Cleveland SGA Leadership Conference
Student leaders from the Cleveland Job Corps Center joined SGA delegates from 10 other centers for the Fall 2017 Horizons SGA Leadership Conference Oct. 24-27 near Harrisonburg, VA.
The conference, held twice a year at Camp Horizons, combines low and high ropes challenge initiatives, classroom sessions and team assignments to teach leadership, communication and team-building skills, and encourage critical thinking and problem solving. In the classroom, participants examined the role of communication and motives in leadership, and considered strategies for building effective leadership teams to serve the student body at the Job Corps centers.
During the high ropes initiatives, SGA leaders stepped out of their comfort zones to climb trees, traverse tree-top cables, ride the zip line and experience the thrill of the giant swing. However, none of those things would have been possible without the support of fellow team members who served as pull and belay teams, and shouted encouragement to those above.
A highlight of the conference was the Thursday banquet program, with keynote speaker Art Dean, executive director of campus and community programs for access and inclusion at James Madison University. Dean focused on three points during his speech: Look around; Don’t Give Up; and Make Decisions with your Future in Mind. Dean noted that sometimes people size up their life not based on what they have but based on what they don’t have. He urged students to look around at the positive people, opportunities such as attending this leadership conference, and moments in their lives rather than dwell on that they don’t have. He also noted that at times people look at their current life and think it’s hopeless and that nothing will change. Dean encouraged students to consider the big picture – not their life just at this point but all the opportunities that may open to them in the future. Lastly, Dean urged students to make decisions with their future and the future of others in mind rather than focus on short-term or immediate gratification. Decisions with your future in mind can include pursuing additional education and job training and to become mentors to others.
The conference concluded with each SGA delegation presenting an action plan for improving their centers. The Cleveland team’s plan focused on building a stronger student leadership team to encourage, motivate and support the student body. Specifically, the plan calls for scheduling an Internal Student Leadership Job Fair to attract new student leaders and provide accurate job descriptions of current positions and providing follow-up and orientation for new leaders.
The Cleveland SGA delegation included Lailah Smith, president; JaVaughn Mallet, treasurer; Deanna Walker, sergeant at arms; Jamice Vargas, Y2Y ambassador and vice president; Angel House, diversity officer; Tiara Lu’Sane, secretary; Summer Sutton, minor ambassador; Marjshane’ Dudley, fundraising/events officer; and Sam Bonin, committee chair. The Cleveland team was accompanied by SGA Coordinator Tiffany Artis and Residential Advisor Samika Barker.