Head over to Camp Asbury in Hiram Ohio, where students learn how to become a leader. Even though Leadership Conference includes learning about leadership, it also involves so much more.
Throwing a whole conference together takes a lot of effort and dedication. The adults who are behind planning this conference are Math teachers Mr. Schuch, Mr. Spohn and Mrs. Brunner. The even more exceptional aspect of Leadership Conference is that the adults are not the only ones who plan this event. There is a group of students, called the LCPC, or the Leadership Conference Planning Committee, who help with the planning process. You must be interviewed and selected for this role. They started planning in February and meet every week on Thursday or Sunday nights until the conference in November.
Mr. Schuch gave some insight into the Leadership Conference. For example, how this event even came to be at Hudson High school. “Mrs. Eitel was the main factuality person who started it in the Fall of 1990. I was invited to be a part of the very first committee as a senior. A group of seniors met with Madam Eitel at lunch to plan this. The first theme was “Together We Can.”
Every year, the LCPC picks a theme to base the conference on. The 2023 theme was “Leadership, Play Your Cards Right,” with activities and decorations inspired by casinos. Last year, the 2022 theme was “Jumanji: The Next Level Of Leadership.” The theme dictates the whole conference. Some people don’t realize how important Leadership Conference really is and the lessons and life values you take away from the conference. Mr. Schuch adds, “The biggest thing we get from students is that it’s one of the best times in high school to actually connect with one another and other students. Also, you get to connect with students and meet other people that you don’t normally talk to or meet. This is why for family groups we don’t put friends together, teammates, etc. It’s a great opportunity to see people in a different way. I wish we could do that with everybody, I think a lot of people would get a lot out of that. The relationship building is huge. It changes the way we see each other in a positive way. To me, it’s about connection and building those friendships, and leadership is definitely a part of that.”
The whole time you’re at Leadership, you aren’t just sitting in a room listening to others. There is a variety at the conference including games, free time, eating and more. One of the LCPC adults adds, “We like the variety because I think that when we get the feedback from students, we have a variety of activities that different people love. We feel if we have too much of one activity, then some kinds won’t appeal to it as much. During the conference, you’re bound to find something you love to do and find the right mix of activities.” The physical team bonding activities help bring everyone together in their family group and really teach them how to communicate with each other. Mock Rock also requires major communication because to be able to complete a task you and your teammates have to be on the same page and have the same strategies because you are combining two family groups and coming up with the best dance to an upbeat song. Then they all compete to win first place for a silver disco ball, a student’s favorite activity. Whereas We’re Not Really Strangers, an activity that helps students connect on a deeper level and share sacred secrets about themselves, this activity helps others be vulnerable and open up to people and really connect on a more intimate level. Then, you have the amazing speakers, who really leave an impact on you.
People can talk about the Leadership Conference how great it was and the lessons they took away from this trip. But the real impact is attending and experiencing Leadership Conference firsthand and finding ways to better yourself not only as a leader, but also as an individual.
