Growing Tomorrow’s Leaders Around The Gaming Table

Every week, as I walk into our board game club, I’m reminded why I started this in the first place. It’s not just about the games, though we’ve had our share of epic strategy showdowns and hilarious party-game moments, it’s about what happens between the moves. It’s the quiet confidence growing in the shy student who now runs a table. It’s the way a seasoned player slides over to help a new kid without being asked. It’s leadership, mentoring, and community-building.

There’s something special about watching kids mentor each other through the intricacies of a new game. One moment, someone is struggling to grasp the rules of Star Realms or Love Letter, and the next a peer steps in, not to take over, but to guide. They explain the mechanics patiently, offer strategy tips, and stay alongside until the new player finds their footing. These aren’t assigned mentors. These are kids stepping up because they care, because they know what it’s like to be the new one, and because this club has become something they take pride in.

This peer-led mentoring is more than just helpful, it’s transformative. It teaches empathy, communication, and confidence in a way that no lecture ever could. When a student explains the rules of a game clearly and encourages others as they play, they’re practicing public speaking, active listening, and the kind of teamwork that employers dream about. They’re learning that leadership isn’t about control; it’s about support, collaboration, and trust.

I’ve seen students who were once quiet observers turn into table captains, teaching games they’ve mastered and welcoming newcomers into the fold. I’ve seen others take initiative to organize mini-tournaments or redesign old game rules to make them more accessible. These moments, small on the surface, are the foundation of real-world leadership skills. They’re learning to be responsible, adaptable, and inclusive, traits that will serve them in school, college, careers, and beyond.

In a world increasingly focused on test scores, sports, and screens, Owl Sage has become a space for real interaction and meaningful growth. It’s a place where strategy and storytelling meet social-emotional learning. And perhaps most importantly, it’s where kids learn to lift each other up.

Watching them lead, mentor, and grow gives me immense hope for the future. Because if this is what leadership looks like at the game table, I can’t wait to see what they’ll build when it’s their turn to lead the world.