By Heather Boni Posted April 30, 2007
It is finally over! The Leadership State Conference hosted here in Winnemucca by our very own Lowry High Leadership Class March 29 through March 31, was a flaming success! The theme of the conference was “Leadership Around the World” and we collaborated famous leaders, quotes, and culture from different countries into all of our decorations and activities. Meg Gast and Nicole Landry were the State Conference Chairs and Mrs. Marie-Jeanne Dawson and Mrs. Tanya Grady were the backbones of this event. We planned many activities, guest speakers, and decorations that created a successful and inspiring conference.
The next step to planning the conference was decorating the gym and hallways. Decorations were sure time-consuming, but the effect was overwhelming. We transformed the simple gym into a collaboration of world monuments and structures. We built the Eiffel Tower (Paris), a gigantic gold pyramid (Egypt), a Stars and Stripes banner (America), and many more. Forty large flags of different countries were hung from the ceiling beams in the gym. Windows were decorated with worlds and hallways were decorated with props representing cultural events and traditions of the different countries. Each delegate’s name was written on an individual world, covering the cafeteria walls with 850 small worlds. The sidewalks and entrances were decorated with chalk to awaken and welcome the incoming delegates. The school became a world of its own.
We began the conference on March 29 with registration and a grand welcome session. Dancers representing all cultures, from Native American and African dance to Basque, Russian, and Spanish, graced the dance floor. Friday and Saturday, motivating guest speakers Richard Santana and Ken Johnson, as well as an astounding hypnotist, Russ Peak, inspired and entertained our guests.
Workshops were presented giving the delegates new ideas for school improvement, community involvement, fundraisers for charity, student participation, and strong leadership skills. Two Lowry students, Elise Cowley and Yesinia Diaz, were chosen to present their workshop “Courage to Speak” at the National conference in Washington D.C. this summer!
Some Lowry students were workshop presenters, JC Group leaders, and speakers, but behind the scenes Leadership students were also greeters, cleaners, guides, and set movers. Feeding 850 delegates at mealtimes was no hassle with help from Red Lion, Subway, and Round Table. The food was amazing!
This conference would not have been possible without all of the volunteers and the support from the community. Thank you to those who volunteered your time and materials; we appreciate all that you did. We are honored to have hosted an event such as this and the success of this conference will be remembered for years to come.
