News & Events

Student leadership at Dallas High School has two new leaders this year. Benjamin Shown and Trent Schwartz have taken on Leadership, and they arrive from very different paths. One is a newer teacher coming back to the building where his career began. The other has been part of DHS for nearly three decades. They share one goal: giving every student a real voice in shaping our school.

For Mr. Shown, coming to DHS is a homecoming. He grew up in Jefferson, graduated from Western Oregon University, and student taught at DHS in 2023–24. He then spent a year teaching at Calapooia Middle School in Albany, where he also ran the chess club. Both of his parents are teachers, and he says watching them showed him early on how much a good teacher can change a person's life. He now teaches World History, Psychology, and Greek and Roman History. He hopes students will call his classroom flexible: "Students have many ways of thinking and expressing themselves, and I enjoy giving them the opportunity to do that." Outside school he spends time with his family and his three cats and watches football and rugby. He also plays both the tuba and the trombone.

Mr. Schwartz's Dallas roots run deep. Originally from Valsetz, he attended Lyle Elementary, LaCreole Middle School, and DHS, and he has taught at DHS since 1998. He teaches AP U.S. History, AP Human Geography, and Accelerated U.S. History, along with Honors Leadership. He sees education as "the great equalizer." He believes studying history, geography, and government helps people understand the world and make informed decisions as citizens. The word he hopes describes his classroom is “orderly.” Away from school he coaches several sports, fishes, hunts, and reads history. Fun fact: he was the fourth customer ever at the Dallas McDonald's.

This year, Leadership is focused on helping students take ownership of their school. Mr. Schwartz describes the class's purpose as serving students' interests, being a voice for them, and building a positive school culture for all. His top priority is bringing student government back according to the student body constitution. Part of that is adding class representatives from Advisory Groups to student government meetings, along with simple ways for any student to propose ideas for improving DHS. Mr. Shown has organized Leadership students into committees for school events, school improvements, student well-being, and school spirit, so every student has a leadership role. Students will also decorate the Leadership room with posters and objects that matter to them. Asked for the best leadership advice they've received, the two teachers gave answers that fit together. Mr. Shown said "trust is the most important aspect of leadership," and Mr. Schwartz said to "lead as a servant."

Students don't need to be in the class to get involved. They can attend school events, dances, and assemblies. They can also answer the surveys sent to Advisory Groups and share their ideas through class representatives. We want to thank Mr. Shown and Mr. Schwartz for taking on this new role. Building a program like this takes extra time and energy beyond their regular classes. Their work to grow student leadership will make a difference in our building and across the Dallas community.

 

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