Student Life
Student Leadership
What it Means to Be a Student-Centered School
As a student-centered school, students take an active role in their educational experience. You’ll discover who you are and how to utilize your strengths and overcome challenges to lead in new and unexpected ways.
At KUA, you’ll find many ways to make a difference and get involved in the life of the Academy. Our leaders are embedded across campus - from our Fire Brigade members, to our student-athletes, to our Scholar students who see ways to transform the world around them.
We hear your voice, we let you lead, and if it looks a little messy at first, that’s OK too. Your leadership skills will help you develop people skills, build healthy relationships, and allow you to transform the work you do in high school, college, and beyond.
At KUA, you’ll find many ways to make a difference and get involved in the life of the Academy. Our leaders are embedded across campus - from our Fire Brigade members, to our student-athletes, to our Scholar students who see ways to transform the world around them.
We hear your voice, we let you lead, and if it looks a little messy at first, that’s OK too. Your leadership skills will help you develop people skills, build healthy relationships, and allow you to transform the work you do in high school, college, and beyond.
Campus Leadership Roles
These leadership positions are just a few of the many ways in which students help shape the KUA experience.
List of 7 items.
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Campus Activities Board
CAB members are students of all grade levels who apply and are selected to help plan weekend activities, community service opportunities, and Tower Cup competitions. They also support the athletic program and generate school spirit. -
Co-All School Presidents
Each year two all school presidents are elected by students and faculty to oversee and represent the student body. Their primary responsibilities are to facilitate All School Meeting twice a week and chair the Student Senate. -
Honor Board
The Honor Board serves as the “judicial branch” of the student government and works to uphold the values of the school and inspire community members to act as honorable students and citizens -
Orange Key
Orange Key members serve as tour guides and ambassadors for Kimball Union on and off campus. -
Peer Educators
In addition to being available as non-judgmental listeners to all members of the student body, Peer Eds work to promote the well-being of the community by developing programming to support students’ ability to make informed and healthy lifestyle choices. -
Proctors
Residential, Day, DEI, and International Proctors, act as leaders and role models in the community and the residential program. Residential proctors also help maintain a safe and appropriate learning environment and build a positive culture in their house. -
Student Senate
The Student Senate, the administrative branch of student leadership, works to align school rules with the reality of life at Kimball Union.
Only at KUA: Kimball Union Fire Brigade
The Kimball Union Academy Fire Brigade offers students a rare opportunity to step beyond the classroom and into a role of significant civic impact. You'll get to learn and serve alongside the Plainfield Volunteer Fire Department. Participation in the Brigade is more than an extracurricular activity; it is a high-stakes leadership laboratory where students transform into dependable community pillars.
Core Skill Development
Based on the program's rigorous demands, students cultivate a professional toolkit that serves them long after graduation:
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Radical Responsibility: Students learn to answer to both their squad and the community at large, understanding that their presence has a direct impact on public safety.
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Strategic Time Management: The unpredictable nature of emergency services teaches students to prioritize tasks effectively—learning never to defer assignments, as a call to service can come at any moment.
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Collaborative Teamwork: Operating under the strict rule of "never alone," students master the art of working within a tight-knit unit where trust and communication are non-negotiable.
Growth & Integrity
The Fire Brigade challenges students to grow through a unique balance of discipline and self-awareness. While following the chain of command is essential, the program places a premium on honesty; students are taught the maturity required to admit when they lack a specific certification or familiarity with a tool.
Ultimately, members serve as vital ambassadors of KUA. By modeling "proper deportment" in the community, students develop a sophisticated sense of character and a professional reputation that defines the KUA spirit of service. Alumni have gone on to fire, rescue, and medical careers in their home communities.
