As more clubs and leadership opportunities begin to emerge, Tolu Tanimojo lays the foundation for a growing career and social life, as he is an active high school senior, Black Student Union (BSU) president and Concert Wind Symphony (CWS) co-president. He shares his story of desire for a greater sense of community and student involvement, not only at our school, but at other high schools, colleges, and out in the local community for his last year as a high school student.
Tanimojo is a part of the Student Council, helping to plan events for the school to create a close-knit circle of students and setting high standards for change throughout the school. Tanimojo brings a powerful and joyous energy to the school, especially during leadership meetings and school-wide events, empowering other students to express that same energy and kindness.
He describes how leadership in Student Council, as BSU president and as part of the Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) Union, helps him in his day-to-day life. “Leadership just kind of helps me be decisive. You know, usually, before I started doing all these things, I took too much time with everyday things. It also helps me understand how to balance different people’s emotions and kind of bring people together and work as a team and work productively,” Tanimojo said.
Advocating for all students, including Indigenous people of color, Tanimojo brings a positive perspective to students, working to create greater equality throughout the state of Minnesota. He wants to be a part of something bigger, and if that means he has to be a leader of multiple groups, he would put in his all and give everyone an opportunity.
“I can see how they relate. They all have something to do with bipoc and diversity and just being inclusive and just having a diverse group of people working together,” Tanimojo added.
There are a variety of clubs and leadership opportunities in every school, therefore giving a chance to students of all ages and ethnicities. Tanimojo wants to be an example for younger students to get involved in their school, joining clubs, sports, music classes and anything that can give people a higher chance of a successful life.
Tanimojo describes the difficulty that comes with the clubs and how they differ. Leadership programs have their own process, but they always have a tight network of people, like in real-world jobs and businesses. They are all different, but they all connect people into one body.
CWS offers numerous leadership opportunities, including president, co-president, treasurer and more. Leadership impacts students for the better because of the diversity, creativity and communication among a large, bright group or community of all kinds of students.
“Leadership definitely impacts students for the better, because it gives students something to aspire to, and it sets an environment of trust and community within an organization,” band teacher Tark Katzenmeyer said.
Although roles in leadership require contrasting traits, every role desires a person who is trustworthy and confident in their ability to lead a section or group of varied people. Katzenmeyer describes the band leadership program with a positive attitude, describing how different roles all come together.
“I want to do something to positively impact the school. I want to be a part of the community. I want to help grow the community with a positive aspect,” Tanimojo said.
Everyone has a person in their lives who inspires them to be the best that they can be. And for many, Tanimojo is that inspiration. He demonstrates what a strong, inclusive leader looks like by constantly bringing students together and encouraging strong voices. As his final year comes to an end, Tanimojo leaves behind a well-built network of confident and diverse students to carry on the sense of connection he helped create.
