How to Engage Teens to Change the World Chris Payne Dothan High School SADD National Advisor of the Year Dothan City School Secondary Teacher of the Year 2014

The Role of the Advisor Single most important part of developing a powerful program is a powerful leader.

Teen Leaders Remember: No one is born a leader. Leaders are made. No two teenagers are alike. They are inspired by different things. They must believe they are not wasting their time.

How To Develop Your Program

1. In the beginning there is only one leader… YOU I have never seen a student successfully lead a group of students in their first year. You must first train your students

The Advisor Understand that all students enter in the program on the bottom rung. Never assign or vote for leaders in your first year.

The Advisor A great advisor sets the goals and adheres to the rules of the program. You set the tone for success. Let them know you are the head of the program.

2. Develop Relationships Meet Frequently The best way to fully understand someone is to spend time with them.

3. Communication Because teenagers today are more busy than ever, their ability to retain important information is very weak. Use Remind101, a website, announcements, or newsletter

4. Show Them Respect You have no idea what it took for some students to come to school

5. Service Activities The best programs in schools revolve around activities. There is no greater reward for a student than for them to see the impact they made in the life of someone else.

How To Develop a Teen Leader

1. Be the Model for their Success To train a leader you must first demonstrate to a student how a leader performs In the first year demonstrate the qualities you want them to learn

1. Be the Model for their Success All children imitate what they see. Let them always see a leader.

2. Give Opportunities to Lead The more activities your program has the more leadership opportunities you will have for your students. Teach all students how to run activities correctly. Give leadership responsibilities for those who do it well.

3. Have Your Leaders Train Others The mark of a true leader is the ability to train someone else. It will show their level of understanding and passion for the tasks at hand.

Remember You are only a leader if people are willing to follow. You must develop a culture of respect and understanding for leadership to blossom.

Remember There are many types of leaders. Which one are you wanting to develop

How To Engage A Teen To Change the World

Local, State and National Councils Encourage your students to join youth councils in your city, county, and state. Apply for national councils

Certification, Awards, Scholarships Get Certified – A certification gives your program “street cred” Certify your members for awards Push for Scholarships

How to Change the World All you have to do to change the world is make a difference in the life of just one person.

Website: http://dothanhighschoolsadd.weebly.com How to Engage Teens to Change the World Chris Payne Dothan High School Email: chpayne@dothan.k12.al.us Website: http://dothanhighschoolsadd.weebly.com