Leadership Triathlon Cathe Felz, National Consultant Team

Connecting All Teens to Leadership People who become leaders don’t always seek the challenges they face. Challenges also seek leaders. James M. Kouzes and Barry Z. Posner, Student Leadership Practices Inventory

Leadership is typically reserved for the “Best” and “Brightest.” Focusing only on these teens... Limit the potential of so many students. Students begin to believe only “good” students can be successful. Creative answers to community issues are lost.

Benefits to schools Better attendance. Higher retention rates. Fewer failed classes. Positive participation. Positive contributions to class discussions. Greater confidence in speaking at meetings. Take on peer leadership roles with confidence. Confidence in resolving conflict.

Benefits to Students Increased empathy in community service projects. Higher GPA than non leadership participants. Increased involvement in school decision making process Increased interest in post secondary or CTE training. – Source Building Everyday Leadership in All Teens, MacGregor, M.S. 2007

Facilitating Leadership Activities Be personally enthusiastic. Maintain control over the students and the activity. Be the time keeper. Be flexible. Watch what is happening. Assist in grouping students so everyone is included—colored stars, cards, role the dice.

Where to begin Be prepared—collect equipment ahead of time. Focus the group on the topic of the activity so they know the purpose. Be familiar with activity and how it works. Do a dry run before presenting activity to your group. Read through instructions ahead of time. Select 5 to 7 discussion questions ahead of time.

Our Job is... To teach teens that leading is as much promoting positive attitudes and respect as achievement. Create a safe environment for practicing and testing leadership skills. Promote positive interaction between students from a variety of backgrounds.

Controlling the Situation Establish a way to call the group back to order. Make directions short and to the point. If possible demonstrate what you want the group to do.

Be patient, it may take some time for the students to get used to a new approach. If things aren’t working during the activity stop the activity or make adjustments to fix it for the students. If activities don’t turn out the way you want. Keep trying! Perfect takes practice. Make adjustments for the needs of your students. Start small. One class, one activity, or a small group. Try it on your teacher friends. If it Ain’t Workin’ Fix it

Leadership Hula In teams of 5 to 7people form a circle facing each other. Hold out two fingers at shoulder level of the tallest person on your team. Lay a hula hoop across everyone’s fingers. You assignment is to lower the hula hoop to the ground without loosing contact with the hoop. If anyone on the team looses contact with the hula hoop at any point. The group must start over with the hula hoop at shoulder level.

Discussion points Was it easy to lower the stick to the ground? What was the groups reaction to not being able to get the stick to lower quickly? What did your group do to solve the problem? At what point were you able to lower the stick? What technique worked the best for your group?

Class projects Select and Plan a community service project as a group. – Culinary Arts prepare lunch for the senior center Curriculum connections- food safety, preparation skills, serving. National Program-Community Service Plan and implement a fundraiser as a group. – Babysitting service for a community event plan activities related to bike or pedestrian safety Curriculum connections-planning age appropriate activities, ages and stages of development, safety. National Program- FACTS Complete one national program as a class.

National Program as a Class Project Plan a variety of activities throughout the semester related to the national program All students participate, all students take leadership roles, chapter members can participate after school or during class time Students write press releases, newspaper articles, take pictures, prepare presentations, develop plans as part of the regular class assignments.

National Programs Use the questions from the national programs as the questions for writing assignments. Students research topic such as number of teens killed in traffic accidents, number of area residents on active duty, or number of officers killed in the line of duty. Students develop a list of possible partners, make contacts, and plan events.

Assessment Participation in Activity 10 pts Writing assignment points Researching a Leader project points Homework Assignments points Give discussion questions as a writing assignment– Writing Across the Curriculum Pre and post Student Leadership Practices Inventory (Kouzes and Posner).

The Unique Role of leaders is to take us to places we’ve never been before.