Considering all that you have done as a Link Leader: orientation, donut day, brown bag lunch, tailgates, birthdays, AHS Service (Conferences, Back to School Night, Babysitting, Help w???), local service (Second Wind Run, Suicide Prevention Night), national service (Ronald McDonald House Blankets), homecoming, movie night, cramfest; leadership class activities: self to freshmen—commissioner role play, suicide prevention, relationship bank account, self to other leaders—commissioner role play, The Apprentice, Fruit Activity—What leadership style do you work best with, self to self—commissioner recognition of personality traits, Integrity, Stress Management
FINAL EXAM QUESTION:
What’s next? Literally, what are you going to do with the skills you have started to develop through this semester with Link Crew? DO NOT REFLECT—LOOK FORWARD. Be as specific as possible with your plans for leadership in your future.
My plans for leadership in the future are very broad but also specific. I am planning on going into computer science and possibly biomedical engineering. Might also attend medical school. I have great graphic design ideas and website ideas for productivity but if I try to do all of it myself I will be overloaded. If I can learn what people can do with computers I will be able to design websites knowing it’s not an impossible task. I am working now on a website that will alleviate much of the stress that comes with arena scheduling, but if I try to do all of it and not delegate the things that I don’t know how to do i will be stuck and it will never be finished. The computer science part of me is very strong and I love technology, but I’ll never get my business off of the ground if there isn’t physical marketing on top of the computer ads and marketing.
ReplyDeleteI will be attending Wyoming University in Laramie where there is some of the top biomedical research happening right now. With biomedical engineering I will be prepared to attend medical school if that interests me. I can also mix that with my interest in computer science and design programs for the machines that are much more user friendly so that doctors don’t need much training to use the machinery. I’d like to change the world somehow through medicine or through computer science. If I can develop an idea that will be as good as the cable modem, or something that gives us an easier way to use certain programs, or even make a program that doctors can use to mimic the effects of a body to try to eliminate some of the guess work in prescribing medicine, then I will have had an impact on the world and pushed us that much more forward. These are my plans for the future, and leadership is evident throughout. I have to be able to communicate to the people under me while also understanding their limits. I have to be able to be open to ideas even when it’s not the original option. I have to be able to focus on one thing at a time, set small goals, in order to reach a bigger goal. I have to be able to adapt my interests to things that I’ve never thought of before. I have to accept new technologies and utilize them in order to truly connect. I have to understand myself and who I am. I have to be able to follow others to know what it’s like to lead. I have to LEAD.
Service projects, orientation day, suicide prevention, everything that we, Link Crew, participated in demonstrated investment in the community. If there is one thing I’ve learned this semester I’d choose this as being one of the most important ideas to remember. Because it is more than simply showing up to the second wind run/walk or strolling in to freshman orientation day wearing that snazzy pink shirt. It’s about coming with a purpose and honest intent to make a difference. I’m sure there will be many opportunities, even though they may be disguised as trials, in which we can apply our leadership skills we have strengthened. Leaving for college next fall, I anticipate many times where I will have to step and be the leader I now know I can be. I think more than anything, simply by growing up we get to test those skills which we have acquired. Because of my experience with Link Crew, I am committed to taking advantage of opportunity and not letting fear hold me back. I will take on each day with the intent to truly invest myself within my community rather than sit on the sidelines and watch it pass me by. And that means more than going through the motions of life, it means your heart is in it instead of just your body. I know it will get harder as we enter the “real world” to recognize our influence and capabilities because it seems that we’re just one small person out of billions, but I will not “let the fear of striking out keep me from playing the game”. And when I take on a challenge or choose to be apart of a club, a university, or even a movement of society I will always invest myself totally and completely.
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ReplyDeleteWhen I think of leadership opportunities the first thing that springs to my mind is captainship. I am fortunate enough to be one of the four captains on the girls swim team here at Arapahoe. The actual role of captain entails a lot more than I thought that it would. This season I plan on using the skills from link crew to help the girls on the team to do their best in and out of the pool.
ReplyDeleteThe first thing I learned from Link Crew is that leadership involves a lot of planning. It took us two days to plan orientation. I can’t just stand up in front of 50 girls and say anything I want. I have to think about what I was going to say earlier in order to effectively communicate my information. Whether that be what the team is wearing to school the next day or helping the girls keep positive on days when all they want to do is go home and sleep. It is necessary to plan with my other captains before we meet with the girls so that the message is received clearly.
Another activity that I found particularly noteworthy was the relationship bank account. With 50 girls first and foremost in my mind I need to remember to make deposits into all of their relationships, not just the girls swimming in my lane. It also helps me to get along better with my coach, Mr. Richmond. Being able to know that while Richmond may be in a leadership position he needs deposits as well as the rest of the team. Too often the captains only go to him when things are going wrong and the girls are unhappy. It would help his relationship with the entire team if he was acknowledged for all the hard work that he puts in instead of complaining about how he kept us 15 minutes over to do an extra 1000 yards.
Perhaps most importantly, Link Crew has taught me how to work well with other leaders. Not all of the captains have the same leadership style. I am planning on taking lessons that I’ve learned from watching various cheesy skits my commissioners and my own experiences with my partner to find each captains strengths and use them to help the team achieve it’s full potential and to have a successful season.
The leadership skills that I learned this semester won’t stop with swimming. I plan on taking everything I learned and applying them to the youth council that I am on in church, to lead by example at home, and to help others that I come into contact with. While some of the lessons I learned this year may be simple, such as an invitation makes someone feel special, or, a note can make their day, these are the lessons that I will take with me after high school to college and hopefully carry them with me for the rest of my life.
As a senior I am constantly being asked “what’s next?”. Everyone all the sudden seems to be obsessed with where I will be attending college and what I want to do with my life. Something they may not understand is that I don’t have to know exactly what I am doing with my life, after all, I'm only seventeen. What I believe is important is that I continue to hone my leadership skills so I can make a difference in the world.
ReplyDeleteMr. Booth always emphasizes “the world is run by those who show up”. Although showing up will show dedication, I feel it does not show purpose until you decide to participate in life activities. As a member of Link Crew I have learned that you can’t just “show up”.You need take action and engage in the current situation. I disagree, the world is not run by those who merely “show up”, it is run by those who engage.
Leadership has always been a tricky role for me. However, I have been thrown into leadership positions all my life. I have been involved in Student Council for as long as I can remember. I also try to be a role model for my little sister. I believe in the saying “actions speak louder than words”. To be honest I can’t do much damage with words. I talk to fast and struggle to put my words into statements that make sense. This is why I would work best as a creative director in the future.
Dreaming of holding a top leadership roll, such as a president of a corporation is not at all what I think of for my future leadership roll. However, I would like to hold a top position in a creativity leadership roll. Link Crew taught me that I enjoy presenting my findings and work, but not through words. I love the creative aspect in life, doing something that has never been done before!
Link Crew has helped me realize that you do not have to be the loudest or most outgoing to be a leader. There are a plethora of leaders and each specializes in their own area. So what if I don’t have my entire life planned out? I plan to continue discovering my strengths as a quiet and creative leader and to find a leader roll to fit my style.
I have learned so many things in link crew this semester that I will be able to apply to situations throughout the rest of my life. Through activities like freshman orientation day, making blankets, conferences, movie night, and all the other activities we did in link I learned to make connections with freshman, other link leaders, and myself.
ReplyDeleteSometimes I have trouble connecting with new people and have always found it difficult to find conversation. When we had to make friends with 11 strangers at the beginning of the year I was a little nervous. On freshman orientation day came around I found out it was much easier to make connections with the freshman in my group than I thought it would be. I now realize that you can find things in common with almost anyone. Using these skills I have learned I will be more outgoing with people that I don’t know and try and get to know more people in general.
When we learned about connections with other leaders it really made me think about my connections with some of my friends outside of link crew. Also the relationship bank account made me consider the people in my life that i needed to make “deposits” to. With all of my school work this year it has been hard to devote the amount of effort I should to many of the relationships in my life. Link crew taught me that although you may be busy it is important not to blow off the people who matter to you and take them for granted. I am going to make a big effort to reinforce and rebuild certain relationships that I have failed to make significant “deposits” to these last couple months. I am planning many activities with my friends that I haven’t seen in a long time over Christmas break. I will also make more of an effort to spend time with my family, especially my little sister. I will be sure to help her with her homework rather than getting annoyed with her and take interest in all the things happening in her life. I only have about a year and a half until I leave for college and link crew has really helped me realize that I do not want to leave the people I love without feeling like I didn’t do everything I could to be the best friend, or family member I could be.
I want to take all the skills I’ve learned as a Link Leader, and apply them to everything I do so can show others what Link Crew has done for me.
ReplyDeleteI now know how to keep a good relationship with not only my friends and family, but myself as well. I know it’s important to take care of others, but I also know that before I can do that, I must take care of myself. So each day, I’ll take up to half an hour to myself to do something I enjoy. I’m going to stay on top of my relationships and not let any of them hit rock bottom. There’s a lot of friends I don’t see everyday anymore, but I always try to stay in contact and let them know I’m still there. I also do this with my brother since I don’t see him as much as I used to. And my relationship with my family has gotten much better since I joined Link Crew, and I’m thankful for that.
Since volunteering for Back to School Night at the beginning of the semester, I’m always set out to help others without them asking, and I’ll continue to do so. The Ronald McDonald House Blankets has showed me that helping others and donating things can help in such a big way, and from that I’ll continue to donate clothes/toys that I no longer need. I now love to help others and not expect anything in return.
Stress management has definitely helped me get through the end of this semester. I write everything down that I need to do that day, and at the end of the day I cross off what I’ve done, and feel so much better and less stressful. I also found ways that help me relieve stress, like reading, writing it down, or listening to music.
Learning about the different types of leaders and that I can work well with all, was very helpful. I learned even better ways to work with others who are completely different from me, and also who are completely the same. Knowing how to do this will help me when I meet new people next semester, and the following school years. I believe it will also me when I join the army. Knowing how to work well with others of a different leadership style is very important to me when going into the army.
Overall, Link Crew has helped me in multiple ways and I will carry on what it’s taught me so I can show/help others.
Jim Rohn once said “A good objective of leadership is to help those who are doing poorly to do well and help those who are doing well to do even better” What I plan on doing with the skills I have acquired through this leadership class is to develop them even more, and use them to help others and lead others. I believe everyone can lead, but good leaders use their skills to benefit people who need them. Leaders change the lives of others, whether its a politician, a CEO of a big company, or parents, they impact and mold the lives of others. The world needs leaders who are willing to stand up and do whats right. I plan on being one of those leaders. From a small group of friends to a classroom full of students, I am planning to lead were leadership is needed. Through this class I’ve realized a leader doesn't have to be someone who can talk the loudest and have the biggest opinions, but more quiet leaders can have an impact too. A way to develop and use my leadership is to join Link Crew next year. Link Leaders have such an impact on their students. Throughout this semester I’ve discovered that. I want them to make sure every student feels included and important. That they will always feel important and know they have support. Leadership doesn’t necessarily mean to boss people around, a leader is someone who will do the right thing. So I plan on helping fellow students if there doing poorly to help them get better, and ones who are doing better become greater.
ReplyDeleteLink Crew has been such a great experience for me. I have learned so many new things about myself and about others. The lessons I have learned have been so influential in my leadership this year, and will be in my future. Throughout the year Link Crew has taught me many valuable lessons about being a better leader, with this new knowledge I am going to strive to be a better leader in my classrooms and in my career.
ReplyDeleteIn my classes I have been a leader in the past but there are many different ways I can use my new knowledge to become a better leader. In Link Crew we discussed different types of freshman using commissioner role play, and that same role play can apply to students my age. In the past I have not been able to connect as well with classmates because I could not understand their mind. Now with the role play I can begin to develop new ways of approaching them. For example, I can use this when approaching a person who is completely different than me like a football player. Typically it is hard for me to relate to this person because there is not very much in common. If, per say, a jock had a cool card, I would now have a new way to approach them. First I would try to get rid of the differences and talk about something we have in common which is obviously the class we have together. We could discuss the class, the teacher, or the homework until we became better acquainted. After an initial connection is established I would try to talk about other topics with him and then I will have found a new friend and someone I could rely upon. Hopefully I will be able to connect well with other people this way as well. This will make me a better leader because a true leader can reach out to all people and help everyone.
Link Crew will also help me be a better leader in my career as a teacher. When I become a teacher being a leader will be very important because not only do people trust me with their children, but I am also charged with the task of being a role model for the kids. If a student has a negative influence come from a teacher their path through school will be much more difficult than necessary. Throughout the course of Link Crew I have learned so much that can help me be a good leader in kid’s lives. I want to be a high school teacher so the lessons have been even more applicable because some were directed towards freshman. With each of my students I want to be able to build a connection with them and maintain a relationship throughout the year, and throughout their lives. There are many steps I can take, but I think the most important is to continually deposit in the Relationship Bank Account I have with that student. I need to build a positive relationship with that student by offering encouragement and listening to what they have to say. When we have a good relationship they will trust my leadership skills and know that I will always try to do what is in their best interest, and be assured that I know what I am teaching to them. Even though building relationships in important I also need to be cognisant that I am still their teacher and I need to have some authority over them. I learned this in Link Crew many times that a leader needs to be able to assert their position. I want to be their for my students and at the same time they need to know I am in charge and I am not their “best friend”. I hope to accomplish this through my presentation. A good leader always looks like a leader. Whether it is in their action or their dress. I hope to project this image constantly in class when I am presenting a lesson or having a one-on-one meeting. Link Crew has given me many tips that I hope to use in my classroom in the future to make me a great teacher and a great leader.
Link Crew has been vital in my growth as a leader, and will continue to play a large role in my future. I have been given the tools I need to make my self a great leader, but it is now my time to step up and use those tools. I hope that in the future I will be a leader that continues to grow and influence lives.
I know what it takes to be a leader. I know the amount of effort that goes into it. I know helping others is important. I know that I will sacrifice most of my other dreams to be able to be a leader and to help other people. Now, in order to uphold my leadership-status, I need to strive to be kind and caring toward others. The next logical step in my growth would be to maintain my status as a friendly, helping person. I can safely say that I have accomplished at least that much of my goal to be a leader every day. Going forward, I want to apply to Link Crew again next year, because the relationships you gain are lasting and I feel better when I help people, whether it be making them laugh, taking them to lunch, or helping them with homework. As far as leadership outside of school, I want to do more service projects throughout the community; I realized there were more people that needed help outside of the school than I thought. I want to be able to help them too. Thinking forward to after my graduation, I plan on going to college. I am considering becoming involved with student government wherever I may decide to go. Also, at the colleges where my older siblings go, there are a few organizations that are visible on campus that help people: they give others compliments, they make them laugh, and they are just there. I believe that one of the organizations is called “Free Compliment Club” and they hold “Free Compliment Wednesdays.” For some reason, since the first time after I saw these people on campus giving out compliments to every person that passed, I have been really drawn to the idea. Plus, seeing smiles on other people’s faces is a reward in and of itself. I think being able to help others, and possibly change their lives, can change the world. The people that leaders help make up the world as a whole, so changing their lives changes a little bit of the whole part of the world. I think that in the future, the only thing that I know I want to do in my life is help people, and being a leader encompasses that. Other than knowing I want to help people, I have no clue where I want to go in life. I will choose to help people, whether I become a doctor, lawyer, banker, teacher, or whatever job title I may hold in the future. I am passionate about people, and I do not think that the passion will ever die.
ReplyDeleteAs a student, an athlete, and a nanny, I need to better practice patience and persistence. I have acquired skills in Link Crew that will help me to better handle my responsibilities.
ReplyDeleteI am an anxious person; and when it comes to school, it is no different. I have an entire notebook dedicated to “to dos” for the day. This notebook is separate from my student calender; I use both. Writing down my “to dos” often helps me plan out when I will get which assignment completed. I will continue to manage my time but how might I better my stress level? Poetry and athletics are my escapes. In order to soothe some of my anxieties, I must slot out a portion of my time, just as I would an assignment, to write or play for me.
At times, teams don’t always get along. I have found this to be true regardless of the sports team in which I am participating. As the 2012 track season draws closer, I have questioned my ability to handle the pressure and also the in-cohesiveness of the throwing team that was so clear last year. With a patient heart and a slow tongue, I can help to make the team a safe haven for our team, as it should be, as opposed to the tense environment of the past.
I am a nanny to five beautiful little girls. They help me to see the lighter side of things by simply playing. Sometimes I feel that I could do a better job with them if I had just had an extra hour to sleep, or if I could just get this one assignment finished first. When I am with those girls, I need to let go of the things that are weighing my mind and give them all the attention and energy that I have left. Also, when the second youngest has a meltdown or two of the girls have an argument, I will be more patient handle the situation with class.
Link Crew has guided me to better understand my full potential with the proper tools. I can be a strong influence on those I am around and then continue to grow as an individual. I am grateful for the growth that has come from this year’s Link Crew experience.
The leadership skills that I have developed throughout the school involvement of link crew will without a doubt help influence my future as a leader. In joining this club, I was merely hoping to be a friend to the younger class-men and did not see the leadership qualities that would ensue. On orientation day, I remember really going out of my way to make them feel comfortable. This involved me going out of my own comfort zone and though I might have faked it at first, I started to feel more confident in just the realization that these link crew freshman really looked up to me helped me grow in confidence and determined outgoing-ness. Through this sudden purge into a different environment, I first started to experiment with my attitudes and actions. Link crew helped put me on the right path to follow and nudged me to go on, so I did. Because of my continuous willingness to learn more and apply it, I learned that with determination, anything was and is possible. I had always been a shy person, but link crew helped me find my strengths and how to apply to lead others.For example, I have always been a listener and a do-er, letting others like my partner do the main talking, but through the equal responsibilities applied to each of us through link crew, we have grown to work well with one another and fill in each other’s weakness areas and encourage growth. The strengths and skills that I have learned through link crew involve not only spontaneity and determination, but also patience and self-inflection as well. The ability I have to reach out to others and make them feel included I now fully understand. My cocoon has been broken and I hope to be the lifeline that pulls others from theirs. High school is an experience that can slip by so easily without being taken advantage of. Many people graduate with regrets that I will be free of. In future endeavors, I hope to apply my ability to cope with all kinds of personalities and fill in the gaps of other’s weaknesses to my co-workers and friends. Furthermore, my independent thinking, time management skills, and want to get things done motivate people and help them listen and comply with my ideas. I want to forever remember link crew, not just because it gave me a chance to meet new people and build relationships, but also because it helped give me a new chance of involvement at Arapahoe and the realization of how my application of leadership skills can influence how I view the past, present, and future.
ReplyDeleteWhat’s next? What’s next is that I am planning on applying all that I have learned in Link Crew this semester to my everyday life. I want people to look at me as a leader and to follow a positive example as one. I have had such a great time this semester and hope to continue on with Link Crew next year. In the future, I plan to get involved with the suicide prevention, I went to it this year and I feel that if the prevention continues we will live in a safer environment. Also one of the commissioners that ran it this year will be graduating therefore we will be in need a new leader for such a wonderful awareness. With the skills I have learned this semester, I want to teach everyone I know about becoming a leader. Also it will be important in the future to give my time to others and give back. In leadership class this semester I learned that I do love to volunteer my time and I would like to continue that.
ReplyDeleteBeing a Link Leader, it is important to pursue courage, confidence, and leadership. In the future I will be courageous, I will be open to anyone. I will help when help is needed, and when it isn’t. I learned to be courageous at the first day of orientation when all the freshmen had met their Link Leaders for the first time.
Confidence is crucial as a Link Leader, to keep my confidence growing I will not be afraid to talk to anyone and everyone, I will not beat myself down when mistakes are made, and to smile. Happiness makes for a happy life, so smile.
Leadership means a person who guides or directs a group; the ability to lead (Dictionary.com). In the future it is important for me to maintain leadership through out my life. Leaders are what direct forward rather than backwards and make the world a more positive world. One day I hope to lead everyone to become his or her own individual leaders. I hope in the near future to be a successful leader to as many people as I can.
I am so grateful for the opportunity of becoming a Link Leader this year; I have learned so much about others and myself.
Link Crew has taught me so much about life; the people I share my life with, how those different people approach things, but most importantly, Link Crew has allowed me to find myself as a leader. With this newly attained knowledge, I will go on to make a difference in the immediate, moderate, and distant future.
ReplyDeleteThere are some obvious applications to my recently acquired leadership skills. Next year will be my senior year. Granted, I still feel like that cannot possibly be right (maybe I have made a mistake in my computation of what grade I am in or something), the lessons I have learned in Link Crew have prepared me for my senior year just as any core class has. The entire school looks up to seniors. I hope to take a leadership role in activities such as theater, Arapahoe Concert Choir, Arapahoe Singers (hopefully), and Link Crew. I've learned how to interact with different types of people from activities that Link Crew brought me to. Also, presentations put on my commissioners have really stuck in my mind and have told me that everybody is different, and it is up to me to highlight their strengths and try to help improve their weaknesses. This year's commissioners have inspired me to apply to be a commissioner in the 2012-2013 Link Crew.
I consider my moderate future to be college. Assuming I attend a college, I can count on the fact that I will be meeting tons of new people. And would you guess what I did in Link Crew? I have met tons of new people! Not only have I done that, but I have done it in an environment where I have been able to reflect. This has taught me how to act with people I do not totally know. This will be perfect in college. I hope to be able to take on leadership roles in college, but as far as what they are, I will have to wait and see. Regardless, all the events that Link Crew put on for incoming students to meet each other have been just as valuable to me for meeting new people.
The distant future is full of mystery. I can honestly say I do not know what I want to do with my life. Maybe I will continue the company that my friend, Tommy, and I began. This would be so much fun for me and running a company obviously involves a necessity for leadership skills. I have already used those skills in running the small business of about six people. I must be firm in my decisions, but be open to other people's ideas. Everyone on this planet has something amazing they can bring to the table, and as a leader, it is your job to make sure they can get it there.
If my company does not pan out the way my co-workers and I want it to, I have confidence that I will go on to make a difference in this beautiful world another way. Link Crew has given me the tools to be a smart, effective, and respected leader. I look forward to seeing what leadership roles I will take on in my life. Thank you for this opportunity.
Over the past few months, the meaning of being a leaders has changed for me. Not only did I have the opportunity work with 12 wonderful freshman, but I had the chance to learn from all the other leaders in leadership class as well. Now I don’t believe that leadership is just a role, a mask I wear sometimes when it’s completely necessary, but instead being a leader is a lifestyle.
ReplyDeleteThis semester I not only helped and taught my freshman, but I learned from them as well. Going into orientation I wanted to be a role model and to show my group how great Arapahoe and its students are. After experiencing them grow and come out of their shells over just the course of a day, I learned that we were taking that journey together. Not only was I helping them make connections and become comfortable with high school, they were helping me become comfortable as a leader. It’s not just about running the activities or the conversation, but creating personal bonds that allow everyone to feel like they belong. As a leader now I will make sure not to show people how a certain task is done, but I will try my best to experience it with them. For example, in swimming I encounter some relatively daunting tasks. Before Link Crew I may have waited for someone else to motivate the entire group as I focused on myself, but now I want to be that person to help the group through an impossible set. It’s best to say, “I know this is really hard, but we will get through it.” I know now it’s important to make sure that no one feels like they have to take on their difficulties alone. As soon as we do finish a hard practice, positive reinforcement is very important. In high school swimming there are 50 of us and problems are going to arise. The way captains normally approach this is by identifying the problems and then harping on us. While the scare tactic is somewhat effective, the response is rarely positive. I would like to be a captain next year, but even just as a senior it would far more effective for the group to sit down, identify the problem together then work through why that happened, just like after the 64 square challenge.
The last few weeks we have had the opportunity for self reflection not only in leadership, but in our life in general. One activity that I really appreciated was the lesson on integrity. There is a lot of pressure in high school, and that’s not limited to the negative physical peer pressure that some encounter, but also the pressure classes and parents put on us. In moving forward from Link Crew I need to make sure these pressures don’t get to me. By standing up and realizing nobody is making the decision to do something but me (that not only includes drugs and alcohol but also being too involved and procrastination). The box we had was very symbolic of managing those stresses. I can’t maintain integrity 100% of the time, but that doesn’t mean I can’t try. That doesn’t mean my life is over if I make a mistake. Being a leader now isn’t about always being the prefect role model, being a leader is proven when I deal with mistakes like one. Nobody can expect a Link leader to be perfect, but by managing my mistakes then I really to be a leader. So while it’s impossible to think that I will no longer get stressed out about mistakes, I know now that I can deal with them.
A leader isn’t just someone who runs the group and perfectly shows them how I act. A leader makes the best out of any situation. Even if I may not be the most positive in the pool, I’m going to try my best to stay motivated. Even if I mess up in school or at home, I know now that’s everything is a learning experience. Leading is not always about always showing people how to be, it's about being the best when I'm not and learning right along with everyone else I'm trying to lead.
Within the two very fast years that I have immersed myself in Link Crew, I have amassed an incredible amount of skills pertaining to leadership that are not only applicable to helping freshman, but are also available for application in the future. In addition to what Link Crew entails for aiding freshmen, I have gained a whole new array of leadership skills through involvement as a commissioner in the past semester, a task that has been totally unique to what I expected it to be. Nevertheless, I will apply these attributes to future plans and goals that I would like to involve myself in.
ReplyDeleteThe freshman orientation is a unique experience where much link leaders learn as much about themselves as freshman learn about high school. It provides insight on what kind of a leader one is, how he or she handles situations, how to lead in general, etc. When applying myself in the future, whether it is for activities in college or beyond, I will always refer to how I am a leader and what I have learned about my personal, fundamental leadership abilities, abilities gleaned on the first orientation day and the training associated with it. Specifically, since I learned that I am more of a doer than anything else, if I encounter a choice of what types of roles of leadership I would be able to participate in, I will know to choose the leadership option that involves more doing than anything else.
Other activities that I have particularly enjoyed through Link Crew apart from freshman involvement is the participation in local service projects, especially those centered around the school (although I enjoyed all service projects). For example, what I liked most about Back to School Night was helping parents find the classrooms of their children, mostly because it was incredibly rewarding being able to help them find where they needed to go. In the future I would love to volunteer for activities that involves pointing out directions to others who need help because the feeling of reward for helping others and being able to see immediately the positive ramifications of my influence is powerful. Since I enjoy this aspect of being able to help others and seeing results personally through Link Crew, it has pushed me towards a desire to go into medicine, something that I wasn’t quite sure about before starting Link Crew but am now leaning closer and closer to deciding to dedicate my life and studies towards it.
Link Crew involves its leaders with participating at the front lines of freshman involvement. During orientation, Cram Fest, brown bag lunch, donut day, and others, we are pushed and encouraged to be in front and directly involve ourselves with freshmen and upperclassmen. This would be valuable for application in medicine because physician and patient interaction requires clear communication, a skill that I am absolutely able to defend that I have acquired through two years in Link Crew.
Without a firm grip on the Link Crew program, I would not have the leadership skills that I have today. I will be forever grateful for my involvement of Link throughout life as I endeavour activities and tasks that require a great deal of leadership.
This year in Link Crew I feel that I have enhanced my leadership significantly. I attended all of the events with freshman and almost all of the events with the leaders. Since I have grown so much this year, I want to continue to grow in a positive way by continuing on with Link Crew, getting more involved and getting to know myself even better.
ReplyDeleteI want to become a commissioner next year because through watching the commissioners this year I have found that they are just one big happy, close knit family, whose goal is not only to unite freshman but to unite themselves and all of the other leaders as well. I think that Link Crew has brought out some qualities of myself that I didn’t exactly know were there. For example, I used to get really angry when I would lose points during a tennis match and I would show my anger, but this class has really made me relaxed and comfortable with myself and I don’t get so angry anymore and I think this will really benefit me this tennis season. I want to be involved in a lot of things this next year. I am going to continue competing in DECA and I am going to be in NHS, I would like to be a commissioner and I might even try out FBLA. Leadership has made me want to become more involved.
I am going to continue to get to know myself more after Link Crew. I found that the unit of connections to self had the biggest impact on me, because that is what made me want to continue being a strong leader. If I am a strong leader now, there is no where to go but up in continuing this journey.
I think that Link Crew is an amazing experience and the best I have ever had. I want to have this experience in my last year of high school because I think that it is an amazing program that leaves a positive mark on everyone. Link Crew is my inspiration.
Link Crew helped develop the leadership skills many of us already had. Through link crew we were taught how to apply our leadership skills. These teaching can help us throughout the rest of our lives. Many of our activities were about helping others, like with the service projects it opened our eyes to many things that needed help and made us take a stand. Thats what link crew is all about. Helping people whether it is our freshmen or anyone in our service projects. It is not about whether it is cool or fun it is about helping someone in need of a leader.
ReplyDeleteThe teachings in leadership class will help me throughout this year and life. The leadership I have learned will help me in leading my team to nationals next semester. I will remember that to be a leader you must also listen and be open to change. Link crew has helped me in being a captain. Having a strong leadership role on a team will help everyone work together and function as a team, but it also requires a leader who is willing to take advise as well. I will also use my knowledge of other leaders and who I work best with to make my leading helpful and not controlling.
Leadership class has also helped me with making myself more independent. This will help me because I will be able to do what I need to do even when it may not be the same as my friends. With going to college next year I will use my leadership lessons to help me stay ahead. Leadership class has made me learn to except help. It will also make me think differently when I go to choose a partner for activities. This is because of th things I learned in link crew about how my parter and I work together. It will make my time management better because knowing who you work well with will help you get done what needs to be done.
After participating in link crew for two years, I am excited to announce that the leadership skills I have accumulated will now carry on into my last semester at Arapahoe High School, and into college where I may continue to apply my skills and expand them.
ReplyDeleteThe first step for me next semester is to keep and strengthen the relationships that I have with my freshmen. Link crew class will be over, but I truly do care for my freshmen and I like to hang out with them. As the year goes on, I know it is no longer about making them feel welcome, rather, being a friend that has been there from the beginning and being a positive role model. Next semester I plan to continue to invite my link kids to activities such as the teacher talent show or simply a basketball game to get them interested in everything that Arapahoe has to offer. I know what it feels like to have poor link leaders and I want my link kids to experience a leader who is open, fun, and kind not only on orientation day, but for the whole year and maybe longer.
As for college, I wish to first remember the hard work and dedication that link leaders put into making freshmen feel welcome. When I go to college, I will remember the way it felt to try to get twelve link kids to participate in silly games so that when I am being oriented at college, I wont keep my “cool card” out and I will respect the leaders who take time to welcome us. When I receive the opportunity to take a leadership role I will do so, because then I can apply my knowledge from link crew and expand it by the new experiences and opportunities in college. Specifically I wish to make a college cheer team. Although that make not directly relate to some of the lessons we learned in link, it is none the less a leadership role. Also, when I become a junior or senior, I wish to be apart of the welcoming crew at college. I will be able to give campus tours and speak with potential freshmen, similar to orientation day at Arapahoe. I also want to continue to participate in local service projects, to benefit not only others in need, but myself too. I hope to work with other leaders who share the same passion for helping others as I do.
Link Crew has made me a better person because not only has it helped define who I am today but has improved and taught me skills such as: team work, leadership, and service.
ReplyDeleteMichael Jordan once said “Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence wins championships.” I find this quote spot on. Without my partners I do not know how I could have done it all by myself. I will apply this in my future because I am bound to work in a group again. My Link partners were great. We all worked great together and did a fair share of work. Usually what happens when we work in groups is one person is left to do all the work and that is not fair. Because I take group projects seriously and want a good grade that usually ends up being me, but because of link crew I am not going to let that happen. If somebody is not doing their fair share then I will make them.
Leadership is an essential skill to set yourself apart in today's world. If you look at every successful person in today’s world, they are all leaders. I believe that leadership will get me a job when I am older because it is such a scarce skill today. I’ve noticed when put into groups people do not want to be the one in charge and I don’t blame them. They don’t want to risk their image and become known as bossy or make a mistake. I look at it as, who cares what people think about me, I am who I am. Also where would we be if we didn’t take risks. In the future I want to become a successful business man and without leadership that dream wouldn’t come true. On orientation day the freshmen were looking at me to tell them what to do. The apprentice taught me that they were aspiring to be the group leader and thats what I need to aspire to be, a leader. At cramfest the Freshmen were asking me for help.
Link Crew has taught me the importance of service. What a great thing service is. What I notice when I do service is the awesome feeling that I get after. Knowing that I helped somebody in need and hopefully change their lives for the better gives me satisfaction. In the future I plan to volunteer my time and donate some of my money to organizations that I believe in. Already, I have signed up to volunteer for my church, the library, the Food Bank, Care for life, and hopefully many more organizations.
In conclusion Link Crew has greatly changed my life by better improving and teaching me teamwork, leadership, and service. Thank you for changing my outlook on life and giving me this chance to help change others lives.
Will Okazaki
Most people would not think that one hour every Thursday morning would be able to significantly contribute to someone's life. But Link Crew has not only been an hour per week. All the of the activities we have planned, the behind-the-scenes organization, and the skills I am taking away will impact me throughout my life. They have given a foundation in leadership for the rest of my life.
ReplyDeleteSo what is the next step? As I apply to the President's Leadership Class at the University of Colorado I know that I will have significantly more experience in leading groups of people than most others. I will be able to say I have planned an entire curriculum for a class, and aided in carrying out that curriculum. I will be able to say I have not only honed my own leadership skills but helped others to recognize their own contribution to the organization. I will be able to say my partner and I mentored our own group of younger students and learned to work together to help them succeed. But this experience has not just been a resume booster. It has shown me all that I am capable of. So that the next time someone asks me to go in front of a group of one-hundred people and talk about sex, I know I will be able to. Or the next time someone puts me in a group-situation where I do not know many of the people, I know I will be able to be out-going enough to take charge. This experience has given me a “one-up” on the rest of the people applying to the President’s Leadership Class, but it will also aid me in the “real-world.”
As of now, my planned major is Business. Genuine leadership skills are something that can contribute to a career in business more than almost anything else. If people in the business world are able to see me as a leader they will have more respect for me. Deals will go over more smoothly. I will be able to bring people together under a single cause, increasing productivity. I know that I can take charge.
Some people may believe that a one-day a week class could not contribute to a person’s future. However, for me, Link Crew has had a major impact on my leadership. It has encouraged me to try continue using these skills. It can help me get into prestigious programs and aid me in my future job. Even if I end up doing something completely different than I thought I would, I know that the basis for my leadership skills will contribute to the rest of my life. Caroline Blakney
Link has given me the opportunity to develop leadership skills that I plan to take with me in the future. I think, by being given the chance to showcase leadership through out the semester, I have become a more independent person that can go after goals without needing the help of others. Before, I was terrified to sign up for any kind of a club or activity alone and would need a friend to join me because I was too scared and couldn’t stand alone. But through leadership class and the experience of Link Crew and going through the application process without a friend signing up with me, I feel like now I can be more independent with my own goals, my wants, and my own dreams and do what I feel I need to do to obtain my ideal life. College life is approaching soon, and I find it very valuable to be able to do the things that are right for your future without needing the reassurance and someone will always be there with you. I believe that taking responsibility for yourself and your life is a form of leadership that can help better your future and set your goals clear.
ReplyDeleteThe entire Link Crew experience has allowed me to discover what kind of lead I want to be. I want to be a reliable leader, a caring leader that shows others that it’s okay to ask for help with life gets a bit tough. I also strive to be the kind of leader that is easy to talk to and relatable. In college I would like to pursue other leadership opportunities to be able to improve my leadership skills and give others the assurance that someone is there for them is they ever need anything. In the future, I want to become a mathematics teacher at either the high school or college level. I feel that it takes a lot of leadership skills to become an educator and I want to be able to give any future students a reliable teacher that is understanding and can help with any problems they may be having, and assure them that I can prove a link to any help that they may need when life throws a rough patch at them. I have done this with the freshmen this year and hope to carry that with me through the future.
Link Response
ReplyDeleteMonkey see Monkey do, this saying displays that if you do something people will follow it is a reason that I have always believed in the philosophy of lead by example. That is why my leadership plans in the future involve me continuing to be a role model for those around me. I try to be a role model by achieving and doing positive things not only for myself, but for others as well. I find that the easiest way to do this is to be involved with a lot of clubs and activities such as, soccer, Boy Scouts, DECA, as well as several others. However the next step from just being involved with these clubs and activities is taking a role of leadership in them such as Link Crew Commissioner, Soccer Captain, or DECA officer. These roles will allow for me to really apply the skills of leadership I have began to learn as well as honing in on them, because there is always room to improve. After achieving roles of leadership, if possible, then I have to focus on being a good leader which consists of continuing to lead by example and using other skills to be the best leader I can be. Also I plan on being a Link Leader next year, this will be a great opportunity for me to use leadership skills from this year and use them again next year ad overall be a better link leader. It will also be important to continue to be here for previous Link kids and students and people around me.
Nathan Ducey
Jacob Krantz
ReplyDeleteWith all I have learned as a link crew leader I am now prepared to go further and broaden my leadership skills else where in the world. I have learned to be a little crazy, more organized, more thoughful with my time, and realized the importance of listening all throughout link crew. Though theses are just a few tools I have learned to be a good leader I feel I can use these in the near future to help me in my leadership roles.
Link crew has taught me to be a little crazy and get out there and be confident in what I do. This is important in my future. As I am preparing to go to college I have to get out of my comfort zone and do some research, talk with others, go on school visits, and apply myself to finding something I like. This can be difficult because usually I don't have to plan for anything this big that has such an impact on my life. Also, as I continuue leading in the community and help wyldlife kids, a young life organization, I have to be a little out there and be with them, and talk to them, and have conversations I might not be used to having. I have to realize the biggger picture, get out there and have no fear in my leadership abilities.
Next, I have to manage my time in my future. This semester is the first time in my life I really have had to think about what I am going to be doing in order to stay ahead. Life is going to get busy in the next few years and I have to manage my time so I do not become stressed. College, sports, school, family, and friends are just a few of the items on my agenda I must manage my time the best I possibly can in order to get the most out of everything. There is a time for everything and link crew has made me realize that in my future I can accomplish anything I want if I plan and am prepared.
As I grow as a leader it is important as I manage my time and stay organized in what I do, I also must be thoughful with my time and remember all I have accomplished. Times can become difficult, but I want to be able to think back and look at all the great things I have accomplished. I want to take the time to reflect and realize that I am making a difference somehow. I want what I do to keep me humble and be able to use the aspects of leadership I have used in the past to help me in the future. Overall, I want to always be growing as a leader in the future and learn from my mistakes and use what worked well previously.
The most important aspect of leadership I have learned in link crew is the power of listening. In the future I want to be able listen to other leaders, students, friends, or anybody that has anything to say because I have learned the more people involved the better the project or event. Listening to others allows for my learning to increase and others to feel appreciated for their input. It is imortant for me to listen in the near future because I have much to learn about college and other parts of my life I will be tackling for the first time in my life.
Link crew has prepared me well, I have learned much, and now I must take what I have learned and continure leading inh the future. If I get out of my comfort zone, stay organized, remember what I have learned, and listen often my future is bright as a leader. As Winston Churchill once said, “Success is not final, Failure is not fatal,” if I take these words and get out there and lead only good things can happen.
Through my experience with Link Crew, many of the leadership skills and abilities I obtained I will apply to my future. Next fall when I attend college, I want to major in some form of business management. Owning or helping run a business requires multiple leadership abilities. However, many of the skills I learned in Link Crew not only will benefit me in the business world, but also in the social world. Through Link Crew I have met and worked with many children and young adults that may also need somebody to set good examples for them. Link Crew has taught me not only to lead through ideas, but to also lead through example. Being able to prove to somebody that what they are trying to do can actually be accomplished is demonstrating that you can be a good leader this way, rather than telling them HOW to accomplish something. Being the end cyclist in the Second Wind Run/Music Festival has shown me that you don’t have to be certified or experienced in a certain field to be a good leader in it. Leaders come out from the most unlikely of places, and often that is what makes them great. I strongly believe that to be a good leader you first must learn how to follow. For example, you aren't going to jump right into a corporation and automatically be the greatest CEO or Vice President ever, you probably first started at the bottom, and worked your way up. When I go off to college, obviously I will be starting at the “bottom” and through the classes I take and the people I meet, I will work my way up.
ReplyDeleteCollege, to me, is the most important goal I have set for myself. My mom didn't attend college, and my dad didn't finish college. And so, being able to not only start college, but finish it with a degree that not only interests me, but will benefit me is something that has affected every day of my life. Link Crew has given me helpful and useful insight into how to be a good leader, that I otherwise would have never learned how to use. Also, things that occurred in Link Crew class that were not planned may benefit my life more than anything else. When Link Crew had the suicide awareness talk, it changed the way I looked at people going through rough parts of their lives. Although I haven't had to use it yet, the fact that I know a little bit more about how to at least get help and notice signs makes me more comfortable that I'm going to be more aware and secure about this issue. This alone has made me a better leader and even though I hope I will never have to use this type of leadership skill, it has benefited me positively in many ways. Link Crew has given me many abilities that will help me help others in the future.
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