Avery Redula, Sophomore Class Administrative Assistant 2019-2020
The Initial Letter (Page 1)
My initial thought on entering this school year this past week is acceptance. Over the past week of being in school, I have gotten over the shock of the amount of homework, studying, and effort I need to put in to all my work. It will be very stressful and hard to balance throughout the school year. There seems like there is a long road to come this school year, and it will be very different from freshman year, much to my disliking. Given the discomfort, I hope I can still accomplish many goals this school year. With my year of experience, I know have an adequate chance of planning an amazing event and winning competitions. I can expect to get things done exactly on time because I am well prepared and know what is involved in making the event a success. With our core principals, I can guide myself to reach higher goals and become more self aware. I hope to impress both my leadership class and the school with the sophomore’s amount of dedication, effort, and creativity in our events. I want to help create amazing memories for my student body that will be remembered for many years. I want to create the most out of the best year of high school, the sweet spot where I know what I am doing but I am not completely stressed out yet. I want my sophomore year to be the year I remember most. Using my portfolio theme from last year, which was “I can and I will”, I can do anything I put my mind to and believe in. My theme for this year is “Climbing My Mountain” which is more about the hard journey and obstacles it takes to reach the “peak”. My peak, in this case, could be everything I want to accomplish throughout the school year and the struggles it takes to get there. It will take a lot of steps and perseverance, but it is possible.
Part I: Favorite Quotes (Page 2)
“When the whole world is silent, even one voice becomes powerful.”
― Malala Yousafzai
This first quote I chose is really moving and impactful to me. I connect this personally with my job as a member of ASB. We are responsible, in part, of changing lives through our events and activities. We need to be the one voice for students to make their opinions and thoughts heard. I also connect this with going against the grain, and voicing my own opinion. When there is something I am passionate about, I need to take the initiative to be the change I want to be. There will always be opposition and challenges, but to be true to me, I need to say how I really feel if I expect any changes to occur.
“Vulnerability is not winning or losing; it’s having the courage to show up and be seen when we have no control over the outcome.”
-Brené Brown
I chose to use this quote because I thought it was appropriate for the goals I am trying to set for myself to be the best version of myself. I struggle with going out of my comfort zone and being brave. I often don’t want to trust or confide in others. But this quote is meaningful, because it addresses my fears that vulnerability is a weakness. Being vulnerable is necessary for a successful leader, and I need to take risks and realize that I might fail. This could always be a stepping stone for the future, and should never cause me to give up on what I was attempting.
“What’s the greater risk? Letting go of what people think – or letting go of how I feel, what I believe, and who I am?”
-Brené Brown
This last quote is the most important to me. One of my biggest issues is caring way too much about what others think of me. It is often a daily internal struggle that leaves me in a depressive mood. I am starting to realize that with high school, I am starting to form who I am as a person: my ideals, beliefs, and morals. Especially in this stage of development and growth, I should not let other’s opinions get in the way of me changing as a person. As this is a problem, this will take time to slowly teach myself this, and will most likely come with me maturing throughout my remaining three years.
Part II Quote (Page 3)
"Leaders aren't born, they are made. And they are made just like anything else, through hard work. And that's the price we'll have to pay to achieve that goal, or any goal."--Vince Lombardi
I think this quote really captures and reflects my year in leadership and what I have been striving to be. As I have gone through two years of this program, being given the title of a leader does not determine your performance or the work put in. What makes a great leader is someone who perseveres and is determined to make a change in whatever goal they are trying to reach. I have learnt through experience, and seeing my peers as role models at all they have accomplished. I think this is a really important quote showing that it is not necessarily about your rank or your age, but your drive and grit on a day to day basis. This describes me because after learning from the mistakes from last school year, I have really tried to put forth the effort to work hard and give whatever is thrown at me my all. It can take a toll and be stressful at times, but as a leader I acknowledge this. That is why I accomplish my goals in steps with my teammates to help me. We are all paying the price, but together for an event, because it is something we love and really enjoy doing it. This quote is something to keep in mind during the future as well whenever I doubt myself and my own capabilities. I am a leader as long as I work hard and give my all.
I think this quote really captures and reflects my year in leadership and what I have been striving to be. As I have gone through two years of this program, being given the title of a leader does not determine your performance or the work put in. What makes a great leader is someone who perseveres and is determined to make a change in whatever goal they are trying to reach. I have learnt through experience, and seeing my peers as role models at all they have accomplished. I think this is a really important quote showing that it is not necessarily about your rank or your age, but your drive and grit on a day to day basis. This describes me because after learning from the mistakes from last school year, I have really tried to put forth the effort to work hard and give whatever is thrown at me my all. It can take a toll and be stressful at times, but as a leader I acknowledge this. That is why I accomplish my goals in steps with my teammates to help me. We are all paying the price, but together for an event, because it is something we love and really enjoy doing it. This quote is something to keep in mind during the future as well whenever I doubt myself and my own capabilities. I am a leader as long as I work hard and give my all.
Part I: Goals (Page 4)
The first goal I set for myself in regards to leadership is to win more class competitions. Last year as a freshman representative, my group and I made a lot of errors throughout the school year. One was our lackluster homecoming week. Our class was also very adamant about showing spirit. I can already tell that this year will be different, coming from our cheering and pride in our class from rallies, alongside the increased spirit on dress up days. With learning from my mistakes and my class's willingness to participate, I think this is a goal within reach.
The second goal with leadership would be to make more connections with my peers outside of my grade level. Everyone, including me, tend to group with their friends in the same grade. With the practice of switching seats, committees, and bonding activities, I can easily start talking with people outside of my grade and form long lasting connections.
My first short term goal is to maintain my GPA with A’s in all my classes. Although this is a big goal, I know it can be accomplished with hard work and dedication. I have every reason to believe I can make this work, especially with an example of last year and my first perseverance with an AP class. I need to time manage well, but so far everything seems to be going great and I just need to work a little harder on future assignments to obtain this.
My second short term goal for the school year is to stay involved; whether this means extra committee work with leadership, sports, school spirit, or attending club meetings. A problem with a majority of students is the gradual drop of campus involvement as the school year goes on and gets more stressful. I was not an exception to this, particularly with clubs. Being apart of the Girl’s League officer team will keep me on track. As well as choosing to selectively be apart of clubs that I know I am genuinely interested in and will stay committed.
My first long term goal is to be more of an outgoing person. I had always been in my shell and not willing to talk to others. But as I grow as a person and develop with high school, I have changed and wanted to do more and talk to more people. For me personally, the hardest part is initiating conversations, or talking to someone one on one that I am not close to. It is taking time to teach myself this, but becoming who I want to be is a great enough drive to where I will work towards it.
My last long term goal is to find something I am really passionate for. I have plenty of small things I am passionate for, but in this case, my focus is more finding something I want to do for the rest of my life for a career choice. Or something that in a way, inspires me to keep doing what I am doing and something that wakes me up in the morning. This is a huge goal to accomplish, and I am expected to know in three years to go to college and spend the rest of my life on it. Leadership gives me outlets to accomplish this with mock interviews, but I have to also personally research and find it myself.
Part II: Goals (Page 5)
1. For my first goal to win more class competitions, I say the sophomores have definitely fulfilled this. We were able to get first in both the lip sync and float competition for homecoming, and second overall for Winterfest, swimming many spirit days. My class has definitely stepped up their spirit this year and is more supportive of our events.
2. For making connections outside of my grade, I have definitely expanded my acquaintance list with just in class seating. Especially with the Junior class. I have also talked to more people because of my commitments, as for example, Tennis. I am proud of myself for how much I have changed in comparison to last school year.
3. I have been able to maintain all A’s for my first semester. It definitely took a lot of work for my most difficult classes, but I was able to manage. So far I have really high A’s in all of my classes except AP world history, which I am working on. I need to form better study habits and time management for the remainder of the school year.
4. I have undoubtedly stayed involved this school year. For my busiest weeks, I won’t have one free lunch day. Between leadership and club involvement, I have been kept on my toes this year. I have done a lot of work with the Girl's league, more than expected. I have also gone to more sports games and all of the dances, which I love.
5. This is the goal that I had to work towards the most but have for sure accomplished. I have become way more of an outgoing person. Although it might not look like much compared to other people, I have definitely changed for the better. It took a lot of courage to continuously go out of my comfort zone, but I was able to make great friends out of it. Also, being in classes and actually showing people my true personality helped. I know I can count on more people now, which is amazing. I even was able to public speak to five hundred people for my election speech and a thousand for a rally! Younger me would have just fainted or ran away, but I was able to do it.
6. This is the only goal I have yet to accomplish. I am still very unsure of my passions, and what I am interested in. I have a passion for putting on events and leadership, but not a career passion at this point. There are still many pathways of options.
2. For making connections outside of my grade, I have definitely expanded my acquaintance list with just in class seating. Especially with the Junior class. I have also talked to more people because of my commitments, as for example, Tennis. I am proud of myself for how much I have changed in comparison to last school year.
3. I have been able to maintain all A’s for my first semester. It definitely took a lot of work for my most difficult classes, but I was able to manage. So far I have really high A’s in all of my classes except AP world history, which I am working on. I need to form better study habits and time management for the remainder of the school year.
4. I have undoubtedly stayed involved this school year. For my busiest weeks, I won’t have one free lunch day. Between leadership and club involvement, I have been kept on my toes this year. I have done a lot of work with the Girl's league, more than expected. I have also gone to more sports games and all of the dances, which I love.
5. This is the goal that I had to work towards the most but have for sure accomplished. I have become way more of an outgoing person. Although it might not look like much compared to other people, I have definitely changed for the better. It took a lot of courage to continuously go out of my comfort zone, but I was able to make great friends out of it. Also, being in classes and actually showing people my true personality helped. I know I can count on more people now, which is amazing. I even was able to public speak to five hundred people for my election speech and a thousand for a rally! Younger me would have just fainted or ran away, but I was able to do it.
6. This is the only goal I have yet to accomplish. I am still very unsure of my passions, and what I am interested in. I have a passion for putting on events and leadership, but not a career passion at this point. There are still many pathways of options.
Part II: People Magazine Article (Page 7)
Avery Redula is planning to accomplish a lot this school year. She wants to show everyone that she has improved and completely changed from her freshman year. Avery wants to have successful events this year and make her sophomore class proud. The sophomores went above expectations this year, and even though they lost and barely got third, Redula says that she is proud of her class and definitely have a shot at winning next year. She specifically wants to make Winter Formal extremely successful, because Avery loves going to dances and wants to student body to have an amazing year. The officer team she works with is already making preparations and want to get a head start. Avery feels she has a way better handle of herself and how to balance her schedule, so she wants to do even more involvement with clubs. She is the secretary for Girl’s league and a proud member of the Multicultural Club and Photography Club.
Avery will be on the Ripon High tennis team as well. Avery also wants to be a happier and healthier person in general this school year. This means she wants to create a positive mindset and headspace for herself; more mental health breaks, self care, and being a role model for others on campus. Sophomore year in her mind is, “All about branching out and living your life. It is the perfect spot between freshman year, and not knowing anything and the stress-filled junior year.” She wants to use all the opportunities she can get to make this year as fun as possible and the year she wants to remember most. It is a year of growth and learning as well and the year she is “still allowed to be a kid” before she has to prepare even more for her future. She figures she gets to achieve a lot of rites of passages to be a teenager, such as her sweet sixteen and getting her driver’s license. She loves that she gets to have fun this year, while still being taken seriously by others around her like adults and her peers.
Far into her future, Avery wishes to attend a four year university and major in political science. She is still exploring career options, and know she will eventually figure out what she wants to do for the rest of her life. Possible options are: criminal defense attorney, immigration lawyer, or worker’s compensation. She overall wants a life filled with passion and a love for what she does every day. Redula dreams of as well having a loving husband and two dogs in a nice house. She is not sure about the idea of children yet, as they are such a big commitment. It is hard at this age to even imagine for her having kids of her own. Avery wants to be successful enough to have lots of opportunities to travel and a nice retirement. She wants to live her life to the fullest and take more risks. Avery was always taught that her younger years, and especially in high school, was all about preparing and sacrificing for the future. “If I am already giving up so much of my time and energy into school and being well-rounded, I want it to be worthwhile. I want to ultimately benefit from this four year experience and thank myself in the future for the blood, sweat, and tears I put into my adolescence.” In essence, her goal is to work hard enough to guarantee a happy and successful future for herself. She realizes that by setting a good foundation, she can spend the rest of and the majority of her life at its peak. Here at People we value the intentions and goals of young leadership individuals, as well as how they strive to achieve them. Turn next to page 16 to discover other teen’s stories and passions!
Avery will be on the Ripon High tennis team as well. Avery also wants to be a happier and healthier person in general this school year. This means she wants to create a positive mindset and headspace for herself; more mental health breaks, self care, and being a role model for others on campus. Sophomore year in her mind is, “All about branching out and living your life. It is the perfect spot between freshman year, and not knowing anything and the stress-filled junior year.” She wants to use all the opportunities she can get to make this year as fun as possible and the year she wants to remember most. It is a year of growth and learning as well and the year she is “still allowed to be a kid” before she has to prepare even more for her future. She figures she gets to achieve a lot of rites of passages to be a teenager, such as her sweet sixteen and getting her driver’s license. She loves that she gets to have fun this year, while still being taken seriously by others around her like adults and her peers.
Far into her future, Avery wishes to attend a four year university and major in political science. She is still exploring career options, and know she will eventually figure out what she wants to do for the rest of her life. Possible options are: criminal defense attorney, immigration lawyer, or worker’s compensation. She overall wants a life filled with passion and a love for what she does every day. Redula dreams of as well having a loving husband and two dogs in a nice house. She is not sure about the idea of children yet, as they are such a big commitment. It is hard at this age to even imagine for her having kids of her own. Avery wants to be successful enough to have lots of opportunities to travel and a nice retirement. She wants to live her life to the fullest and take more risks. Avery was always taught that her younger years, and especially in high school, was all about preparing and sacrificing for the future. “If I am already giving up so much of my time and energy into school and being well-rounded, I want it to be worthwhile. I want to ultimately benefit from this four year experience and thank myself in the future for the blood, sweat, and tears I put into my adolescence.” In essence, her goal is to work hard enough to guarantee a happy and successful future for herself. She realizes that by setting a good foundation, she can spend the rest of and the majority of her life at its peak. Here at People we value the intentions and goals of young leadership individuals, as well as how they strive to achieve them. Turn next to page 16 to discover other teen’s stories and passions!
Role Model (Page 8)
Naomi is someone I admire and has made an impact on my life. In the short span of two years that we have been friends, she has shown me how kind, caring, and passionate she is towards her commitments such as school, leadership, and dance. Although she is my peer I look up to her in guidance whenever I need help and can always count on her for helpful advice or for her to get the job done right and on time. She is an amazing leader and I am so glad to work with her every day. She motivates me to work harder, and brings the team together to have amazing results on all of our many events and activities. She has helped the Sophomores be very successful.
Inner Animal (Page 9)
I think the animal that describes me best would be a parrot. I believe this is my inner animal due to this bird being so colorful. I think I enjoy being vibrant and colorful. I can also be really loud when I want to be, just like a parrot. I enjoy making people laugh as well as myself. Parrots also live in humid, hot environments. I really enjoy visiting tropical places and relaxing there. I am also like a parrot because I like to fly free. I enjoy being alone and having the freedom to do what I please. But, I can also do well with groups and hanging out with others as well. I think I am like a parrot because I am unique and my own distinct person.
Part II: The Best Things About Me (Page 11)
"The Walker" by Fitz and The Tantrums
Oh, crazy's what they think about me
Ain't gonna stop 'cause they tell me so
'Cause 99 miles per hour baby,
Is how fast that I like to go
Can't keep up with my rhythm
Though they keep trying
Too quick for the lines they throw
I walk to the sound of my own drum,
We go, they go, we go, hey yeah yeah yeah
Oh, here we go
Feel it in my soul
Really mean it, mean it, so go
Gotta feel it, body takes control
Really mean it, mean it
I wake up to the city of angels
To see my name headlining the coast
They say I'm a walking dreamer, baby
If I stop they would make the show
Can't keep up with my rhythm
Though they keep trying
Too quick for the lines they throw
I walk to the sound of my own drum,
Everybody walk
Everybody walk, walk, walk, walk
Oh, here we go
Feel it in my soul
Oh, crazy's what they think about me
Ain't gonna stop 'cause they tell me so
'Cause 99 miles per hour baby,
Is how fast that I like to go
Can't keep up with my rhythm
Though they keep trying
Too quick for the lines they throw
I walk to the sound of my own drum,
We go, they go, we go, hey yeah yeah yeah
Oh, here we go
Feel it in my soul
Really mean it, mean it, so go
Gotta feel it, body takes control
Really mean it, mean it
I wake up to the city of angels
To see my name headlining the coast
They say I'm a walking dreamer, baby
If I stop they would make the show
Can't keep up with my rhythm
Though they keep trying
Too quick for the lines they throw
I walk to the sound of my own drum,
Everybody walk
Everybody walk, walk, walk, walk
Oh, here we go
Feel it in my soul
I chose the song “The Walker” by Fitz and The Tantrums. I really love this song for how upbeat and catchy it is. I chose this song because it represents someone I strive to be and also relate to. The song talks about going so fast that they don’t keep up, and I feel like my life has been a total whirlwind, especially with high school and how I have to manage it. It talks about feeling in the soul, and I feel like I am a really emotional and sensitive person that takes everything to heart. The singer describes being a dreamer, and I like to think that I am as well, as I have a lot of goals and ideas for the future. They walk to their own drum, which I think fits me really well because I try to be my authentic self and not change my personality. I think I am unique and I am completely ok with it. I really like this song and chose it for its exciting energy and paints a picture of an eccentric dreamer, which describes me.
Part I: What I Like Best About Being a Member of Leadership (Page 14)
I love leadership for the many memories that I will cherish forever. One of my favorite memories would be the homecoming night rally when we finally fully landed our routine- the night of. It was such a stressful week in general, with so many events and activities, as well as trying to compete with the other classes. The dance was the most frustrating, with a lot of the people messing around during practices. I was really nervous before the dance, but the feeling when we all nailed the routine together and the crowd hyping us on was like no other. I loved doing the finishing move and seeing everyone's faces. That dance really showed the concentration and effort put into homecoming. I love all the photos taken from that dance. Also the energy of the sophomore section was so supportive. I was so happy and in high spirits when we won that night. I feel like our lip sync dance will get better every single year, and makes for a funny joke every time we hear those songs or randomly dance.
Another favorite was the core camp experience, specifically when I got lost. To be honest it was very humiliating and stressful in the moment, but what can you expect from someone who got around an hour of sleep a night who was getting twelve hours in the summer. It made for a really funny story, and lots of laughs from my peers. I also love from core camp all the bonding that went into those couple of days. I loved hanging out with my roommates, as well as core sessions. Core camp is something I look forward to alongside leadership, and is a great way to start off the school year with the class all together.
My all-time favorite memories happen on a daily basis, with others in the class. I absolutely love being able to hangout with all my favorite sophomores and juniors and one class. The amount of times I’ve cried from laughing and couldn’t breath are immeasurable. I look forward to class every single day for them, and even though we are all different, we really blend well together. I wouldn’t be the same without them. They absolutely make my day a hundred percent better, and a reason I look forward to going to school.
Another favorite was the core camp experience, specifically when I got lost. To be honest it was very humiliating and stressful in the moment, but what can you expect from someone who got around an hour of sleep a night who was getting twelve hours in the summer. It made for a really funny story, and lots of laughs from my peers. I also love from core camp all the bonding that went into those couple of days. I loved hanging out with my roommates, as well as core sessions. Core camp is something I look forward to alongside leadership, and is a great way to start off the school year with the class all together.
My all-time favorite memories happen on a daily basis, with others in the class. I absolutely love being able to hangout with all my favorite sophomores and juniors and one class. The amount of times I’ve cried from laughing and couldn’t breath are immeasurable. I look forward to class every single day for them, and even though we are all different, we really blend well together. I wouldn’t be the same without them. They absolutely make my day a hundred percent better, and a reason I look forward to going to school.
Part II: A Reflection of a Peer in Leadership (Page 15)
Someone that I believe should be recognized for their kindness and compassion is Brendan Lan. Brendan is someone who has always been kind to, even when I was a nervous freshman. He always guided me and helped me whenever I needed it and whenever I had advice. He is someone I could always go to and count on, and someone I am comfortable with. Recently, I got to work with Anthony and him on the Talent Show. It was an amazing experience because of his helpfulness and positive attitude. Although I did not always know what I was doing, Brendan was always there to help, even when he was in the actual show. I love Brendan's easy going personality and calm demeanor always makes my day whenever I talk to him. He is the type of person I would want to emulate for the leadership program. He is dedicated but relaxed, and the type of person you know will get everything done.
Part I: What I Love To Do (Page 18)
Part II: Letter to Parents (Page 19)
Dear Mom and Dad,
Thank you for everything. Thank you for always encouraging me to do my best. Pushing me to my limits because you know I can reach the goals I set. Making sure I have a chance at a successful future, and letting me explore all of my options. I appreciate your praise and wishing me the best for everything I do. You are both so supportive in all of my endeavors, whether that be school work, trying new things, or my achievements. Mom, thank you for doing the work that would sometimes go unnoticed. Thank you for going out of your way to help me when I can't pick myself up. It is the simple things like doing my laundry when I am overloaded with stress during the weekend, or making my favorite meal. Thank you for always taking me places when I need it, and being a constant support system. Dad, thank you for thinking of my future and preparing for it in ways I can't. Thank you for helping me train for driving, when I know it is very frustrating. Also for being funny and goofy and lifting the spirits in our house. I owe so much to each of you, and I don't make my praises heard often. I love and appreciate you both.
Love, Avery
Thank you for everything. Thank you for always encouraging me to do my best. Pushing me to my limits because you know I can reach the goals I set. Making sure I have a chance at a successful future, and letting me explore all of my options. I appreciate your praise and wishing me the best for everything I do. You are both so supportive in all of my endeavors, whether that be school work, trying new things, or my achievements. Mom, thank you for doing the work that would sometimes go unnoticed. Thank you for going out of your way to help me when I can't pick myself up. It is the simple things like doing my laundry when I am overloaded with stress during the weekend, or making my favorite meal. Thank you for always taking me places when I need it, and being a constant support system. Dad, thank you for thinking of my future and preparing for it in ways I can't. Thank you for helping me train for driving, when I know it is very frustrating. Also for being funny and goofy and lifting the spirits in our house. I owe so much to each of you, and I don't make my praises heard often. I love and appreciate you both.
Love, Avery
Your True Legacy (Page 20)
Dear Future Sophomore Class Administrative Assistant,
Having a year of experience in this position has taught me some valuable lessons and advice I would like to pass on to you. First off, no matter what it seems, your job is one of the most important. You do all the paperwork, the behind the scenes that keep these events going and are essential. Your fellow officers are counting on you to do the boring and paperwork stuff to be successful. Your job includes purchase orders, cash box forms, fundraiser forms, facility forms, and meeting minutes. My strongest suggestion is to get these all done early, or at least start early so you can ask for help. There can be some tricky spots where you are confused or unsure what to put, so it is always great to consult someone who has done that work before. For PO's, realize that it takes time to not only write the form, but to get it turned in, confirmed with signing, and returned. This can take several days. Then you have to order the items still, something I did not realize on my first ever PO. This can take a week, plus office hour problems and delivery, so you need to plan your shopping cart in advance to make sure everything gets here in time. Fundraiser forms only happen once or twice in the school year, but are very important. There is a lot of confusing wording and boxes that are not on any other form, so consult with the AD or a fellow admin assistant for help. Facility forms also seem like no big deal, but if you check and see there is in no facility, then the event can not be held, there needs approval. No other officer checks for this or is even aware of its importance, and the disaster of an event could be at your possible expense, so I advise to check on this way in advance. It is also a point on the procedure form often forgotten about. And the last form, minutes. Although it seems like just another responsibility, use them to your advantage. Minutes are used to solidify plans and actions. I use them for brainstorming as well as communication with the AD on our decisions, as she is often left in the dark. Another part of the procedure form not done, emailing her minutes. I see this as needed for the trust to be there, that the event is securely handled. It solidifies actions by holding the officers accountable in a written form, for what they said they will get done by a certain time etc. This can hold members accountable. Overall, my advice to to pay attention to detail and work ahead to make sure you do your part for the team, and the activity goes well.
Having a year of experience in this position has taught me some valuable lessons and advice I would like to pass on to you. First off, no matter what it seems, your job is one of the most important. You do all the paperwork, the behind the scenes that keep these events going and are essential. Your fellow officers are counting on you to do the boring and paperwork stuff to be successful. Your job includes purchase orders, cash box forms, fundraiser forms, facility forms, and meeting minutes. My strongest suggestion is to get these all done early, or at least start early so you can ask for help. There can be some tricky spots where you are confused or unsure what to put, so it is always great to consult someone who has done that work before. For PO's, realize that it takes time to not only write the form, but to get it turned in, confirmed with signing, and returned. This can take several days. Then you have to order the items still, something I did not realize on my first ever PO. This can take a week, plus office hour problems and delivery, so you need to plan your shopping cart in advance to make sure everything gets here in time. Fundraiser forms only happen once or twice in the school year, but are very important. There is a lot of confusing wording and boxes that are not on any other form, so consult with the AD or a fellow admin assistant for help. Facility forms also seem like no big deal, but if you check and see there is in no facility, then the event can not be held, there needs approval. No other officer checks for this or is even aware of its importance, and the disaster of an event could be at your possible expense, so I advise to check on this way in advance. It is also a point on the procedure form often forgotten about. And the last form, minutes. Although it seems like just another responsibility, use them to your advantage. Minutes are used to solidify plans and actions. I use them for brainstorming as well as communication with the AD on our decisions, as she is often left in the dark. Another part of the procedure form not done, emailing her minutes. I see this as needed for the trust to be there, that the event is securely handled. It solidifies actions by holding the officers accountable in a written form, for what they said they will get done by a certain time etc. This can hold members accountable. Overall, my advice to to pay attention to detail and work ahead to make sure you do your part for the team, and the activity goes well.
Do's and Dont's List (Page 21)
Do's List
-Communicate with your officer team always
-Plan weeks in advance
-Keep a time table and agenda for time management
-Get all of the forms needed early
-Be creative and think outside of the box
-Hold everyone accountable for their job and tasks
-Be respectful and consider all ideas as a possibility
-Problem solve and celebrate wins
-Help others in your position within the leadership class
-Ask for help, and take criticism
-Have a positive and growth mindset
Don'ts List
-Rely only on others to get things done
-Procrastinate
-Take for granted others' help
-Turn in a form the day before or the day of
-Spend more money than you need to
-Bring others down in the class
-Not offer advice during competition weeks
-Work as just an individual
-Doing the bare minimum and expect a great event
-Not taking feedback or ideas from peers outside of leadership
-Communicate with your officer team always
-Plan weeks in advance
-Keep a time table and agenda for time management
-Get all of the forms needed early
-Be creative and think outside of the box
-Hold everyone accountable for their job and tasks
-Be respectful and consider all ideas as a possibility
-Problem solve and celebrate wins
-Help others in your position within the leadership class
-Ask for help, and take criticism
-Have a positive and growth mindset
Don'ts List
-Rely only on others to get things done
-Procrastinate
-Take for granted others' help
-Turn in a form the day before or the day of
-Spend more money than you need to
-Bring others down in the class
-Not offer advice during competition weeks
-Work as just an individual
-Doing the bare minimum and expect a great event
-Not taking feedback or ideas from peers outside of leadership
The Contact List (Page 22)
Mrs. Cutino-Sophomore class advisor
Phone: (209) 968-2141
Email: [email protected]
Sounds in Motion- DJ service
Phone: (209) 522-5999
Email: [email protected]
Address: 931 10th St, Modesto, CA 95354
Events22
Phone: (209) 552-5969
Address: 202 E Main St, Ripon, CA 95366
Phone: (209) 968-2141
Email: [email protected]
Sounds in Motion- DJ service
Phone: (209) 522-5999
Email: [email protected]
Address: 931 10th St, Modesto, CA 95354
Events22
Phone: (209) 552-5969
Address: 202 E Main St, Ripon, CA 95366
Budget (Page 23)
The Professional (Page 24)
The leadership class has encompassed many skills and activities to further my professional skills, but I think the most important two I have done this year are Formal ASB meetings and resumes/cover letters. The formal ASB meeting are key to our program, because they give light to an important aspect to the work force-debriefs in a professional manner. It is a way to see different job description's events and their progress. Each student is required to be in professional dress and prepare a formal report based on what they have accomplished thus far in the school year, as well as areas of concern. There is also an area hi-lighting the person's involvement in committees and other works, and what they have done on campus. This report holds us responsible for our progress and everything we have done. This is a great professional aspect for accountability and effort towards your given work, You are expected to be honest, and go above and beyond what is expected of you. There are also budgets to keep money in mind for given projects and future activities, which is an amazing adult skill that is not learned in any other course. The resumes and cover letters are the leadership class's main focus in the second semester. They are a great way to introduce teenagers to the real world of working. I have learned that employers barely glance at them, so I have to make their time worthy and impress them. The cover letter is your mission statement and a sort of thesis, how you heard of the position, why you want it, and how you are eligible. The resume is a form of evidence of your worthiness of the job position, and everything you are involved with. This is something not normally taught, and gives a head start unto our professional careers.
Change (Page 25)
As a leader this year, I have seen giant changes from last year. I have become way more comfortable with my peers, and taken on more responsibilities. I have also delegated more, and have had much more communication and meetings with my other officers. Last year was more of a fight for position, one I was sure to lose with more dominant personalities. I have realized it is ok to not be a dominant and outgoing personality, and I can still be an outstanding leader in my own way. I do not need to conform to the stereotype of what a leader's personality should be. I started this year off strong, wanting to show my progress in being efficient and planning ahead. We have had great planning since I have learned the mistakes of past events, and having experience and hindsight it very important for planning future activities. Although there were many successes, there have also been failures. For an example, Winterfest. Although it had seemed from the outside we were prepared, we were not. Just having completed our biggest class project of the year, Winter Formal, we had not managed and divided our time between the two sufficiently, leaving a scramble just two weeks later. Combined with schedule conflicts and unclear ideas led to extreme frustration and stress. I would advise for the next year sophomores to always keep the future in mind, and divide and conquer so that both events can be a great success.
The Ideal Leader (Page 26)
The ideal leader is someone who always puts forth their best effort. Someone who always works hard, and someone you can always trust to get the job done. They would be a great teammate, cooperating with their peers and delegating tasks to have a great group effort. They would be inclusive of all, and not afraid to be who they are and have their own opinions. This leader would be understanding and empathetic of others, with a clear passion for what they do. They have a set of positive values they stick to, and work on being a better person everyday. They strive not for perfection, but growth and learning in their tasks. The ideal leaders are role models in class, setting the example for others to follow. They plan far ahead in organized steps, to make every activity run smoothly and on time. They should be involved on campus, and show love for their school. They are expected to go above and beyond with everything, from homework and sports to leadership and clubs. Leaders should be effective at time management and organization. They should respond well to criticism and be able to give sufficient advice back. They need to have a positive attitude and a growth mindset. Also, caring and kind to anyone they meet. The ideal leader should be a well rounded individual that is always trying their best for the good of the people.