At Whitehall Middle School, a growing group of seventh and eighth graders is learning that leadership is not about popularity, titles or perfection. It is about understanding your own value and using it to make a difference for others.
That idea sits at the center of Shoe Club Nation, a student leadership program that launched its first Whitehall chapter this fall under the guidance of longtime teacher Susan Tate. The club focuses on service, confidence, empathy and community involvement while helping students recognize the value in themselves and others.
Shoe Club Nation’s mission is “to empower young students to recognize their value, unlock their potential and foster a generation of compassionate, courageous and confident leaders.”
Its vision reaches even further.
“Shoe Club is growing one chapter, one school, one community at a time. When you empower a student, the culture shifts and communities rise. We want that everywhere. Every school. Every state.”
From one chapter to four
For Tate, the mission aligned naturally with both her teaching philosophy and the Whitehall community she has spent nearly three decades serving.
“This is my 28th year,” Tate said. “My whole career, I’ve been at Whitehall.”
Shoe Club Nation began 18 years ago in East Jordan, Michigan, with a simple belief.
“When kids feel valuable they act valuable. They make valuable choices to participate, to embrace hope and to allow themselves to dream.”
The organization started with a single chapter at East Jordan Middle School under teacher Matt Hamilton. Over time, the program’s impact and message continued to grow, eventually leading to expansion into additional schools.
This year marked the first year of expansion beyond East Jordan, with new chapters launching in Whitehall, Boyne City and Johannesburg Lewiston.
According to Shoe Club Nation, educators interested in bringing the program to their schools went through an application and interview process before being selected.
“We had amazing, proven, capable and motivated educators reach out to us wanting to bring the Shoe Club to their schools,” the organization shared. “After the applications and interview process we knew these leaders would succeed in the mission.”
For Whitehall, that leader became Susan Tate.
A program built around value and leadership
[Photo placement: Students during the Random Acts of Kindness Day handing out flowers, cards or candy]
Tate teaches eighth grade science and STEM electives, but this year she added something new to her classroom and school community. After following Shoe Club Nation for years online, she applied last summer when the organization began expanding beyond its original school in East Jordan.
The Whitehall chapter became one of three pilot schools selected alongside Johannesburg Lewiston and Boyne City.
Shoe Club Nation was founded at East Jordan Middle School by Hamilton, who created the program around a simple but powerful idea. A pair of shoes can tell part of a person’s story, but appearances rarely reveal everything someone is carrying.
“You look at a shoe, and it represents the person who owns it,” Tate explained while describing the program’s origins. “You don’t know what somebody is going through.”
That message connects directly to the club’s core lesson about value.
Students who join Shoe Club Nation read “Value Up” by motivational speaker Mike Donahue, who shares his own experiences growing up feeling like he lacked value. After reading the book, students complete a reflection and create a list of 10 life goals before officially joining the club.
“There’s no application process, which I like,” Tate said. “You don’t have to be a quote unquote perfect student to be in Shoe Club. We’ll take anybody and kind of show you your value and how you can apply that to the school.”
Tate said the “Value Up” book plays a major role in helping students understand the purpose behind the club and the importance of recognizing their own worth. A link to download the book for free can be found at the end of this article.
Creating confidence during middle school years
That accessibility matters, especially during middle school years when confidence can fluctuate daily and students are often trying to figure out where they fit.
Tate said the club intentionally welcomes a wide variety of students, including those who may not immediately see themselves as leaders.
“Kids who don’t feel that they’re valuable will act that way,” she said. “Helping kids see their value helps them act more valuable too.”
The club also addresses issues many middle school students face, including comparison, insecurity and social pressure.
“That’s part of the value message,” Tate said. “You recognize your own value, but you recognize that every other person is valuable too.”
Tate said students are encouraged to stop measuring themselves against what they see online or from classmates around them and instead recognize that everyone has struggles and strengths that are not always visible.
Learning through service and community involvement
[Photo placement: Students participating in Trash Bash cleanup]
The lessons go beyond conversations inside a classroom.
Throughout the year, Whitehall students have participated in community service projects and leadership activities designed to help them practice empathy, communication and teamwork in real situations.
One of the club’s biggest events this year was a Random Acts of Kindness Day. Students created homemade Christmas cards, purchased carnations and candy bars, then traveled around the community handing them out to local businesses, workers and residents.
Whitehall Shoe Club Nation students handed out flowers, candy and handmade cards during a Random Acts of Kindness Day event, spreading encouragement and positivity throughout the community. Photo courtesy of Susan Tate, Shoe Club Nation Whitehall Chapter Leader
At first, some students felt nervous approaching strangers.
“Kids this age are sometimes hesitant to talk to older people or strangers,” Tate said. “But once they got over that initial shyness, they were just glowing.”
The experience became about more than simply giving away flowers or candy. It showed students how small acts can create meaningful connections.
“I think it’s good for adults in our community and for the kids to see each other in that favorable light,” Tate said. “Adults sometimes only hear stories about kids these days. It’s good for them to see kids out doing good things.”
The Whitehall chapter also participated in the community Trash Bash cleanup event this spring, another experience Tate said helped students see how even small efforts can positively impact the places they live.
Whitehall Shoe Club Nation members participated in the community Trash Bash cleanup this spring, helping clean local areas while learning the value of service, leadership and community involvement. Photo courtesy of Susan Tate, Shoe Club Nation Whitehall Chapter Leader
“I think students this age have an innate desire to be helpful,” Tate said. “They don’t always know how. Giving them a platform or a vehicle to take that energy and do good is really important.”
Student driven ideas and leadership
The club itself is largely student driven. During meetings, students brainstorm ideas for projects, events and ways they want to improve their school or community. Tate guides the conversations, but students help shape the direction.
“They all have lots of ideas,” she said. “Learning how to listen to other people’s ideas respectfully and think out how to execute them is a huge part of it.”
One memorable experience this year included a virtual meeting with NBC sports broadcaster Mike Tirico, who connected with the participating Shoe Club chapters during a special event.
Shoe Club zoom with Mike Tirico
Those conversations and experiences also teach collaboration, compromise and confidence.
“Sometimes a kid will put out an idea, and then someone else will put out a similar idea, and the first person will say, ‘I like their idea better,’” Tate said. “That’s really what it’s all about.”
Tate said students learn leadership skills simply by working through ideas together, listening to different perspectives and making decisions as a group.
Looking ahead to the future of Shoe Club Nation
Part of Shoe Club Nation’s identity also comes from its growing shoe collection.
The original East Jordan chapter has collected shoes from celebrities, athletes and public figures, with each pair representing the story and humanity behind the person who wore them. Whitehall currently has shoes from Olympic gymnast Gabby Douglas and cell phone pioneer Marty Cooper on display.
Whitehall Shoe Club Nation members pose with shoes from Olympic gold medalist Gabby Douglas and cell phone inventor Marty Cooper, part of the growing Shoe Club Nation collection that highlights the stories and value behind each individual. Photo courtesy of Susan Tate, Shoe Club Nation Whitehall Chapter Leader
Next year, Shoe Club Nation will take another major step forward when the Grand Rapids Public Museum opens an exhibit featuring shoes from the program, including contributions from each participating school chapter.
Whitehall students will help select which student shoes represent their chapter in the exhibit.
The club also hopes to continue expanding opportunities for students through community projects, fundraising events and college visits in the future.
At a time when many students struggle with isolation and uncertainty, Tate believes programs like Shoe Club Nation help students reconnect with each other and their communities in meaningful ways.
“I love giving kids a vehicle,” she said. “Finding opportunities for them to do things for other people and developing programs around school and in the community is really important.”
For Whitehall’s Shoe Club Nation chapter, the goal is not simply to keep students busy after school. It is to help students understand that leadership starts with empathy, connection and believing they already have value.
For more information about Shoe Club Nation, visit https://www.shoeclubnation.org/.
A free downloadable version of “Value Up” by Mike Donahue is available at https://value-up.org/free-book-thank-you/.
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