Elita Kennedy
Senior, Montague High School
Montague-Whitehall Rotary Interact
One message that stood out to me was given by Molly Kennedy. She shared her testimony and connected her story to relatable feelings and emotions we all experience. She conveyed to us that a positive mindset determines our outcome. By “flipping our 20” and “shifting our paradigm” we can switch our negative attitude and use a positive mindset for good services.
Another activity that impacted me was a panel discussion with all the conferees answering questions. Questions were displayed on a screen and participants answered. It was an enjoyable experience listening to peers' experiences and what others have taken away from the conference.
Using the skills I have learned at LLC, I believe I can become a better leader and adjust my mindset to positively influence others. The conference taught us fundamental communication skills, including nonverbal communication, open-mindedness, empathy, active listening, and much more! These are all valuable skills for me as I gain more leadership roles in my school, FFA chapter, and Rotary Interact group.
As many others have said, I wish the conference was longer and miss it! I am incredibly grateful to have been able to attend LLC and even more excited for future students to attend this conference. Thank you to all the spectacular staff and speakers for investing their time and hard work to make LLC such an incredible experience. I would also like to thank the Montague-Whitehall Rotary club for sponsoring me and allowing me to participate in the Rotary Life Leadership Conference.
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Erin Kanaar
Junior, Montague High School
President, White Lake Area Rotary Interact
Gianna Raiche
Senior, Montague High School
Montague-Whitehall Rotary Interact
Before attending the Life Leadership Conference, I had never been to a conference or student camp. I had low expectations and was very nervous. I didn’t know a lot of people there. After the first session, I realized I had nothing to worry about. The speakers were able to bring people out of their shells and create a comfortable environment. Every student I met was incredibly kind and the staff was so welcoming. Usually, in group settings, not everyone participates or doesn’t care. I never had this experience at the LLC. Every one of my peers that went brought so much energy and new ideas. I made so many friends that I still keep in touch with. If anyone is considering going to the LLC, I would strongly encourage them to go.
Each speaker was truly amazing, but Molly Kennedy’s message stuck most with me. Her saying “Flip your 20” is short and sweet, but has a much deeper meaning. My past experience with motivational speakers is that I felt spoken down to or that I wasn’t good enough and had to change everything about myself. Molly told us what she had gone through in life and her journey. This was a breath of fresh air. Her honesty allowed for a real connection with the audience. "Flipping your 20" is another way of saying change your perspective. You don’t have to change your past or everything about yourself to think of things positively.
My favorite activity throughout the conference was when we got to discover our leadership style. There are North, South, East, and West. Each direction was assigned certain attributes. North-style leaders are action/goal-oriented, decisive and independent. East personalities are focused on details, plans, and logic. West-type thinkers are all about creativity and risks. South personalities, like me, are team players. Our work style is based on hearing everyone’s ideas and making sure everyone is included. Seeing how everyone thought about things differently was so cool.
There are so many leadership tools that I gained throughout my time at the conference. This school year, I hope that I cannot only use these skills, but also help other people to realize that they can make a difference. Even if it's such a small thing as understanding a person's thought process, or being able to take a step back and work through a problem and find the positive things.
Thank you Montague Whitehall Rotary so much for sponsoring me and allowing me this amazing opportunity. The skills that I learned will truly stick with me forever.