PRACTICES OF YOUTH LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT IN RURAL HIGH SCHOOL CONTEXT: FINDINGS FROM A QUALITATIVE SECONDARY ANALYSIS

Abstract

The study described in this paper elevates youth voices in proposing educational practices of leadership development within rural settings. A secondary analysis of qualitative data collected as part of a longitudinal case study explores youth perspectives on specificities of education, such as volunteering and community service, collaboration with school administration and staff, leadership course activities, and purposeful self-reflection, designed to further leadership in the rural high school learning environment. This article, with its focus on student voice, helps fill a gap in research involving rural youth and serves as a foundation for rural high school principals and educators to foster a sense of community among youth leaders and school administration. It also has important implications for social and educational leadership researchers and practitioners interested in applications of qualitative secondary analysis and involved in design and implementation of educational strategies targeting youth leadership education.