Developing servant-leaders is essential to boarding school life. Leadership opportunities abound at Rio; from classroom learning groups to student life, from organizing programs to presenting public presentations, from leading on the soccer field, to checking in on their peers, Rio students transform from being participants to being leaders. Staff work closely with students to advance their leadership skills and often can be found mentoring and challenging them to reach their full leadership potential.

Some leadership opportunities that students have at Rio are leading and planning activities for the student body. Two of those Student Association positions are campus ministries, who meet on a weekly basis with other students as part of the Spiritual Life Committee. This team plans, prays, and seeks God’s guidance as it becomes the pulse of Rio students’ spiritual engagement. Students also lead out in the dorms as Residents’ Assistants (RA’s), and Boy’s or Girl’s Club Officers. Throughout the year, students lead out in church, Bible studies, and retreats with other Adventist schools across Northern California. Many graduates continue leading out in their communities and worlds after Rio and are purposeful about creating positive change in the world.

We believe that God has given us the gift of serving others to defeat our selfish nature. In Rio’s boarding environment, student connections provide daily opportunities for service as modeled by the staff and students regularly assist and learn from others in the classroom. Many of Rio’s students choose to take on mentor roles with younger students or get involved in the many service offerings such as visiting local senior centers, helping out in the animal shelter, or handing out toiletry packages to the homeless. Rio’s students learn to serve in both our local communities and abroad through ongoing community service projects and the annual spring break mission trip.