Student Leadership – Senate and Lanistae

The NPX Student Senate provides high school students with unique opportunities in leadership, personal development, and community service. The Student Senate is composed of two main groups: high school senators and lanistae.

High school senators are elected by their peers to represent their graduating class. Each graduating class has one senator per Humane Letters course. Senators help plan high school athletic and academic activities, provide input about high school socials, organize high school community service events, and advise teachers on the state of the school and school policies. They participate in a leadership training program emphasizing interpersonal skills and servant leadership. A Senator’s primary responsibility is to act as a voice for her class. This requires a senator to be honest, dependable, and sensitive to the needs of her classmates.

Lanistae are the primary leaders of the middle school gladiator program. Sixteen lanistae are selected by teachers every year through a competitive and rigorous application process. Lanistae duties include planning and organizing middle school and high school academic and athletic events, providing input about high school and middle school socials, leading a gladiator family community service project once per year, and advising teachers on the state of the school and school policies with a special emphasis on middle school. A lanista’s primary responsibility is to inspire and motivate his gladiator family. It’s a task that takes patience, passion, and integrity. As visible role models in our community, lanistae are held to high ethical and academic standards. Being a lanista affords students the opportunity to participate in leadership training courses and acquire hands-on leadership experience with a gladiator family.

The Student Senate faculty advisor is Mr. Bruce Black.

The Lanista and Gladiator program is overseen by our Dean of Students Ms. Sarah Schripsema