Students at E.S. Laird Middle School received a dose of motivation and real‑world insight during a special leadership panel on Tuesday, Feb. 3 featuring student‑athletes from the Lakeland College Rustlers.
Athletes from women’s hockey, women’s volleyball, men’s volleyball, women’s basketball, and men’s basketball shared their experiences balancing academics, athletics, teamwork, and personal growth. The panel offered middle‑years students an inside look at leading both on and off the court.
Principal, Luke Maw expressed appreciation for the visit, emphasizing its value to the school’s leadership programming.
“We are grateful to Lakeland and the Rustlers for coming out today,” said Maw. “At E.S. Laird, we strive to offer opportunities for our students to learn and grow beyond the classroom. Hearing directly from student‑athletes about teamwork, leadership, humility, and confidence provides powerful messages our students can carry forward. It was also wonderful to see some LPSD alumni sitting on that panel — once a Sabre, always a Sabre.”
Grade 8 student Brooklyn Tomyn said the discussion left a strong impression.
“It was really cool to hear how they work together to be better,” Tomyn said. “I’ve seen them play on the court, and their leadership shows. Their speeches were great, and I think we can use some of their pointers as students.”
Rustlers hockey forward Kylie Perry said she valued the chance to connect with younger students.
“I thought it was pretty cool to get to speak to middle school students about leadership,” Perry said. “When I was in middle school, I didn’t have an opportunity like this. It was great to share about leadership and teamwork and to pour into these kids.”
The leadership panel is part of E.S. Laird’s ongoing efforts to help students develop confidence, communication skills, and strong character traits. The school continues to build community partnerships that expose students to positive role models and real‑life learning experiences.
