Daniel Merrett and Matthew Leuenberger joined Logan City Mayor Pam Parker at St Paul’s Primary School in Woodridge on Wednesday as part of the Club’s final Lion Hearted Leaders session for 2013.

The Lion Hearted Leaders is a school based program which was developed by Lions players in conjunction with the Brisbane Lions Welfare and Fan Development departments, and AFL Queensland.

The overall aim of the program – which reached 22 Queensland schools and more than 1,500 students this year – is to deliver core leadership principles in a language that is easy for school-aged children to comprehend through using terms such as ‘inclusion’ and ‘mateship’.

Merrett said the initiative has made a real impact, both on the local community and the players themselves.

“For us, it’s all about people in our position influencing them in a positive way and I think going out to schools is where we can do our best work.” Merrett told The Courier Mail.

“I don’t think many of them would have had an opportunity to go to a game before, so it’s awesome for them as a community and the more people going to our games the better.”

Leuenberger echoed the full-back’s sentiments.

“Whether we like it or not, people look up to us and what we do, so we need to get out there and get engaged and pass on some knowledge,” Leuenberger said.

Mayor Parker, meanwhile, expressed her delight with the program via Twitter.

“Appreciate the @brisbanelions positively shaping young kids lives through their awesome leadership program,” Mayor Parker tweeted on Wednesday.