Lead On

Blog Talk Radio: Gen Next- Top 10 Things We Wish We Knew As Teens

2009-08-20T10:06:00.000-07:00

Recently I started a new on-line radio show with a speaker friend, Alton Jamison, www.altonjamison.com . We had our first show this week and I am excited to share it with you!

Please visit our Blog Talk Radio Site at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/GenNext or download this show to your itunes library and listen on the go!

This week's show was all about the Top 10 Things We Wished We Knew As Teens

1) Care less about what people think
2) Don’t rush to be in a relationship
3) Parents and teachers are doing the best they can with what they have
4) Realize how lucky you are
5) Continue to learn foreign language
6) Don’t let money stop you
7) In sports, winning isn’t everything
8) Give people a chance
9) Try new things…even if you are alone
10)Everyone’s NOT doing it

We know that teachers around the nation are tuning in and sharing these podcast with students and teens if it is just you listening, try sharing this with your teacher. This week we talked about 10 things and of the 10 things, there might be some that you are struggling with. So deiced which ones that you want to work on, make a journal entry about this and decide how you can take action!

We look forward to connecting with you LIVE on Gen Next and hearing your show ideas and how we can best help you! Please message me here or at Jill@leadingforlife.com.

Girls Only Leadership Conference at Columbia University

2009-07-31T10:04:00.001-07:00

I just got home from one of the best young women leadership conferences in NYC. It was at Columbia University and I lead a workshop for middle and high school young women on communication skills and how to work with different types of leaders. There were 175 incredible young women from the US and a few from Africa and Europe. I hope to do more conferences in the near future for young women! Very empowering!

International Leadership Camp in Switzerland

2009-07-22T13:32:00.000-07:00

WOW-Amazing!!! Describes the leadership camps I spoke at in Leysin, Switzerland. I spoke at 2 different leadership camps in Switzerland to group so 50 teens with more than 20 countries represented. The teens were incredible, the sights were beautiful and the other speakers I met were inspiring.

NASC 2009

2009-07-01T19:55:00.000-07:00

This past week I had the chance to help with the NASC Conference http://www.nasc.us/s_nasc/index.asp in Denver, CO with main sessions and coaching the conference co-chairs. Annie and Hayley were amazing young student leaders and were so great to work with. NASC 2009 was a huge success-great job!

Inspiring Teens From 14 Countries Gather at UCLA for 1 Week

2009-06-24T09:48:00.000-07:00

I had the opportunity to speak at UCLA for a youth program focused on bringing people together from all over the world to better understand each other and be leaders in their nation.

There were about 110 teenagers from all over the world (South Africa, Tanzania, England, Philippians, Korea, Central America,USA) coming together for 1 week and to create an "action plan" for a service project to lead back home. I was the opening speaker for the week and challenged each and every participant to make the most of their week, to be fully present and connect with as many people as possible.

After the speech, we had a Q & A, lunch and connected in smaller groups. It is great to know we have amazing young people in our world today!

Training LIT's In My Local Community

2009-06-24T09:34:00.000-07:00

For the past two weeks I had the opportunity to work with a local private school and a local science camp for kids! I have worked with some of the most mature teenagers and I am excited for them to make a difference in young campers lives this summer and be those amazing role models.

We focused on leadership skills such as communication, goal setting, event planning and exploring different leadership styles. We practiced leading games and songs that little kids would enjoy and looked at what it means to be a role model to young kids.

Day In the Life of a German! Discoving German School....

2009-06-05T12:05:00.000-07:00

During the month of May I did an exchange program through Rotary International- Group Study Exchange www.rotary.org . I had the opportunity to spend one month in Germany looking at their educational system and learning about the German culture. It was one of the most interesting and amazing months. I lived with 8 different host families around Bavaria and visited 5 German Schools.

I learned how different their system is to the USA system. They focus only on academics and do not offer clubs or extracurricular sports! There are 3 different schools types, see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Education_in_Germany

When I told the German kids about detention and that school goes till 3:00 pm (German school is till 12:30-1:00 on most days) they were shocked. They did not understand why we had dress codes or why kids had to change classes and walk to the teachers (it is the opposite there).

They asked me questions like, "Is America school like High School Musical?" "Are the cops mean?" Very fun and funny. A big difference...teens in Germany are not addicted to Ipods and text messaging. One night I was at a carnival and only saw 4 teens on their phones and 1 with an Ipod...NO WAY! Overall, the teens were the same, they just spoke German and wished to visit America and ours want to visit Europe:)

Dream Leader Goes to Asia

2009-04-27T09:30:00.000-07:00

We had our first international Dream Leader event. This last weekend we held a teen/parent Dream Leader event in Manila, Philippines. We had 27 teens and 35 parents attend the Saturday retreat. The parents and teens were split apart for the day and had their own special sessions. The teens focused on their personal goals/dreams and learned skills to help empower them to reach their goals. The parents learned more about the teenage brain and ways to best support their teen during these formidable years.

The day concluded with a special teen and parent session where they came together to share their thoughts and leanings with each other. Dream Leader was a hit in Asia!

Minnesota Student Council Conference

2009-04-08T18:43:00.000-07:00

I just got back from BRRRR Minnesota. I had the opportunity to spend 2 days leading the Minnesota MS State Student Conference. About 200 MS students from all over the state of MN came together for “Round Up Leadership” and focused on developing their personal leadership skills. We looked at communication, personal leadership styles and focused on making a different back in our schools. Here are few snippets of our time together!

This is the largest group I have ever done Team Towers with-amazing!

South Carolina Student Council Conference

2009-03-22T09:38:00.000-07:00

I LOVE the South! Sometimes I think I was born in the wrong part of the nation. This past Friday night I was the Keynote speaker for the South Carolina Student Council conference. The opening session was amazing! They had a neat glow stick dance, a step team perform and an ending like no other! The theme was G'Vegas and the students did a wonderful job of playing up the theme. After I spoke, there was a surprise visit...from none other than Elvis himself! It was wonderful! Thank you for having me as your speaker!

Girl Scouts Birthday in Orange County

2009-03-15T20:34:00.000-07:00

Today was the Girl Scouts birthday and I was the guest speaker for the girls at the Richard Nixon Library, (www.gsbirthday.org). There were over 1,500 young women focusing on the Girl Scout Law and building their leadership skills. It was a wonderful day!

8th Annual MS Conference-Elk Grove

2009-03-13T13:29:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I was in Northern California for "Take A Stand, Stand Up, Stand Out and Stand Together" student run leadership conference. The local HS students presented over 15 different workshops to MS students and I was the keynote speaker and 1workshop presenter.

The HS students were remarkable presenters and had the ability to teach, inspire and get the MS students to think about teen issues and ways to be leaders on their campuses. It was a wonderful conference and I am certain those MS kids are making a difference in their schools!

Back Pocket Leadership Meets CADA 2009

2009-03-11T09:25:00.001-07:00

I can't believe I have been going to CADA www.cada1.org for 5 years. Each year gets better and better and it is always a joy to see old friends and make new friends.

This year I presented twice during Meet The Pros and Curriculum Round Tables.

I shared my new product "Back Pocket Leadership" (launching the end of April) and 5 different activities with advisor. The activities focused on team building , communication skills, public speaking, problem solving and character building.

I will share more about the cards in the next month...if you want the CADA handout or a sneak peak of 6 free cards, email me at Jill@leadingforlife.com and I will send your way!

Dream Leader-Dreams and Disney

2009-02-19T23:09:00.001-08:00

Over President's Day Weekend I met 25 of the most inspiring young people from all over the world... the US, Mexico, Jamaica, Panama, Ecuador and Costa Rica. We spent 4days bringing the book and game "Dream Leader" to life at Disney World.

The four day program consisted of learning, laughing, leadership, specialized workshops on dream setting.

Winter Leadership Conferences in Oregon

2009-02-06T22:58:00.000-08:00

This past week I had the amazing opportunity of traveling around Southern and Eastern Oregon with Nancy Moen, the State Director of OASC www.oasc.org and meeting amazing students and advisers through regional leadership conferences. Here was our first school (mostly MS students- pic.the host school).

We had a four day tour starting in Hermiston, then to Hillsbro, followed by Roseburg and finally ending in Beaverton. All in all, we saw about 500 leadership students in middle and high school. Here is our second stop, (all HS studnets-pic.host school)!

The days consisted of ice breakers, a keynote message "Go Big and Make A Big Difference", a leadership workshop on leadership styles, lunch and finally a swap shop on new ideas and activities. The kids were really focused and energized at all four sites. Here are pictures with the host schools (host schools for days 3 and 4). Thanks OASC for a great time!

Where in the World?

2009-01-28T12:35:00.000-08:00

So the holidays flew by and I had the opportunity to go to Israel in the month of January and kick off 2009 in an incredible way! It was one of those once in a life time experiences... so very hard to put words to the whole experience, other than saying, "It was AMAZING!"

Just to give you an idea of what the day to day was like, we traveled by bus all over the country, stayed at a total of 4 hotels, at each one we had 3 to a room. On the bus: 37 American participants in Taglit-Birthright Program all ages 22-26 from Los Angeles, 8 Israeli soldiers there to share the experience with us, 2 group leaders from LA employed by Birthright to make sure the trip goes smoothly, 1-2 Israeli armed guards (quantity depending on our location- in the North and Jerusalem we had to have more), one amazing profession tour guide, and hilarious bus driver. All 50 of us were on and off that bus like 12 times a day, and each time we boarded we had to "count off" to make sure we weren't forgetting anyone.

We visited sites such as Golan Heights, floated in the Dead Sea, Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, stayed in Bedouin camps, rode camels, climbed Masada...and so much more. It was often the moments in between the moments that I learned the most or had the personal connections. A highlight was visiting the Holocaust Museum and dancing with Holocaust Survivors. There is so much to say about the people, the state, the situation, the amazing beauty of the country...a quick blog is just my attempt to share the other side of Israel that is not often shown on CNN.

And now...back on the road, new and exciting leadership products for 2009, more conferences, friends and memories to be made.

Weekend of Fun At NAWD-National Association of Workshop Directors

2008-12-08T14:59:00.000-08:00

This weekend I had the joy and honor of attending and presenting at my 2nd annual NAWD conference (see workshop photo above- “Quick Leadership Activities”). There were so many great ideas and wonderful advisors in attendance.

One of my favorite ideas was from Stephanie Brake from Missouri. The community service project is called, “Make A Wish” Believe Campaign. I wanted to share it with everyone during this holiday season, so you too can help out and have your students write letters.

Children can help grant wishes by writing letters telling why they believe in Santa Claus. Bring the letters to a Macy’s BELIEVE Station and Macy’s will donate $1 for every letter received to the Make A Wish Foundation. Imagine if you had 1,000 students or more write letters during the day…what a great and easy way to help out! Check out this site, http://www.wish.org/help/macy_s_believe for more information.

I look forward to hearing how this project goes for you! Happy Holidays!

NY State Student Council Conference

2008-11-26T08:37:00.000-08:00

The NY State student council conference was chilly, but full of warm people. I had the opportuinty to be a "show case" speaker and was sponsored by Herff Jones to lead two keynotes with about 400 student leaders in each group. It was fun and these young ladies in the pictures were the student gov. officers of their school.

The highlight of this conference was hearing another speaker by the name of Mawai http://www.mawispeaks.com/. He is beyond inspirational and a wonderful speaker. He fled civil war in Ethiopia and survived a Sudanese refugee camp for three years. After being resettled in The United States, Mawi overcame welfare, language barriers and personal tragedy to graduate from Harvard University. What a great reminder about how we can preserve through any hardships!

Girls Only Conference ROCKED!

2008-11-14T10:38:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I was in Northern California for a Girls Only Leadership Conference. It was so much fun and such a unique conference. We had 289 junior and seniors in HS and 13 advisors-it was an amazing group! I had the opportunity to speak with Shyana Boyte and another young woman Karla Lyngrar. We had three keynote speakers and then the girls had discussion groups about the keynote message.

It was great to see the young ladies connect with each other and think a little deeper about their own lives and who they are becoming. Also, it was extra special for me to work with Phil Boyte (the speaker I met when I was 13 years old, who inspired me to be a speaker). He had the vision for this event and did a wonderful job putting the conference on and organizing the day! I hope to do more Young Women conferences and events in the future---they ROCK!

NHS-National Honor Society Conference- It was an HONOR

2008-11-10T05:36:00.000-08:00

This past weekend I had the honor of being at the NHS conference in Orlando, Fl. There were over 850 NHS and NHJS students from across the nation. The students in this picture were the two student emcees for the conference and very inspiring young people. Gordon and Charlotte did a wonderful job and it was tons of fun coaching them on delivery skills (although they are both naturals)! While not working with the emcees, I presented two workshops on Communication Skills and Building Dreams for Life. Also, the closing speaker, Bob Tryanski, www.bobtryanski.com did a great job and it is always fun to see speaker friends on the road!

Canadian Teens Are Great Leaders

2008-11-05T19:56:00.000-08:00

This week I was in Canada for a speaker show case at www.ylcc.com . I was invited to share my keynote message, "Go Big and Make A Big Difference" with 900 Canadian students. The teens there are very similar to the teens in America...they just say "ehh" a little bit more. :) Seriously, it was a wonderful experience and traveling to see Niagara Falls was an incredible sight too!

FCCLA Leadership Fun

2008-10-25T09:06:00.000-07:00

I just had the opportunity to work with another speaker friend Justin Boudreau http://www.leadwithjustin.com/ at an Arizona FCCLA Leadership Conference. It was a wonderful day of leadership and the kids there were excited for workshops and leadership lessons. I presented a workshop about leading your dreams and we had a mock auction where kids bought their “dream lives” and then we looked at how they can really achieve those lives when they go back home. It was a great day, thank you Justin and FCCLA!

Teacher Training Fun

2008-09-29T14:53:00.000-07:00

Just a few days ago I was in Bloomington, Il with the Illinois Association Junior High Student Council. I had a wonderful 2 days with 60 amazing student council advisors. We looked at interactive ways to teach leadership to their students. I promised them great resources and I figured rather than emailing them, I would post them to the blog and share with everyone. These are some of my favorite sites and resources to help teach leadership to young people. Enjoy!
(Pic- Bruce Small and Bob Hayes)

Activities That Teach- Tom Jackson http://www.activelearning.org/

Premier Agenda- GO Program with Steven Covey
http://www.premier.us/index.php?option=com_ag_supplemental_programs&Itemid=47&prog_id=1

Dream Leader (Game and Book- Jill Esplin
www.dreamleadergame.com

Inspirational short movie
http://www.rock-solidmovie.com/

Leadership In the Movies
http://www.nasc.us/s_nasc/store_front.asp?CID=3&DID=3

What If….
http://www.google.com/doodle4google/

On-line Resources
http://www.asbdirector.com/
http://www.leadershiptogo.com/

What Are Your Big 5 For Life?

2008-09-15T15:58:00.000-07:00

I just got back from a wonderful trip to Kenya. I went with a friend’s non-profit group to do volunteer work (a 2 day leadership program with teens), we went to orphanages and safari for 2 days. It was an incredible experience and opened my eyes to how blessed we are in the states.

The schools in Africa are like nothing in the USA. Our worst schools are still their best schools. One of the days we were in a school room with no air, a bird’s nest in the ceiling, over 75 kids (3-4 kids per small bench), no running water in the bathrooms and each kid had rice and beans for lunch. To top it off, they were so happy. I didn’t hear one complaint the whole day. They were so grateful for us teaching them. We gave each kid a book and they signed their name in it and said it was the first book they ever owned…talk about eager students.

The reason I wanted to go to Africa was because of this book called Life Safari. It is the idea of the Big 5. Not just the animals in Africa, but one’s personal Big 5 for life. The 5 things they want to do, see or experience in your life time. My friend John Strelecky wrote the book and continues to inspire millions around the world to reach for their Big 5 for life. You can check it out at http://www.thelifesafari.com/

As you start the school year, consider your Big 5 for this year. What are the 5 things you want to do, teach, achieve or move towards? How can you share this idea and message with your friends and students?

Let’s help each other, feel free to post your Big 5 and see if we can connect people to each other.

Summer Fun and Back to School Activity

2008-08-20T12:50:00.000-07:00

Summer was absolutely wonderful. I know I saw many of you at NASC (http://www.nasc.us/s_nasc/index.asp) in Texas which was amazing. Trent and Myles (in the picture) were wonderful to work with and they did a great job hosting the conference. This year I had the opportunity to be a “Spotlight Speaker” and I met Josh Sunquist who is a great speaker and young man.

This summer I also traveled to major university across the nation (Harvard, Stanford, George Washington University and UCLA) to speak with amazing student ambassadors with People to People (http://www.studentambassadors.org) They have a wonderful program and dedicated teachers that work with them.

Finally I am off to Africa for a 10 day volunteer trip with Orphans in Kenya and a Safari. I have a friend who runs leadership camps in under developed countries and I have wanted to go for a few years. We are going to work with teen orphans and teach them basic skills for personal success. www.visionsforthefuture.org is the group that I am going with and we leave in just 2 days.

As for my 2008-2009 school year goals, one of my big goals is to use this BLOG a little bit more.
For the first week of school a great activity to try is Group Link!

Have your class stand in a circle and the first person shares about himself/herself for 10 seconds. Once he/she says something that connects with another student they link on at that place in the cirlce and start to share. For example, on student says, “I have 4 brothers, I play soccer, I like to eat ice cream, I am a gamer. I like to play WII and I also play the guitar.” Another student plays the guitar and yells LINK out loud and links arm and stands next to the person sharing. He/she begin by sharing the link and continues on, “I too play the guitar, I grew up in NYC…etc” It is easy, fun and pretty low risk.

Until next time…have a great first week of school.

Service Lesson- Open Eyes, Open Hearts and Make a Difference

2008-03-29T10:40:00.001-07:00

Wow it has been awhile since my last blog and to be honest, it has been a crazy few months. I have been spending tons of time with my family and helping support as my step-dad and family. My step-dad Frank was fighting bone cancer for almost a year and the fight is finally over. This Sunday we are having a memorial for him and he will forever be loved.

During this time, I took a week break from speaking and teaching, but I know the first service lesson that we will do when I go back to my 7th graders on Monday. If you are looking for a simple and meaningful community service project that you want to do from school to help others and remind your students to be grateful for their heath….here is one of my favorites.

Cards for Kids With Cancer
As a class you can create greeting cards for kids who are battling cancer and whom live in the local children’s hospital. The cards are simple construction paper cards, handmade with sweet messages and hand drawn pictures. I have done this in the past and my students are ALWAYS excited for this project. I set up the project by sharing the reality, (but not in a way that my students are depressed or can’t handle it)— I share that some kids live in a hospital and instead of going to school each day, they are getting treatment in hopes to get better. I remind my students that the children in the hospital are just like them, but fighting for their life. They play, laugh, have friends, but live in a different way. Each meal they go to—they get a greeting card---if there are cards to be given. I tell my students exactly what the hospital volunteer coordinator shares with me—that the kids get excited for the cards, share with each other and smile as they put them in their room. The lesson in the project: We can give and share our love and also be grateful for our heath and our lives.

You can do this anywhere nationwide, simply call your local hospital.

If you live in Southern California I often go through Loma Linda.

Volunteer Services
(909) 558-4654
Loma Linda University Medical Center
11234 Anderson Street, Room 1191
P.O. Box 2000
Loma Linda, California 92354

Enjoy and if you have any questions about this, please email me at Jill@leadingforlife.com

Break Through To Sucess--Check it Out--Great Learnings

2008-01-30T10:30:00.000-08:00

This last weekend I attend a wonderful leadership conference put on by Chris Howard. He is one of the top 5 speakers speaker in Australia and is now breaking into the US market. I found this event on line a few moths ago and decided to check it out!

I am grateful that I did. It was a wonderful three days, with leanings that will last forever! I met new friends, explored new ways of thinking and re-focused on my passions and goals in life. I even saw a CADA friend and Activities Director (John Sawya) from Santiago HS in Corona.

If you are interested in going to this event in May--check out this site and you can get TWO FREE tickets. Wonderful for you and friend or loved one! Just register here and if they asked who referred you-just say me!

I can't wait to hear about your experience! Great information to share with your students and apply to your life!

Smiles,
Jill

2008-01-24T20:41:00.000-08:00

I just found out that I am going to OPRAH! Ok I am not going to be ON Oprah, but I am going to be in the studio audience. Less than a month away and I am counting days!

As you might or might not know, I am one of those Oprah crazed people. For example, one of my friends gave me the Oprah DVD with 17 hours of shows and footage and yes I watched it within no time.

Truly, I think Oprah is an incredible leader and role model in our society. She has an incredible ability to shed light on issues that many others close their eyes to. Her reach is to millions and the message she shares about Living Your Best Life, is one that is universal to EVERYONE!

If you too are an Oprah fan or a fan of making a HUGE difference for others check out her new O Ambassador Program! AMAZING!!!! If you are doing this, please let me know how I can help!?

The site is: http://www.oambassadors.org/
More to come….

2008 Will Be Great! A way to kick off Dreams and Goals....

2008-01-08T11:56:00.000-08:00

Happy 2008—it will be great!!! Back to school and back from a wonderful holiday vacation. I hope everyone had a chance to relax, spend time with family/ friends and just get ready for a new year. Over the past month I have I have been spending tons of time with family from out of town, getting ready for 2008 and the launch of Dream Leader!

That is right, Dream Leader, an interactive leadership game for a class of 36 students is finally out--shipping today (see pic. above)! I have been working on this for the past year with my game partner Sue Beachler, who is a game designer. This last weekend we launched Dream Leader at the Herff Jones convention in Tuscon, AZ and had a positive response from their ring reps who are excited to bring it to schools across the nation. You can find out more by checking out,

As for a new leadership lesson, as I know many educators are always on the lookout for new ways to teach leadership, here is an activity that you might want to try with your students and it is a great “start of the year” type of activity.

GOAL BOARDS
I like to challenge my students to think of the future and what they want it to look like, the future of their school and their personal lives. An ideal way to set up this project is to lead your students though a visualization.

Have them imagine what they want their life to look like in the next 6 months to a year.
How they want to feel?
What they want to accomplish?

Then have them think about their school and the current culture.
What needs to change?
What goals do they still want to accomplish?
Who do they want to reach out to?

As a class, we talk about our vision for our class/school and then do a pair share about personal goals. The next day we create picture boards!

Picture boards are a cardboard piece of paper (the size of a fast food tray). One side represents personal goals and the other side has pictures (from magazines, online images, personal or hand drawn) that represent goals for their class/school. They can do this at home or in class (a nice way for them to re-connect after a break and get them re-focused). After they are done with their boards, a handful of students present to the class and then they hang them at home or in their lockers as a visual reminder of their goals throughout the year.

A great way to practice short and long term gaol setting is to have them update their goal boards as a dream or goal changes or they accomplish it. Enjoy and please let me know how it works for you and your kids?!

NAWD Was a Blizzard Blast!

2007-12-03T16:10:00.000-08:00

Wow what a weekend. I just got back from NAWD and had a great time sharing new ideas in my workshop, meeting new friends and hearing from top speakers like Keith Hawkins and Steve Spangler (the picture is Steve and I during his show). One of the best parts of NAWD was being Minneapolis, MN and being there for the first snow storm of the season. What fun to be in the snow and freeze! Ok really…it was wonderful to see people and learn more about student activities. If you have never been and you are in charge of workshops for your state…check it out! I will be back next year for sure!

A Conference To Remember

2007-11-20T18:54:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was the CADA Area F Conference and it was one amazing day. The theme was, "Put Me In Coach, I am Ready To Lead" and yes, the 2,500 high school students were ready to lead. The morning opened with Micha Jacobson and his message about leaving your mark and asking empowering questions. Then I presented 3 workshops on communication and the students rotated to a variety of workshop to build their leadership skills. After lunch, Tyler Durman delivered his message on "Life is For Love" and inspired everyone to think about the "big picture." It was a wonderful day and it was great to catch up with old friends and meet new ones.

Above is a picture of my friend Briana (who is also a speaker and amzing woman) and Patricia (the conference planner and dear friend).

AASC ROCKS--Ice Breaker to Share- "Share Wear"

2007-11-10T09:29:00.000-08:00

I just got back from Arizona where I had the opportunity to speak to 300 Student body Presidents and Exec. Officers. AASC http://www.stucoaz.org/is a wonderful organization and the student leaders of Arizona are doing amazing things for their schools!!! A cool ice breaker they played is called "Share Wear" I wanted to share the activity with you!

Share Wear
Each person walks around the room and introduces themselves to as many people as they can. When the facilitator says freeze or blows a whistle, each person finds a partner and begins to share about something they are wearing. It can be true or made up. For example, someone can say, “I got this shirt off Ebay and it was the shirt Brittney Spears wore during her Pepsi Commercial.” OR you can share something truthful, “This is a ring my mom gave me for my birthday and I have worn it for the past 4 years.” The other partner shares and rotations begin again. Fun, quick and easy way to mix of a group and break the ice—Thanks Dan and Jeff for the idea.

My First Book-Dream Leader Is out TODAY!

2007-10-25T16:19:00.000-07:00

Hello there,
Sorry I have not updated my blog for awhile! I have been busy with the book AND game. Wanted to share the great news with you all today! Dream Leader is officially for sale! Check out http://www.leadingforlife.com/dreamleaderbook

Summer Memories and Fun Ice Breaker

2007-09-07T08:18:00.000-07:00

School is back and summer is a memory. I was lucky enough to spend my summer working at Super Camp in Hong Kong. The city is absolutely amazing and has so much to offer. We visited the Big Buddha, went to local beaches, shopped at lady's market and then finally-- one of the best parts, I worked two residential camps (about 20 days) with local Hong Kong kids. This year I was responsible for teaching accelerated learning strategies and the cool thing about teens is learning happens the same way for everyone. The HK teens were very similar to the USA teens; their favorite things include sports, music, computer games, Facebook/Myspace, etc. Yes, there are a few differences in the cultures and foods, but for the most part people are people.

Since I have been home I have had the amazing opportunity to lead a few student council retreats with Vista Murrieta and their sister school, Calavera Hills and the other local middle school, Yorba Linda Middle School and Valley High School. The more I am around student council students the more I am excited for what is happening in our schools. These students are truly doing everything in their power to make school a place where other students feel included and place where people want to be vs. “have to be.” Great job and I look forward to hearing about your successes this year!!!

What is coming up???? Ohhh my new book and game are almost done. I know I have shared with a few of you about my recent projects and the closer we get to December, the closer I am to releasing my first book and leadership game. Stay tuned, more to come on that….

Until then, here is an “easy to run” ice breaker you can lead with your students. Or if you are a student leader, this is a great one to run before a meeting and to build rapport.

It’s called, What Are You Doing?

It is very simple. You need 2 people to play (everyone can play at once, just partner up).

One partner starts miming an action. For example, partner 1 can pretend to ride a bike.

Partner 2 ask, “What are you doing?"

Partner 1 must say ANOTHER action that is NOT what they are doing or related to what they are doing and partner 2 gets to mime that action.

EXAMPLE:

1st person begins to ride a bike. .

2nd person "What are you doing?"

1st person "I am cutting my hair.”

Now, the 2nd person must BEGIN to do that action suggested.

The 1st person now says "What are you doing?" and so on.

If a person says what they are miming or doing (rather then something different) then the game starts again. The person remaining starts a brand new action.

The group that I played with always tried to out do each other with outrageous actions like:

"Teaching my dad how to ride tigers" or "cleaning my hamsters teeth."

Enjoy and I look forward to funny stories!

2007-05-23T13:48:00.000-07:00

Hello blog readers! How are you doing today? It is such a beautiful day today, it makes me smile. So what is new with you? Please send me updates via email at Jill@Leadingforlife.com or you can leave messages on here (I love hearing from students AND teachers)!

As for me, yesterday I was in Palmdale with a group of 160 middle school students in ASB, AVID and GATE. We had a full-day leadership conference and focused on the difference we can make at school and in our personal lives with a powerful CHOICE-a choice to: Be the difference--that makes the difference!

This Friday I am with at Valley High School in CA and excited to work with these student leaders again.

If you are looking for some leadership activities to run with your students…check this one out…. I’ve heard many teachers talk about it, so I had to try it with my 7th grade leadership class- HUGE HIT!

(Just cut and paste this into a document and you have lesson for class).

The Music In You

Pretend you are writing on the back of the CD –list the song title, artist (if you know it) and why that song resembles you.

List a song that…

Song 1-Describes the “real you”
Song 2- About your dreams/goals
Song 3- Makes you happy
Song 4- Reminds you of a role model
Song 5- Describes good leaders
Song 6- Makes you think of being a kid
Song 7- Describes the way the world sees you
Song 8- Makes you think of your friends
Song 9- Makes you forget your worries and lets you relax
Song 10- Describes how you want to the world to be

For example

Song Ex- Waiting on the World to Change, John Mayer
This song makes me think of how I want the world to be.

***There is not a right or wrong answer, be creative, think about the music you love and WHY you love it! When you are done, you can even burn a REAL CD to share with your class and friends.

Small Acts of Kindness for Mom's and Everyone

2007-05-09T21:05:00.000-07:00

It is almost summer---yippee! For me that means lots of prep work for the camp I work called, Supercamp www.supercamp.com. This year I am off to Hong Kong for 1 month with a team of 2 other amazing facilitators. One camp with be middle and high school students and the other is elementary aged students. I am beyond excited and busy preparing for the adventure.

In addition to that, the book is getting a lot of my attention right now. Busy writing, editing, designing, interviewing teen leaders and “dream leaders.” I am so excited about the book and can’t wait to share it with everyone.

On a personal note, I am excited for Mother’s Day this weekend! If you are a mom…Happy Mother’s Day…you deserve it, mom’s are the best people in the world. If you are a teen, remember to do something special for your mom or someone in your life who is like a mom. You can make a simple card (I know my mom loves the handmade kind), spend the day with her, do something nice without her asking…just remember to share your love and thank her for all she does. Thank you mom, I love you.

As for the lesson…going along the lines of sharing love, a wonderful community service or “give back” project you can do with your class is to make cards for children in hospitals. Last January I lead a one week leadership camp and one of the standout memories for the students at the camp was making cards and knowing they could brighten a sick child’s day. I contacted a local children’s hospital, (you can find any in your area) and asked if we can make cards for the kids. They said they have a program like that and before each meal the kids get a card on their meal tray. The staff told me, which I shared with my students, that the cards REALLY do put a smile on the kids faces. For the lesson, we talked about making a difference by the small acts of kindness. It is a wonderful, easy and memorable activity that teachers a powerful lesson.

If you do this, please let me know how it works for you and your kids.

I look forward to hearing from you either on the blog site or at jill@leadingforlife.com.

:)

Teaching Parliamentary Procedure and LFL News

2007-04-26T13:08:00.000-07:00

Wow, almost a whole month has gone by since my last entry and so many exciting things going on….

On March 31st I partnered with OCDE and Chapman University to put on the “First Annual OC Leadership AVID Conference.” It was absolutely wonderful and about 500 OC AVID freshmen (9 schools) attended the day of leadership.

The beginning of April I went to Houston, Texas (my first time there) for a Quantum Learning Network program and worked with an amazing group of facilitators and TL’s to make a difference in about 500 5th graders lives.

The book is coming along and I have been busy interviewing “Dream Leaders” and “Teen Leaders” to make this project come alive.

This weekend I get to spend Saturday afternoon with a group of 60 middle school students for their annual ASB Retreat and looking forward to that.

As for a leadership lesson (as promised), something that worked really well this month with my 7th grade leadership class was teaching parliamentary procedure via a super hero skit.

I received this skit at a conference and it is from the Washington Association of Student Councils Building Leaders for Life (http://www.awsp.org).

I wanted to share it with any Act. Directors looking to teach parliamentary procedure in a fun and memorable way…ENJOY!

Simply cut and paste this information into a word doc. and print for your class:

Parliamentary Procedure Skit
“The Super Heroes Get Organized”
from the Washington Association of Student Councils Building Leaders for Life

Characters: 15 parts (13 speaking + 2 voting only)

Superman
Wonder Woman
The Green Lantern
The Phantom
Green Arrow
Batman
Joker
Aquaman
Supergirl
Batgirl
Robin
Spiderman
Lex Luther
Kid Flash
Penguin

Green Lantern: I’d like to call this meeting of the League of Super Heroes to order. (gavel) I’ve asked all of you to gather here today because Earth is facing the threat of destruction by the Ronan Armada from constellation Cassiopea. We must cast aside our differences and unite to save the Earth from total destruction!!!! First, I would suggest that we select a president to chair our organization. Nominations for president will now be accepted by the chair.

Robin: I think Batman should be president!!

Green Lantern: I’m sorry, Robin, but your comment is out of order…if you’d like to nominate Batman, you must do so by saying, “I nominate and his name.”

Robin: OK, OK, I nominate Batman.

Wonder Woman: I second Batman’s nomination!!! (GUSH)

Green Lantern: I’m sorry, Wonder Woman, but regardless of your personal feelings, a second is not necessary when nominating for an office.

Kid Flash: Uh…Oh Green Lantern…golly gee whiz, I’d like to nominate Terry Dactill!

Green Lantern: Sorry Kid Flash, but Terry is not a member of the League of Super Heroes, and is therefore not eligible to hold office.

Supergirl: I nominate Superman.

Superman: I nominate Supergirl.

Lex: I nominate the only man shrewd enough to outwit the aliens and tough enough to send them scurrying back into their holes…I nominate the Joker!!!

(Lex, the Joker and the Penguin all stand and cheer!!!)

G.L.: ORDER!!! ORDER!! (Raps gavel)

Spiderman: I make a motion that the nominations cease.

G.L.: I’m sorry Spidey…but the correct phraseology is “I move that.” Not “I make a motion that…”

Spiderman: Sorry G.L., I move that nominations cease.

G.L.: A motion to cease nominations requires a second…is there a second?

Aquaman: I second the motion.

G.L.: It has been moved and seconded that nominations cease.

Phantom: (interrupts): G.L., I don’t think we should cease the nominations…no one has nominated me yet!!

G.L.: ORDER!! ORDER!! Phantom, the motion to cease nominations is not debatable. All in favor of nominations ceasing, say “AYE.”

(Everyone except Aquaman, Phantom and Wonder Woman say, “AYE.”)

G.L.: Opposed the same.

(Aquaman, Phantom and Wonder Woman say, “AYE.”)

G.L.: A two thirds majority is required…so the motion carries.

Phantom: I call for a division of the house!

G.L.: A division of the house has been called for. All in…

Kid Flash: (interrupts) OOOH, Green Lantern, I mean, Mr. Chairman…I rise to a parliamentary inquiry of information…What’s a division of the house???

G.L.: A division of the house, Kid Flash, is where an actual hand count of votes must be made.

Kid Flash: OOOOH, that’s SOOOOO COOL, Green Lantern.

G.L.: OK…all in favor raise their hands. All opposed? A two thirds majority has been established and the motion carries. Now let’s vote for the office of president.

All in favor of Batman, raise your hand (Robin, Wonder Woman, Batman and Spiderman all raise hands).
All for Superman. (Green Arrow, Supergirl, and Aquaman raise hands)
All for Supergirl. (Superman raises hand)
All for the Joker. (Joker, Penguin, and Lex raise their hands)
It appears that we selected Batman as our new President. Batman, would you please assume the chair? (Batman assumes the chair)

Batman: The chair will not consider a motion to assign the problem of the Ronan Armada to committee.

Lex: I so move.

Batman: Is there a second?

Robin: Second the motion.

Batman: It has been moved and seconded that we refer the problem of the Ronan Armada to committee.

Aquaman: (interrupts) Mr. Chairman…I object to consideration of this motion!!!

Batman: An objection to consideration has been raised. A second is not required and this is not debatable. All in favor of this motion, vote “AYE” (only Superman, Spidey vote “AYE”). Those opposed to consideration vote “NAY” (everyone else votes “NAY”). The motion to consider fails by a two thirds majority…therefore, the motion will not be considered.

Joker: I move that we attempt to joint the aliens rather than fight them.

Lex: I second the motion.

Batman: It has been moved and seconded that we join the aliens rather than fight them…do we have any discussion?

Supergirl: (raises hand for recognition) I think that the Joker’s motion is repugnant, goes against everything we human beings stand for, and is ill considered.

Joker: (raises hand for recognition) For one thing, I resent Supergirl’s statement concerning the ill considered nature of my motion, and would simply point out that we humans do not stand a chance against the Armada…so why not join the winning team!?!

Batman: I’m sorry, Joker. While you’re entitled to your opinion, you’re not allowed by Robert Rules to make personal references to this body!!

Wonder Woman: Mr. Chairman…I rise to a point of personal privilege.

Batman: Yes, Wonder Woman…what is it?

Wonder Woman: Could the motion please be restated?

Batman: Yes. The motion states that “we attempt to join the aliens rather than fight them.”

Phantom: I move the previous question.

Batman: The previous question has been called and a second is required.

Wonder Woman: Mr. President, I don’t think we should vote yet!!

Batman: I’m sorry, Wonder Woman, but a motion to move the previous question is not debatable. All in favor say “AYE”… (everyone except Wonder Woman) Opposed… “NAY” by Wonder Woman.

Batman: The question has been successfully called…in the interest of clarity, the chair will request a roll call vote on the main motion as stated: “That we join the aliens rather than fight them.”

Superman Nay
Wonder Woman: Nay
Green Lantern: Nay
Phantom: Nay
Penguin: Aye
Batman: Nay
Joker: Aye
Aquaman: Nay
Supergirl: Nay
Batgirl: Nay
Robin: Nay
Spidey: Aye
Lex: Aye
Green Arrow: Nay

Kid Flash: I think we should all be friends, so I’m not voting Aye!!!

Batman: The motion fails 5-10. Do we have any other suggestions?

Spiderman: Mr. Chairman, I move that we surround the Earth with a giant spider web!!

Supergirl: Good idea, Spidey!! We could plant A-bombs on each cross thread, and…

Batman: I’m sorry, Supergirl, but no discussion is allowed on a motion until it is seconded. Is there a second?

Robin: I’ll second Spidey’s motion.

Batman: It has been moved and seconded that we surround the Earth with a spider web. Is there any discussion?

Kid Flash: Gee Batman…I don’t think we should…I mean what if the aliens have spent a lot of money on expensive designer bikes…I mean you might not even be able to ride around the neighborhood!!!

Phantom: I think it sounds like a pretty good idea. There’s not way they would get through!!

Lex: I’d like to move to amend Spiderman’s motion so that the words “will capture, but not injure the aliens” are added to it.

Batman: Is there a second?

Joker: I’ll second the amendment.

Batman: It has been moved and seconded that Spiderman’s motion be amended by adding the words “will capture, but not injure the aliens” – is there any discussion?? Seeing none…then let’s proceed to vote.

Aquaman: I move for unanimous consent.

Batman: Unanimous consent has been called…are there any objections? Hearing none, the amendment passes. Now we will consider the main motion as amended which now reads: We will surround the Earth with a giant spider web which will capture, but not injure the aliens. Do we have any discussion??

Wonder Woman: I’d like to move to postpone action on the motion indefinitely.

Batman: We have a motion to postpone the main motion indefinitely, is there a second? Hearing none…the motion to postpone dies. Is there further discussion on the motion as amended?

(Green Lantern and Aquaman are rudely talking about their last night’s dinner)

Robin (interrupts): Mr. Chairman, I rise to a question of personal privilege.

Batman: State your question of privilege, Robin.

Robin: With Green Lantern and Aquaman talking, I am unable to hear what is being said. I would ask that all those wishing to engage in conversation please feel free to do so by stepping out of the meeting room. THANK YOU!!

Batman: Is there further discussion on the ideas before us?

Lex: I move for unanimous consent.

Batman: Unanimous consent has been called…is there any objection?

Kid Flash: I object Batty Watty…I like it when I really get to vote better!!

Batman: There is an objection to unanimous consent…is there further discussion?? Hearing none, we will proceed to vote on the main motion as amended. All in favor: (everyone says “AYE”) Opposed…(silence). The motion carries!! (Hit gavel on table) It seems as if we should next address the specifics of setting up the web.

Phantom: I move we refer the matter to a committee and they report back with a recommendation tomorrow.

Aquaman: I second that motion.

Batman: It has been moved and seconded that we refer the specifics of application of the web to committee. Do we have any discussion?? Hearing none…I call for a vote.

Lex: (jumps up) Hold on Batman!! I rise to a point of order…I don’t think it is appropriate for you to ramrod this through like this…we need to have some chance to debate if we wish…

Batman: The chair rules that you are out of order, Lex…sit down, let’s proceed to vote.

Joker: Batman, I appeal from the decision of the chair. I think we deserve the right to discuss if we wish.

Lex: I second the appeal!

Batman: It has been moved and seconded to appeal from the decision of the chair. Is there any discussion? All in favor? (everyone says “AYE”) Opposed? (nothing). The floor is open for discussion…do we have any discussion on the motion to refer the matter to committee, Lex? Joker? (Lex and Joker shake their heads ‘no’). Alright, all in favor of the motion, say “AYE” (Everyone says “AYE”). Are there any other items to consider?

Superman: I’d like to talk about what we are gonna have for dinner and where we’re gonna go.

Batman: I’m sorry, Superman, but before we can do so, someone must place a motion on the floor or move to suspend the rules so we can have an open discussion.

Superman: I move that we suspend the rules for a discussion only of dinner.

Green Lantern: I second the motion.

Batman: It has been moved and seconded that we suspend the rules for a discussion of dinner.

Kid Flash: Oh Batty…I have a parliamentary inquiry…it sure sounds fun, but what does suspend the rules mean?

Batman: Kid Flash, that means that we will not follow parliamentary procedure, but we can discuss dinner without having to have a motion first. All in favor? (everyone says “AYE”) The rules have been suspended, so let’s talk about dinner.

Aquaman: I’d like to suggest Skippers, seafood is my favorite!!

Batgirl: I was thinking more along the lines of pate’ orthopateran.

Lex: Oh, let’s just get a burger.

Joker: Great idea, Lex! I heard McDonald’s is giving a discount on kid meals and we can all lie about our age and save a bundle.

Batman: ORDER!!! ORDER!!! It sounds as if we are not really going to resolve anything with the rules suspended. I’d like to entertain a motion to reimpose the rules.

Phantom: So moved!

Batman: Phantom has moved that we reimpose the rules. Do we have a second??

Lex: Second.

Batman: It has been moved and seconded that the rules be reimposed, all in favor?? (everyone says “AYE”)

Kid Flash: I move that we all fly to Seattle for dinner…it’s the “in-place” this year.

Batman: It has been moved and seconded that we eat dinner in Seattle. Do we have any discussion? Hearing none, all in favor say “AYE.” (everyone says “AYE”) The motion carries.

Kid Flash: Batty…I move that we recess until tomorrow..I mean I’m sure the aliens will understand and wait to attack us until we’ve had a decent meal!!

Wonder Woman: I’ll second that.

Batman: The motion to recess until tomorrow is not debatable…all in favor?? (Everyone says “AYE”) This meeting is recessed until 9:00 a.m. tomorrow morning, at which time I would like to report from the web committee. MEETING ADJOURNED!!!!!!!

High School Musical-More than a Movie

2007-03-27T15:19:00.000-07:00

OK, so I have a confession! I am a fan of the Disney Channel’s “High School Musical.” Yes, yes, it is true- I am a Disney Channel fan! I first heard the music about 6 months ago while at a local middle school and then I saw the movie and loved it.

Since then, I have used the movie as a spring board for leadership lessons. I teach a few times a week at a local private school and I have a 7th grade leadership class. For about one week we watched this movie and talked about the reality of their school and how it is similar and different to the movie.

After a few days of discussion, it was clear. Every student in the class wanted the same thing: For everyone to get along at school and for everyone to be whom they really are and not be fake.

Sounds idealistic? Maybe too good to be true? Think it can ever happen? See what your class thinks….

If you are a middle or high school teacher, check out the debrief questions below and see what kind of ideas your students can come up with. If you are a student or class officer and looking to run a “leadership lesson” with your peers, check these out and see what your friends and classmates think of the movie and reality.

I hope you enjoy this lesson as much as we did!

1)Which character/characters are the most positive and impacting leaders in the school?
a. How did they use their leadership in a positive way?
b. How did they impact others?

2)What is the difference between Troy and Sharpay’s leadership style?
a. Who would you want to be on a team with and why?
b. What does Troy do well to be an effective leader in his school?
c. Want can you do to be a positive leaders at school?

3)What impact did gossip have on Gabriela and Troy?
a. How would you feel if your friends talked behind your back?
b. What can you do to in order to have open communication? What can you do to not gossip?

4)What did the students finally do to come together as a whole and become friends?
a. Do you think we have more alike or more different with people at our school?
b. What can we do as leaders to show people we are more alike than different?

Where does time go?

2007-03-19T16:57:00.000-07:00

Do you ever look at the calendar and think where does time go? I did that today! I realized it has been almost one month since my last blog and I asked myself that exact question…where does time go?

For me, the past month has flown by and I can say I have invested my time. I see time as the one thing EVERYONE has in common. We all have 24 hours in a day, the question is---how do we spend our 24 hours?

For me, I have spent the past month at leadership conferences (wahooo CADA), speaking to AVID educators, re-doing my website and getting ready to write my book. That is right, my first book and I am so excited. More to come as I dive into that project….

As for a leadership resource (as promised on this blog), let me share a wonderful on-line leadership store with you. As I have been speaking more and more to educators and sharing ways to teach interactive leadership, I realized everyone needs to know about CADA and the wonderful shopping store on their site.

This link is to CADA (a non-profit organization that supports Activities Directors and leadership teachers in CA and even nation wide). The site is:
https://www.compu-sult.com/cada/purchase/shopping.asp?first=1&action
feel free to look at all the great resources and if you have any questions, feel free to ask me and/or call CADA.

Until next time…. keep “Inspiring teens to achieve beyond the ordinary.”

:)
Jill

Top 10 Trust Building Tip for Teams

2007-02-21T08:03:00.000-08:00

Top 10 Trust Building Techniques

Here is a recent article I wrote for the Sept. 2006 magazine, “Leadership for Student Activities.” It was published in there and I wanted to share it with you, my new blogger friends.

1) Always Communicate- How often do you think that people can read your mind? Always, sometimes or never? News flash! People are not mind readers and even though we tend to think that people know what we are thinking and feeling, they do not. Therefore, it is your job as a student leader to communicate your thoughts, feelings, wishes and desires. The more you can communicate with your team, the more you can trust and understand each other.

2) Be Authentic- That is right, be you. The best way to trust each other is to know each other. In order to develop trust, you need to share your true self with your teammates. Although we might be very different, it essential to be yourself when trying to build a team based on trust and authenticity. If you try to be someone else or who people want you to be, it will be difficult to trust yourself and each other.

3) Delegate when needed- How long is your daily to-do list? Does it take you a few days rather then one to actually get through it all? Stop being a project hog and trust your teammates to help you out. Start delegating little tasks to your teammates and allow for the trust to develop. The more you can delegate and work as a team, the stronger and faster you can build the trust. Just remember, there are many ways to accomplish a task and if you delegate out, the person might meet the goal in a different way, which is not bad, it is just different.

4) Commit and always follow-through- If you are to receive and accept a task, it is your full responsibility to finish this project by the date and time that you agreed upon. By keeping your word and showing the other person that you are reliable, it allows for trust to develop and for future positive interactions to continue.

5) Apologize and make it right- In all teams, even the best, sometimes a conflict or a difference of opinions can occur and leave people upset. Rather than avoiding the conflict or thinking it will “just go away with time,” address the person or team members who are hurt and make it right as soon as possible. First, admit to any wrongdoing and then apologize for what was said or done. Then ask the other person what you can personally do to make it right. Again, remember that you are not a mind reader and should not guess what he/she wants, simply ask what you can do to make it right and then commit to making that change in the future.

6) Support each other personally and scholastically- Trusting each other in the leadership class starts with supporting each other in all areas of life. Imagine what it would be like if your senior class cabinet showed up at your sports event to support you and cheer you on. Do you think you would trust them more when it comes to planning homecoming and daily meetings? Of course you would! When you know that people are personally invested in you and care about your success and well being, you can trust them whole heartily and build the strongest team possible.

7) Treat each other like you want to be treated- I know you heard this on the kindergarten playground, it is the one rule that will always apply. If you treat your teammates with the kindness and respect that you would want and deserve, then the only outcome is trust on multiple levels.

8) Evaluate activities- After each activity take about 20 minute as a class to evaluate the actual event, the planning stages and the actual committee members who were on the planning team. The goal of the evaluation is to grow as a team and for everyone to learn what works and what can be improved upon in the future. By telling the truth and being vulnerable, as a giver or receiver of feedback, trust and improved activities are highly likely to immerge in this process.

9) Plan leadership retreats or bonding days- Have fun! Yes, laugh, smile and participate in leadership activities that teach. Whether you plan a team scavenger hunt, a high ropes course day or leadership retreat with teambuilding activities, it is important to grow as leaders and try new events that challenge you to step out of your comfort zone and into the trust building zone.

10) Celebrate each others greatness- Take time during the year to celebrate the greatness of each person and the team as a whole. Continue to focus on where you want to go throughout the year and remember to look at where you are and how you have gotten there. Trust is an ongoing process and it can grow, maintain or diminish based upon our daily actions, thoughts and behaviors. Celebrate each others greatness and continue building each other up, while growing as a team and trusting each other.

Until next time... Smiles:)

Jill

Still getting use to this...

2007-02-16T15:20:00.000-08:00

Hi there and happy Friday!

So this week was a wonderful week. I spoke on Tuesday at a new HS called, Eleanor Roosevelt HS in Corona, Ca. A leadership conference with about 150 kids eager to change their schools and put their leadership into action.

I opened the conference with a Keynote and then had 3 interactive break out sessions. Each went really well and the kids were excited about the activities that they can take back to their school, interactive beach volleyball was the big hit.

Then I drove down to San Diego and saw my new baby niece Peyton EliseJ so cute!Th. AM started bright and early! I spoke to a group of amazing AVID educators in San Marcos. Shared leadership lessons and ways teachers can make leadership come alive! I talked about the value of student leadership and we experienced a leadership lesson together.

It was a great day and now I am ready for fun weekend with the grandparents in Palm Springs!

Have a great one!
Jill

Hello Blog World

2007-02-12T08:33:00.000-08:00

Hello Friends!

So excited to be apart of this blogging world!

My intern and friends Jessica taught me about this and I am excited to be a BLOGGER!

In weeks following, check out Leading For Life News, leadership activities and lessons.....

Ohh and maybe Wednesday Words of Wisdom...

Let me know what else you would like to see!

Talk soon and smiles,
Jill