On October 21, 2011, more than 30 elementary school students gathered together in Sacramento for the California Association of Student Councils Elementary Schools Leadership Workshop. A peer-led, student-based non-profit organization, CASC empowers students throughout the state with leadership training to create self-aware, innovative, and responsible student councils. CASC serves as an advocate for youth and encourages students to initiate change both now, and in the future.
Combining small council sessions, workshops, large group activities, and the CASC curriculum, the workshop was the first of 9 elementary leadership workshops to be held around California throughout the course of the year. Instructed by trained high school students, the participants were able to increase their confidence in making oral presentations; learned how to plan, conduct, and follow through with meetings; practiced using tools for conflict resolution; and had the opportunity to hold their own meetings through collaboration and group discussions.
“CASC is such a great organization- we equip students and their advisors with the tools to make a difference at their schools, and help them set the foundations of strong student councils,” Belinda Li, a student counselor, explained. “It’s one thing to learn about leadership, but it’s another to take steps to implement what you learn in your community- and CASC makes that possible.”
Though many schools came having just formed an Associated Student Body, they left with a greater sense of direction, purpose, and advice to help facilitate the growth of their leadership groups. The students’ advisors were taught in a separate workshop by Doc Thompson, the Executive Director, and learned how to support their student government team, create an agenda, and apply situational leadership in everyday circumstances.
“It was so much fun! I learned how to be a leader, hold meetings, and I made a lot of friends. I can’t wait to bring what I learned back to my school,” said Cooper Cerecedes, a 5th grade delegate.
The delegates left the workshop with a clearer grasp of what effective leadership entails. Through a day filled with mixers, games, interactions with students from other schools, and group projects, the participants acquired valuable skills, planting the seeds as the future leaders of America.
