Strengthening the Leader in Me Framework Through Digital Portfolios

Rosebud-Lott Independent School District (ISD) is located in Lott, Texas. The district serves approximately 800 students across two main campuses, operating a Pre-K through fifth-grade elementary school situated right next door to a combined middle and high school serving sixth through twelfth grades.

Through tuition-free dual credit courses offered in partnership with local colleges, most dual credit students graduate with 24+ college hours, with a majority of students going into nursing, agriculture, and the military. Additionally, the P-TECH program provides students the opportunity to graduate with industry-based certifications, primarily focusing on welding, as well as cyber security and robotics pathways. To support this comprehensive student development, the district uses its Leader in Me framework, which helps students grow leadership skills by setting "Wildly Important Goals" (WIGs), developing their behavioral expectations known as Cougar Codes, and practicing the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.

Documenting their Leader in Me framework

For Amanda Spencer, College and Career Coordinator and Leadership Director, the missing piece of the puzzle was how the district’s middle and high school students documented their Leader in Me journey. For years, the school tried to manage student portfolios using paper notebooks. It was a classic pencil and paper system that just wasn't sticking or benefiting the students. Amanda shared that “we really didn't have a set portfolio.” She went on to say that “the kids were asking, 'Why are we doing this?' because it was just a notebook on a desk. It wasn't successful because it wasn't something they actually looked forward to opening.”

The challenge was made even tougher by the district’s technology policies. In Texas, cell phones aren't allowed in class, and at Rosebud-Lott, students lock their devices in magnetized pouches the second they get to school. While this keeps them focused, it means students have no digital outlet to express themselves or capture their Leader in Me work in real-time. They needed a way to make school feel as engaging as the social media worlds they were locked out of during the day, a place to curate their own story instead of just filling out a worksheet.

Developing and recording student growth through digital portfolios

The turning point came when the district’s Superintendent saw SpacesEDU at a conference and knew it had the potential to be the district’s digital home for their Leader in Me program. But Amanda didn't just take the adults' word for it. She brought in three of the most outspoken students she could find and she told them to pick the platform apart. “I told them to be honest about whether this would work or not,” Amanda says.

“One girl told me straight up, ‘I don't want to do a portfolio.’ But after sitting there and seeing what she could do, she realized she had total control. She looked at me and said, 'I like this. This is like social media.’” - Amanda Spencer

That in-school social media feel became the driving force behind the district's adoption of the solution. SpacesEDU gave students a safe space to post whatever they wanted, from drawings and selfies to videos of their volleyball games or welding projects.

“Because students have ownership over their ‘Proud Moments’ and ‘All About Me’ tabs, the platform feels personal rather than clinical for our students. It allows them to bridge the gap between their daily activities and the 7 Habits they are supposed to be learning, like being proactive or beginning with the end in mind.” - Amanda Spencer

Helping this transition was the personalized support from the SpacesEDU team. Amanda shares, “Having that one-on-one time to get answers was super encouraging for me. I got to work with a former educator who actually listened to and understood how I want to branch out.”

Building momentum and a student-driven Leader in Me

Moving to SpacesEDU hasn't just resulted in an increase in student evidence; there has been a surge in genuine student engagement. By the end of the first semester, Rosebud-Lott saw its post numbers triple.

“Students aren't just posting because a teacher told them to during their required Wednesday Leader in Me time; they’re getting on the platform at home and on the bus to document their lives, and as a result, the connections to their growth are happening naturally. It’s been really cool to see.” - Amanda Spencer

One of the most powerful outcomes is the way the older students have taken the lead. The district's Lighthouse Kids, a leadership team of students ages seven through twelve, are now so well-versed in the platform that they’re preparing to teach the elementary students how to use it next year. “Our Lighthouse kids are going to be the ones teaching the younger kids,” Amanda explains. “It's building their own character and leadership because they get to own something that pertains specifically to them.”

Beyond academics, SpacesEDU has become an unintended outlet for mental health and self-reflection. Amanda has seen kids post about how they’re feeling or what happened over the weekend, just to “get it out of their heads.”

“It’s a place for their own space. If a kid is having a bad day, they can go back to their 'Proud Moments' tab and see everything they’ve accomplished. It’s not like Facebook, where you have to search for a date from three years ago; it’s all right there in a tab showing them who they are and what they’ve done.” - Amanda Spencer

For the district, one of the most exciting parts about the platform is that this isn't just a school initiative that disappears after graduation. Students have access to their portfolio indefinitely, and can use a secure view-only version to apply for scholarships or trade school jobs. A fifth-grader starting next school year will have seven years of data on their own growth by the time they’re a senior in high school.

To further cement this culture of self-reflection, the district hosted the Cougar Code of Champions competition for grades 6 through 12. Using SpacesEDU, students independently organized and designed an interactive portfolio across three competitive brackets: Middle School, grades 9 to 10, and grades 11 to 12. Each portfolio required students to dive deep into two core elements: a "Glow" section, where they used images, videos, and personal stories to show how they uniquely exemplify the 7 Habits and Cougar Codes, and a "Grow" section, which focused on personal growth and data-tied academic goals. Submissions were evaluated against a rubric balancing technological application, creativity and innovation, depth of reflection, alignment to purpose, and communication skills. To reward students for their dedication, the district offered incentives: middle school and underclassmen bracket winners received their choice of a PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch 2, or a Kindle, while the upper-grade winner took home a $1,500 grand prize. Additionally, judges recognized exceptional student effort with special awards, including three $50 gift cards presented to standout participants.

This digital leadership culture has become a core part of the Rosebud-Lott identity. By weaving the Cougar Codes and WIGs directly into a platform that kids actually want to use, the district has built momentum in its Leader in Me initiative, which is now self-sustaining through the students themselves. Looking ahead, the district's goal is to continue this momentum and have its Pre-K through fifth-grade elementary school begin using the platform.

“I’ve been in education for 27 years, and this has been one of the best experiences I’ve had with integrating a tech solution and watching it grow within a district’s ecosystem,” Amanda concludes. “When you give kids a place to be creative and express themselves positively, they better themselves without even realizing it.”