Middle School Youth Forum

November 2008

Youth Leaders from Three Schools Gathered at

House of Peace

Middle School students from three schools gathered at House of Peace for a youth leadership forum on Friday, November 14. The students came from Harambee,  Woodlands, and the Academy of Learning and Leadership.

The point of the day was to learn leadership by doing the kinds of things that require leadership skills, and to processing their learning by pausing throughout the day to discuss what leaders do.

We started out with small groups and rope. The small groups were asked to create different kinds of shapes – this required communication and at least one person willing to organize and give some directions. As the shapes got more complicated, from a circle to a rectangle to a star, the need for organization and communication increased. Once they had to create a cube large enough to walk through, each group realized they needed to combine with other groups in order to complete the task.

Leaders need to think outside the box!

By doing a “six count” activity, counting to six in two different ways with their two hands simultaneously, we realized that we can’t do too many things at once if we want to do a good job at any of them. We can start multitasking only when we have learned to do a particular skill without even thinking… such as walking and talking. However, certain things – such as driving and talking on a cell phone – will never be a good idea.

Leaders need to focus!

Next, we did a same-different activity in three parts. We first separated into four corners according to our birthdays. Spring, summer, fall and winter each had a different cheer to shout. Then all of us who celebrated a birthday in 2008 came together to sing, “Happy Birthday to us.” Finally, we were invited to run around, find someone who was born the same year, the same day, or the same month – or a different day, a different month, or a different year, and figure out what was the same or different, and then shout, do high fives or fist bumps and yell out what we were celebrating. Not surprisingly, that was the most chaotic part of the activity – and the most fun. Why did we do it? People have all kinds of differences – ethnic background, age, gender, political affiliation, neighborhood, etc. Sometimes we either “stick to our own kind’ (in the four corners), where it’ s comfortable and we know the turf – or – we come together and (in one big circle) and pretend we are all just the same… we are color blind. Neither of those two are very effective. The only one that works is the third way – joining with people we don’t know, getting to know them, and finding out how we are different and how we are similar. Then we can build authentic relationships and celebrate.

Leaders need to notice similarities and differences, and learn to work with and appreciate all kinds of people.

Then we asked the young people to get into mixed groups and sit at the tables. They were asked to come up with one law that would make the county a better place. What policies would you enforce if YOU were the president of the USA? They came up with some great ideas – things like no violence, free education, no racism, and even no taxes.

Next, we went over the Four G’s of Teaching:

• Grab my attention
• Give me something new
• Get something out of me
• Go make a difference

We pointed out the UN Declaration of Human Rights on signs, hanging around the room. The 30 articles of the Declaration dealt with a different right. Each table of youth were challenged to find one they liked, to put together a “lesson” on that right, and to teach that lesson to the rest of us, using the Four G’s.

So we watched nine presentations.

What did we learn? That teaching is not so very easy! We also realized that the best learning comes when things don’t quite go the way we planned! Each presentation was critiqued according to how well we could clearly see the Four G’s in action. Sometimes it’s not easy to receive negative feedback, but that’s how leaders improve. And for that reason, each presentation we saw was better than the ones before it.

Leaders ask for negative feedback as well as positive feedback… that’s how they learn and improve.

The last task of the day was to come up with a plan for some activity, project or event – something to address a need our school or neighborhood has, or something to make our school or neighborhood even better.

Those plans were not completed – so we are still waiting to hear what the three projects will be.

Once we hear about the plans, we will post them on our website.

In the mean time, be sure to mark your calendar for May 3 at Cardinal Stritch University – from 2:00 – 5:00 pm. That’s a day when schools, congregations and organizations will showcase the leadership projects designed and implemented by middle school and high school students all over the Milwaukee area! We hope to see you there!

Some of the comments made by students who attended the Middle School Youth Leadership Forum on November 23, 2008:

1. What did you learn today that will help you be a better leader in your school and community?

• I learned that leaders have options, values and other things to stand by.
• Communication skills
• When people don’t listen to you, you need to keep trying to get their attention.
• If I stay on my game, I will become a better leader.
• I learned that good leaders take a stand and commit to work for the good.
• How hard it is to grab the attention of an audience – and keep their attention!
• I learned you don’t have to be scared to stand up or perform in front of another school.
• The Four G’s of Teaching will help us share new ideas back at school.
• It’s hard to be a leader and step out of your “comfort zone.” But that’s when you get new knowledge, new friends, and new ideas.
• I learned to overcome obstacles. I also learned that it’s better to work together than to go it alone.
• I learned a lot about from all the presentations today. I also learned to conserve water.
• I learned the Four G’s – Grab, Give, Get, and Go. And I’ll share that with my family and friends.
• Being a leader is fun and it will help a lot of people in your community.
• I learned to influence people to get them to do good work in school.
• If I can get down those Four G’s of Teaching, then I am good!
• I learned lessons about the economy and the environment.

2. Why is it important for young people to learn leadership skills at programs like today’s youth forum?

• It’s important because some leaders lead in a negative way.
• It’s important so young people can be great leaders some day.
• So they can succeed in life and use their knowledge well.
• So they can proudly represent their school without any problems. These programs help young people be more confident and show more leadership skills.
• If young people learn this stuff now, they’re going to remember it later and do things right.
• Today’s youth forum can be a really big part of training youth who don’t do anything because they don’t know how to do anything.
• It’s important to learn leadership skills so we can apply it to our life and future.
• To influence others in making good choices.
• Because it helps you learn more about yourself and you can express your feelings a lot more.
• It’s important because kids need to learn leadership skills for life.
• Because we are the leaders of the future. With more of these programs, it will help us become somebody important in the future.
• If we don’t learn how to make good decisions and be good role models now, we might make bad decisions later on that effect us and our community.
• If we learn it early, we can become better at our leadership skills for when we are older.
• So that we can make a difference in our community.
• So we can learn how to be more accurate and speak in front of people without being shy.
• Leadership skills will help us get a good job and have something to fall back on.
• The world needs change, so we need leaders.
• If we don’t learn leadership skills, we won’t have respect when we are older.
• So we can help our community evolve to be a better place.

3. Do you have more confidence in your ability to be a leader? If so, Why?

• Yes. Because now I know my value in life with people. I know how far to go and when to stop.
• I know even leaders make mistakes and they should be able to make up for their mistakes by acting like a good role model for younger children and for their community.
• Yes, because I got practice with the program today, and learned how to be a better leader.
• Yes. Because whatever I put my mind to I can do it.
• Yes, because I have a better understanding of leadership now and I have better leadership skills.
• Yes! I have a lot of potential and I can be a role model for younger children.
• Yes, because I want to show the type of leader I can be. I want to show my leadership ability.
• Yes. I understand how important it is to make wise choices. I feel like we connected on a personal level with others.
• Yes. I wasn’t shy today. I put myself in a position where I saw my obstacles and tried my best to overcome them.
• Yes, because I feel like I can go up in front of a crowd now. I used to be afraid to do that, but now I have overcome it.
• Yes. I learned from the best and now I’m going to strive to be the best at all times. I don’t plan on fooling around in school anymore.
• Yes, I do. Because of this day today!
• Coming to this youth forum has helped me improve my skills and learn new things.
• Yes. Being a leader takes pride and honor. That’s what I have now.
• Yes. I am able to come up with my own ideas and listen to others’ ideas.