Of 10 students picked to represent Ohio at the National Student Leadership Summit (NSLS), hosted by the National Federation of High Schools, three are from the Westerville City School District – Greg Shehee (Westerville North); and Emma Davidson and Maren Dorne (Westerville South). The conference will take place in Indianapolis from July 17-19. The trio will also become Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) student ambassadors. As such, they will get to attend the OHSAA Student Leadership Conference on Tuesday, October 3, at the Ohio Student Union on the campus of The Ohio State University.
The NSLS will focus on relevant and contemporary issues. Students will hone their leadership skills and realize the privilege and power of their influence in their school, community and state. By utilizing a “train the trainer” concept, the student and adult ambassadors will be developing skills that will enable them to effectively lead their peers at school and assist their state association. By targeting specific topics, each student ambassador will learn how to develop and maintain healthy relationships with teammates, coaches/adult leaders and officials. They will learn conflict resolution techniques and how to be better communicators with their peers and adults. Another pertinent topic is social media. The student ambassadors will learn how to establish a positive electronic identity with social media and how to repair and rejuvenate a digital presence that does not truly reflect who they represent. The young leaders will also learn the value of perspective and inclusion. Lastly, the students will participate in an exciting engagement with the local Indiana Special Olympic athletes for joint competition and shared athletic experiences. Experts will discuss these issues in a lecture/interactive format in small- group breakout sessions.