“The Study of Leadership Through Literature” is taught by FDSH teacher Andi Adams. She said that FDSH has had leadership classes where students work on community projects for a while.

“We talk all the time about how we want kids to be leaders, but a lot of times we need to help teach them how to be a leader,” she said.

Adams teaches her students about different aspects of being a leader and on Tuesday, the focus was on servant leadership.

“Where you give back to your community,” she said.

-Messenger photo by Britt Kudla
Fort Dodge Senior High students held a Valentine Day Lunch for Friendship Haven residents on Tuesday.

To prepare for Tuesday’s party — and a similar party held at Bickford Senior Living on Monday — Adams’ students were divided into small committees to plan and organize the event. Students worked on entertainment, music, Valentine’s Day crafts and serving sweet treats.

“I’m finding that these kids are adaptable, they’re resourceful, they are strong leaders,” Adams said.

Live music performed by student musicians and vocalists filled the air as residents and students chatted and enjoyed each other’s company. They sipped on fruit punch and snacked on pink cookies and cupcakes with heart sprinkles while they made Valentines together.

Grace Casciato, a senior, was the project leader for the music committee, helping organize a set list and coordinating student musicians from the FDSH music programs to perform at the party. She said she wanted to take the leadership class after being in Adams’ honors English class her sophomore year.

“I’ve always been really passionate about leadership in general — I’m a drum major in our marching band and I’ve served as a coach in our performance club — so I just really wanted to have a chance to dive into leadership a little bit more under her direction and be able to grow,” Casciato said.

-Messenger photo by Britt Kudla
Ruth Bennett, of Fort Dodge, sings “Let Me Call You Sweetheart” during Fort Dodge Senior High Leaderships Valentine Day Lunch on Tuesday at Friendship Haven.

With the class near the end of its trimester, Casciato reflected on what she had learned in the class. One of the books the class studied was called “You Don’t Need a Title to be a Leader.”

“It’s about how you can influence positive change wherever you’re at,” she said. “It talked a lot about how leadership isn’t about yourself — the person that’s leading — but it’s about leading from the bottom up and putting the attention on other people and helping them succeed.”

Casciato said this week’s nursing home Valentines parties were the perfect way to wrap up the class.

“It’s definitely been a growing experience for me, just in taking the skills that we learned and practically applying them,” she said. “I learned that communication is really, really important in a leadership context.”

-Messenger photo by Britt Kudla
Lydia Lara, of Fort Dodge, hands out treats for residents at Friendship Haven during Dodgers Leadership Valentine Day Lunch on Tuesday.

-Messenger photo by Britt Kudla
Riley Rossow, of Fort Dodge, 17, visits with Katie Clay, left, and Jo Shelly during Fort Dodge Senior High Leadership Valentine Day party at Friendship Haven on Tuesday.

-Messenger photo by Britt Kudla
Ryley Stanberg, of Fort Dodge, 18, hands out Hersey kisses to Carol Dillon, of Fort Dodge, and Gwen Anderson, of Fort Dodge, during Dodgers Leadership Valentine Day lunch on Tuesday at Friendship Haven.

-Messenger photo by Britt Kudla
Doug Hill, of Fort Dodge, left, dances with Kylie Ganzeveld during Dodgers Valentine Day Lunch at Friendship Haven on Tuesday.

-Messenger photo by Britt Kudla
Doug Hill, of Fort Dodge, left, dances with Kylie Ganzeveld during Dodgers Valentine Day Lunch at Friendship Haven on Tuesday.