All children can learn to be leaders.

That’s the theme of “The Leader in Me,” the motivational model developed by Franklin Covey Co. for schools worldwide, based on the principles of his book “7 Habits of Highly Effective People.”

On Wednesday and Thursday, Franklin Covey will host its symposium “The Leader in Me” at the Charlotte Harbor Event and Conference Center from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event is open to school educators, administrators, government and business leaders, and interested community members who are committed to help the schools develop leaders for the 21st century.

The symposium will feature inspirational messages by speakers such as Muriel Summers, principal of A.B. Combs Elementary School, who, to save her school, pioneered the transformational method that led to the creation of “The Leader in Me” program; Ron Clark, Disney’s American Teacher of the Year, whose experiences inspired “The Ron Clark Story,” starring Matthew Perry; Erin Gruwell, author of “The Freedom Writer’s Diary,” which chronicled her teaching journey and resulted in the film of the same name starring Hilary Swank; Philadelphia educator, author and chess coach Salome Thomas-El; and Sean Covey, author of “The 7 Habits of Happy Kids” and “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens,” and the company’s education practice leader.

The symposium will also include breakout discussion sessions, interaction with student leaders and table topics for sharing information.

“The Leader in Me” program shows committed school administrators and teachers how to transform their school into a community of high-achieving learners and leaders by involving all staff, students and parents. After committing to becoming a “Leader in Me” school, the staff begins a three-year process towards achieving Lighthouse School status, a beacon of light and a model for other schools.

In the first year, the staff shares the leadership vision with the school, establishes a plan for achieving their goals and creates a Lighthouse Team to implement and drive the process. The second year continues the program in greater depth, including helping the students create Leadership Notebooks to record their progress, schoolwide goal setting and increasing the number of activities that are designed and led by students. By the third year, the school is recording their achievements and reviewing the plan to meet all program requirements. They receive consultations and reviews from Franklin Covey representatives, with the ultimate goal of being awarded Lighthouse School status.

Currently, only 32 elementary schools in the world have achieved Lighthouse School status, and two of them — Liberty Elementary School in Port Charlotte and Vineland Elementary School in Rotonda West — are in Charlotte County. Schools that have entered the process of becoming a Lighthouse School number 1,087.

Charlotte County is one of only 15 North American sites chosen for the symposium. The cost to attend the symposium is $275 per person. A pre-conference program that discusses the “7 Habits of Highly Effective People” costs $150.

To register, visit www.theleaderinme.org/events/symposiums.

Email: barbara.mellinger@gmail.com