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Welcome to the August 2009 edition of the LeadAmerica Alumni Newsletter! A
MESSAGE FROM THE FOUNDER
Whether you are a new alum or have been a member for many years, I encourage each of you to renew your commitment to personal leadership development, service and making a difference in your schools, neighborhoods and communities. If you are returning to school, seek opportunities for growth by challenging yourself with a leadership position or service commitment in one of the many clubs, athletic teams, or organizations available to you. Look outside of your school setting for opportunities to make a difference in the lives of others. Check out our Volunteer in Your Community article in the newsletter for ideas. Be observant and identify needs or challenges faced by others in your community and look for ways to help resolve or alleviate them by providing a service or creating your own project or organization. Remember that the Alumni Rewards Program offered through the Alumni Association is a great way to receive rewards for your continued leadership endeavors. You can earn full or partial tuition to a future LeadAmerica conference or a scholarship for college simply by participating and watching the points add up as a result of your efforts. By recommending friends and classmates who would benefit from the LeadAmerica experience and creating or participating in approved programs or activities, you can join the ranks of the many Program participants who have already benefitted from. Additionally, don’t forget to visit our Alumni Association and Facebook pages regularly for updates, to share photos or to keep in touch with your friends. Look for future Newsletters to come, and as you embark upon another academic year, don’t forget to keep us posted on your many accomplishments and endeavors. We’d like to highlight you on our web page or in a future newsletter article so that you may be an inspiration to others. We wish you well on your journey of leadership development and service and look forward to hearing from you and seeing you at future conferences!
FROM THE DIRECTOR’S DESK Dr. Sikorsky has generously volunteered his time on various occasions. Currently he serves as a consultant to the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office Crime Lab assisting with their advancements in DNA identification. Previously Dr. Sikorsky has spent time judging state science fair competitions and has worked with the West Virginia Office of the Chief Medical Examiner on proper processing of clandestine burials. ‘We’ll Never Get Where We Want to Go If We Forget Where We’ve Been’ The summer is coming to a close and our programs have ended – like a mother bird who takes pride in seeing her fledgling fly, all of us at the LeadAmerica home office are smiling ear to ear knowing our collective program birds took flight and succeeded. We are extremely fortunate in these uncertain times to work toward a collective goal of improving the world by educating our next generation of leaders and providing them the tools necessary to be successful in their chosen profession - very few can say their mission is as lofty as ours. A wise many once told me that great leaders don’t simply influence, they inspire. Like those of you reading this short message, others have now taken their first steps toward being inspired to greatness. Because the fires of inspiration and the seeds of leadership do not simply develop in a day, rather they are grown/developed/nurtured daily (thank you John Maxwell), please take a moment and remember back to your own LeadAmerica experience. What about that experience inspired you? Reflect on this moment and ask yourself the question: have I remained true to that inspiration? Am I planning to stay true to the inspiration? If your answer to this question is not a resounding yes, it looks as if you need a refresher. Self reflection is an important part of staying true to your personal vision. Dedication and drive are important but equate to wasted energy if you’ve forgotten where you’re going or why you’re going there. Before getting carried away with post-summer plans, spend some time this week thinking about your personal vision and then create a mental picture of your ‘LeadAmerica Experience’ – I hope this will inspire you to rededicate yourself to your own personal leadership growth. Have a happy and safe summer, Jan Sikorsky
Since leaving the LeadAmerica conference and stepping onto one of University of Connecticut’s satellite campus, Michael strived to live the LeadAmerica way and make a point of being involved on campus by becoming a member of the school’s Student Senate, which led him to chair the student affairs committee. Michael became an advocate for student safety on campus when a piece of a campus building’s ceiling fell on him. The realization of a present issue literally came to him, and he worked diligently to network with campus administration in finding ways to allocate money given to UConn into the satellite campus’ budget for safety awareness. As a freshman
senator before presidency, Michael met
with Massachusetts’s
legal counsel along with the other two
freshman senators to discuss concerns for
the Greater Hartford campus. “(Our
meeting) wasn’t to diminish UConn’s
reputation, but we can’t say ‘One
UConn’ and have it focus on one campus,” Michael
said. “We really have to focus on
building a reputation for the regional
campuses as well as the main campus.” Facilities
improvement has occurred since ASG began
campaigning for an improved campus, including
building a new roof for the Library, improving
campus walkways and ramps, and adding emergency
blue lights on campus. Joining the
county’s board of education
was the other accomplishment made this
year. He wanted to provide inspiration
to the next generation of leaders attempting
to give them a strong education. He loves
being on the board since he’s able
to give a distinct view on matters from
other board members since he recently graduated
from the school system they were working
for. His involvement on the county board
is paying off in many ways, particularly
giving him opportunities to enhance his
leadership and diplomacy skills with access
to leadership workshops given to board
members. “Both leadership positions
have been a challenge,” Michael says. “I
think I’ve grown so much as a student
and as a person. I learned a lot
about myself, about my weaknesses and my
strengths. I really embrace the challenge
of becoming the best I can be.” After seizing opportunities of high achievement this year, what are Michael’s future plans? “I’m honestly doing the best I can where I am right now, but I’d like to work for the state department in the future. I could be selected to work in the department my junior year, so I hope that’s a possibility when the time comes.” ***** Would you like your
leadership and service activities profiled
in the LeadAmerica Alumni Newsletter? Send
us your news! LeadAmerica wants to build
on the belief that teenagers are capable
contributors to society with valuable ideas
and the energy to become involved in their
community. Each month, one student will
be spotlighted for his or her outstanding
achievements in school and community. Become
a LeadAmerica Student of the Month! Send
your story to alumni@lead-america.org.
What personality type do you identify with the most?
When you attended a LeadAmerica conference, you were introduced to your personality type in our Valuing Diversity activity. The animal(s) you relate to says a lot about who you are. Owls are meticulous and analyze all possible decisions before committing to an answer. For instance, if an owl is deciding what to do on Saturday, movies or a sports event, they probably ask questions like “What are the weather predictions?” and “When did the movie open and how packed will the theater be?” before making a final decision. Owls - How often do you make a decision without analyzing it beforehand? When you make a snap decision without weighing your options, did you feel uncomfortable afterwards? Lions love to be in charge. They could not know a lick about chess and still think they could lead the high school chess team to victory as the team captain. Fearless and competitive, lions are constantly on the prowl to prove that their purpose in life is to stand at the top of any mountain, regardless of the challenge. Lions – How many clubs are you president for at school? Do you ever feel overwhelmed by your responsibilities? The colorful peacocks, unlike the owls, can make decisions by the seat of their pants as long as it leads them in the general direction of their goals. As long as their not alone, most peacocks can take chances due to their personal reservoir of optimism. Peacocks are confident that no matter what direction they are headed, they’ll eventually get where they need to go. Peacocks – What is it that makes you so confident and outgoing? Koalas are friendly to everyone. They are accommodating, reasonable, and patient. Koalas are willing to lend you an ear if you need to vent about a stressful day. Koalas – How often do you put the needs of others in front of your own? How do you stand up for yourself when you need to – or do you? We
want to know what you think! To cast your vote on the LeadAmerica online poll and view previous poll results, visit www.lead-america.org/alumni.
BOOKS IN REVIEW Letters from Leaders Title: Letters
from Leaders Review: Over the course of about 250 pages, the current generation of leaders identifies the beacons of leadership that can provide light for the rising leaders of the 21rst Century. These beacons include the necessary attributes or attitudes of “Optimism”, “Passion”, “Commitment”, “Values”, “Integrity” and “Work Ethic”. For the Former President and current Prime Minister of Russia, “Diligence is the mother of success”. Renown journalist, Walter Cronkite expounds, “There are no short cuts to perfection” while Donald Trump reminds the future that “Adversity is very often an opportunity in disguise”. The diversity of voices, professions and perspectives provides a validity to the arguments that is nearly absent from any other work on leadership available to readers today. If there is one repeated theme throughout the book, it is this: “Leadership is hard work. It is not to be approached lightly; its practice will demand everything.” For a generation that must confront economic risk, global terrorism, weapons of mass destruction, climate change and civil unrest throughout large portions of the globe, this book will prove to be both encouragement and motivation. Perhaps the sage advice from the former President of the USSR, Mikhail Gorbachev, summarizes the concern of each writer as they ponder the challenges that await the leaders of the 21rst Century: “Do not be afraid of life”. Courage, conviction and the values that must lie at the heart of principled leadership will empower the rising generation just as they provided the sustenance for the generation that is soon exit. This book exists as a simple testament to this timeless truth and is highly recommended.
School Success
Month – September For more information about National School Success Month, visit http://www.parentingwithoutpressure.com/holidays/nssm.htm. Breast
Cancer Awareness Month - October Gather some friends or classmates to organize a fundraiser or an event at school to gather donations. Get involved in what your local community is doing to raise funds toward the cause or organize a team to participate in the Race for the Cure. The team could get sponsored from a local business or organization. You may even be able organize an event in your community. For more information on Breast Cancer Awareness Month, visit http://www.nbcam.org/. A
Safety Reminder…
2009
ALUMNI REWARDS PROGRAM The 2009 Alumni Rewards Program will go into effect on April 15th, 2009. All claims under the 2008 Alumni Rewards Program must be redeemed by April 14th, 2009. Points not redeemed by April 14th, 2009 will be carried over into the 2009 Alumni Rewards Program and subject to the revised program criteria.
Share the excitement of leadership with your classmates, friends, and family members by nominating them to a LeadAmerica Conference! You will even earn 3 Rewards points when you nominate! Just go to the alumni website at www.lead-america.org/alumni and click Nominate Classmates.
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Well, the summer
is rapidly winding to a close and school,
for many of you, is back in full swing. It’s been
a great summer with thousands of young
leaders taking part in the life-changing
events and activities that comprise the
LeadAmerica conference experience. Congratulations
and welcome to our newest members of the LeadAmerica
Alumni Association!
“Circumstances led me to run for
the positions I ran for this past year,
but my experience at the 2008 LeadAmerica
International Security Conference in
DC left a resounding impression on me.
One quote from Mr. Andrew Potter’s
speech at the conference effects me today- ‘If
not you, who? If not now, when?’ LeadAmerica
prepared me to be a leader by reinforcing
leadership not as theory but as a lifestyle
of what you aspire to be in the future.” Michael
is a firm believer of being an example not only to
ones self but to others while never staying content
with past accomplishments.
