Leadership

Hey everyone! There is so much going on at UC lately. Last week, our varsity volleyball team won their conference championship and their counties championship. I was at the county game, and it was so intense. They are now hoping to win states.
Last week at Ramapo College in Mahwah was the Martin Luther King Jr. Leadership Conference. 20 students were picked by lottery, five from each grade, to attend this conference. I was one of the students chosen from my grade, and I decided to go. After an hour and a half drive, we sat in the gym at the college eating breakfast and watching all the other students coming from their schools. Before we separated and went to our different classes, there were multiple people who spoke to us, including Secretary of State Wells. We were all given name tags, which had our name and the two lectures we would be attending. All of the UC kids were separated, and the point was to meet new people. The lecture topics were of a great variety, but all surrounded around the idea of leadership. My first lecture was about how to become a leader and what makes a good leader; my second lecture was about respect, and how to gain respect for yourself as a leader. I really liked both of these one hour lectures. They were informative and very interactive, between both students and students and students and instructor. It was a really good experience for all involved.
Going to this conference really made me think about being a leader. In the first lecture, the teacher asked who could be a leader and what made them one. I thought someone’s surroundings made them a leader, but also a born ability. Being a leader is very important, and if you are a leader, you know it by now. Certain people are followers, and others are leaders. If you are a leader, you have to be open to other people’s opinions. If you are a leader, don’t take advantage of it. Some leaders know they have the power, and use it in the wrong way. If you have a chance to step up and be a leader, do it. Don’t hesitate. There is always an opportunity for you to be a leader; it is just whether you choose stand up and take it is the hard part.