookfield East.
In 2015, we, along with Brookfield Central High School, began the first Hope Squads in the state of Wisconsin as a grassroots approach to helping address student mental health needs. Hope Squad is a peer-to-peer suicide prevention program that has been instrumental in not only helping reduce the stigma around student mental health in our school and district, but also in lifting our school culture and building leadership skills within our peer-nominated students. These student leaders are recognized by others around them through the nomination process as individuals who do and can make a difference by championing their peers within the school community.
Hope Squad helps build the leadership skills of these students so that they, in turn, can make positive change and help foster a grateful culture within their school community. Our Hope Squad students will often present at staff meetings, which allows them to teach their teachers and gain a valuable perspective on educating others, reflected in their small sharings of gratitude during their presentations.
Student leadership opportunities, such as Respect Retreat mentors and Hope Squad members, represent a key strategy of providing students leadership roles that are impactful across our school. Often, these student leaders actively participate in staff meetings, where each meeting begins with an opportunity for our staff and students to express gratitude to one another for small and large acts of kindness and support. Similarly, key student leadership groups include the Principal’s Cabinet (a team of nearly 80 student leaders and emerging leaders dedicated to deepening their leadership skills while fostering a positive school environment) and AVID Team (an academic program focused on supporting essential academic skills in writing, critical thinking, and reading, as well as life-ready skills like collaboration and organization). Students in the AVID program often commend teachers who effectively implement our school’s core instructional strategies in reading, writing, and note-taking, reinforcing these vital skills. These students also frequently start their classes with expressions of gratitude, fostering a consistent practice shared by both adults and students at East.
Casting a Wide Net
Our culture of appreciation and respect is also reflected in district recognition opportunities, which further elevate student voice and gratitude. And it’s important to note, these efforts extend beyond teachers and to our entire school: office staff, food service workers, coaches, custodians, advisers, and more. Every one of our staff members has the opportunity to positively impact the lives of our students, and these strategies are key to helping remind them of the important role they play.
To truly create a culture of thankfulness and appreciation, we believe recognition must extend from our students to their peers and back to our staff members.
At monthly board of education meetings, select student representatives celebrate the accomplishments of their teachers, peers, and programs, allowing student recognition and pride of staff accomplishments to take center stage in a highly visible way. Additionally, our school district (Elmbrook Schools) and our Elmbrook Education Foundation (EEF) annually partner to create a one-of-a-kind awards show experience that honors all nominees throughout the months-long recognition process. This program titled, “Engaged in Excellence Awards,” and the EEF’s “Thank You Thursdays” present faculty and staff with heartfelt nominations by students, colleagues, and families in our district. For some, these nominations result in Golden Apple Award nominations, akin to the Oscars. The EEF’s initiative showcases nominees by awarding weekly prizes. The EEF also recognizes nominees on a massive billboard displayed on a major freeway, allowing students to literally put an educator’s name in lights.
The EEF also annually hosts an incredibly powerful event for both of our high schools titled, “Most Influential Educator.” A celebration dinner honors teachers who have had a significant positive effect on students. Graduating seniors who have achieved academic excellence select an educator to attend this dinner with them. Students then express their gratitude for their “most influential educator” during a speech at the dinner where emotional moments of profound gratitude abound.
“Mrs. Simek demonstrates a dedication to motivate her students to learn inside and outside the classroom,” reflected 2024 Brookfield East graduate, Deirdre O’Day in her speech honoring her science teacher, Kristin Simek. “In class she is engaging, focused, patient, and even willing to explain the cellular respiration cycle for the 20th time with you, which if you know, is not an easy ask. Even with 13 years of education, I truly cannot find the words to adequately describe Mrs. Simek, but you should know this: She won’t give up on you.”
Empowering Our Students to Change the World
It all begins with a commitment—a commitment to fostering a culture of recognition and embracing the power of gratitude. By celebrating the contributions of teachers and creating an environment where appreciation is at the forefront, schools can cultivate an atmosphere that nurtures and uplifts young minds—one that staff members and students alike value, contribute to, and are proud of. These initiatives not only make teachers feel valued but also provide students with a platform to actively express their gratitude.
Through these time-tested strategies, Brookfield East has created a vibrant culture of recognition that uplifts not only our teachers but also transforms the lives of our students. The impact of a simple “thank you” goes far beyond mere words. It serves as a powerful reminder of the profound influence educators have on the lives of their students and the importance of expressing gratitude.
The most valuable outcome of positive student-teacher relationships is creating possibilities for young people they maybe didn’t even see in themselves, as an outcome of positive student-teacher relationships. These deep, connected relationships help students achieve outcomes they didn’t know were possible. Because at the end of the day we are empowering our students to change the world, and to appreciate how they got there.
Andy Farley is the principal of Brookfield East High School in Brookfield, WI, a 1996 graduate of the school, and the 2024 National Principal of the Year.
Eric Hagen is a communications specialist for Elmbrook Schools in Brookfield, WI.