Westshore Young Leaders hold annual leadership training

The middle school winners of the tower-building contest.

A record number of middle and high school students and staff from Bay Village, Fairview Park, Lakewood, North Olmsted and Rocky River braved the cold and snow to participate in the annual Westshore Young Leaders training held at the Don Umerley Civic Center in Rocky River on Friday, Nov. 21. Over the past five years, the training has been able to reach out to close to 400 students in the Westshore District. 

The Westshore Young Leaders Network partnered with McKeon Education Group to facilitate the invigorating day of interactive training. Stand By Your Quote was an excellent activity for students to examine the leadership styles of others and take a moment to reflect on its meaning and purpose in their leadership roles. One example was a paraphrase of John Quincy Adams' quote: "If your actions inspire others to dream more and do more, you are a leader."

Are you a problem solver, are you a visionary or are you better at crisis management? Students rated themselves on the different roles a leader can acquire within a group. Helping students learn their strengths and weaknesses will align their comfort level and abilities as part of the team.

Team-building activities broke the middle and high school students into groups for the afternoon session. Middle school students used teamwork to build towers out of marshmallows and spaghetti. The high school students participated in activities to foster their role as mentors in the leadership growth process.

The Westshore Young Leaders Network is open to all middle and high school students in the six Westshore communities (Bay Village, Fairview Park, Lakewood, North Olmsted, Rocky River and Westlake). Join us for an “Ugly Sweater Contest” and holiday party on Thursday, Dec. 18, from 6-8 p.m. at the Bay Village Police Station, 28000 Wolf Road. For more information, contact Noreen Kyle, School Prevention Specialist, at 440-250-9916.

Noreen Kyle

WEB is the Westshore Enforcemt Bureau, a drug task force serving 6 Westshore Communities; Bay Village; Fairrview Park; Lakewood; North Olmsted; Rocky River and Westlake. As School Prevention Specialsit working for WEB, I provide alcohol and drug prevention services for the middle and high school teens within the Westshore Schools.

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Volume 6, Issue 24, Posted 9:45 AM, 11.25.2014