What a great kick-off to our week together! After the parents left, delegates were taken around campus to orient them to all the buildings where activities will take place throughout the week.  They then got to see their group rooms decorated to fit their teams, and they played games to start getting to know their team mates.

Off to dinner! The “Green Team” (staff members who walk around and make sure everyone is eating healthy) challenged each delegate to drink a glass of water first thing, and to eat something green.

After dinner we played a game where the delegates got to learn a little something about each staff member. At the end of the week, ask them if they remember who’s a yoga instructor and who once played in the Little League World Series!

This evening, delegates participated in their first workshop. During “What is Leadership?”  they identified and explored different leaders and  leadership styles. They determined what skills and traits they already have that define them as leaders in their homes, their schools, and their communities. Finally, they established a leadership pledge that they will adhere to during the week.

Many of you have asked what the schedule is, so here’s what every day looks like:

8:00 Breakfast followed by “Morning Sing”

9:00-10:20 First workshop of the day

10:20-11:50 Second workshop of the day

Noon – lunch

1:00 Recreation

2:00 MIX – a simulated “real life” problem that they have to tackle using the skills and tools they’re learning in workshops.

3:00 Committee meeting – delegates plan different portions of the week. This is another opportunity for them to apply their newly acquired leadership skills.

4:30 Checkpoint – this closely resembles what we adults might call Executive Coaching, and this is an opportunity for delegates work in small groups with their staff members. At the end of the week, ask your child what personal goals they set with their checkpoint partner.

5:30 Dinner

6:30  Recreation

7:00 Group meeting – this is when delegates meet in their awesomely-decorated team rooms and play games that facilitate bonding.

8:15 Nightly activity (sports night, dance, talent show, games night)

10:00 Back to the dorms!

10:15 Hall Meeting – boys meet with their male staffers and girls with their female staffers. This is an opportunity to discuss the day’s highs and lows, and wind down at the end of the day.

11:00 LIGHTS OUT!