Chick-fil-a Leader Academy:

Inspiring future leaders

By Samantha DePriest

Everyone has a story to tell. Storytelling has been woven into cultures around the world for generations. Storytelling influences, inspires, connects, and engages listeners. One of the components of Chick-fil-A Leader Academy at TCS is to allow students to spend time with business leaders and hear their stories in monthly Leader Labs. Spending time with people who are passionate about what they do inspires growth and action. Chick-fil-A staff have been gracious to give of their time and share wisdom with our students. It isn’t often when high school students get the chance to enjoy a meal and lean in with leaders of the number one quick service restaurant chain in the US for customer satisfaction.

Our Chick-fil-A Leader Academy welcomed Mr. Dan T. Cathy, Founder and Chief Visionary of Trilith and Chairman, Chick-fil-A, to speak with our students. Dan arrived bright and early with his trumpet in hand and a brown overnight bag wearing his signature oval-shaped Chick-fil-A name badge with “50 years of service” printed on it and “In Training” underneath. Dan was eager to meet our students and learn about them. As students arrived, Dan pulled up a chair next to them, introduced himself, and asked questions about their interests, hobbies, and dreams for the future. 

Dan was excited to get started and so were the students. If you have ever been to a Chick-fil-A event with Dan in attendance, you have likely been blessed with the sounds of his trumpet. Music is one of his ministry’s. This morning was no different as he led the students with beautiful renditions of “Joy to the World” and “Jingle Bells”. In between songs, he shared practical tips about leadership for students to note:

• “Anytime you are in front of people, take advantage of it.”

• “Seek opportunities to practice standing in front of a group, whether reading something, saying something, or playing an instrument.”

• “Speak loud, stand up, and project your voice.”

How valuable for students to see him leading by example as he shared how he himself has learned from examples that have been set before him. He spoke of his childhood growing up in a Christian home. He shared about his Dad starting a family business from humble beginnings with a lot of hard work and determination. Fond memories of dressing up at his father’s restaurant and singing songs for guests while they dined brought a smile to his face. “Second mile service” has been a part of the Chick-fil-A culture from the very beginning.

When Dan was a senior in high school, his principal recommended he run for Student Body president. He admits he didn’t play football nor did he hang out with cheerleaders. However, he was first chair and served as captain of the band as well as captain of the wrestling team. With the help of trusted friends, he launched his campaign with the slogan “Dan can” and won. Over the years he assumed more and greater leadership roles, but was quick to share that he is constantly learning what it takes to lead well and be a leader people want to follow.

What does a copy of the new Testament, a railroad spike, a piece of rebar, a slinky, a baton, an oxygen mask, and a shoe brush have in common? They are just a few of the items found in Dan’s brown overnight bag which he referred to as his leadership toolkit.  He placed it on the student’s desks of whom were sitting closest to him and encouraged them each to take out an item. It was like Christmas morning for our students as they couldn’t wait to see what item would be pulled out next. Dan shared that leaders are always learning, learning how to think and process information because they never know everything about everything. Leaders are forever students. 

Reading is one of his most favorite things to do that he makes time for daily. Holding his cell phone in his one hand and the copy of the New Testament in his other hand, he challenged our students to spend time with both means of communication. He shared that a phone is about being timely and a Bible is about being timeless. He shared that a phone helps you communicate horizontally and the Bible helps you communicate vertically. “Be confident in scripture,” he encouraged our students to spend time with their Bibles. A scripture verse that his grandmother instilled in his own father’s heart as a child was Proverbs 22:1 “A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches”. Dan encouraged our students that their name was their brand and to protect it for generations of family to follow. 

Successful leadership requires inner strength from good habits when it comes to our mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual lives. Finding balance, guarding our hearts, and taking good care of ourselves is not just a suggestion, but rather a requirement. A railroad spike with “Stay on track” inscribed on it serves as encouragement to leaders that the main thing is to keep the main thing, the main thing. In our Christian school setting, he shared that we must keep His main thing our main thing. Each item that was pulled out of the bag served as reminders of the necessity for a strong Faith, a firm foundation, ways to handle stress, the value of our successors, and the importance of working together, building relationships, and serving others..

Service is our calling and part of our mission at Trinity Christian School as we prepare today’s student to impact tomorrow's world: by educating minds for cultural engagement, equipping hearts for character development, and empowering hands for compassionate service. Developing young leaders to use their time and talents to glorify God and help others is a value the TCS family holds dear. May this intentional investment of time with our students serve as a catalyst to launch them forward into 2024 with hearts seeking ways to serve and positively influence those around them.