LLC: Montague-Whitehall

Elita Kennedy
Senior, Montague High School
Montague-Whitehall Rotary Interact

The Life Leadership Conference was a remarkable experience, for which I am incredibly grateful. Going into the conference, I was unsure what to expect, but was blown away by all the activities and events. The staff, speakers, and other conferees were kind-hearted and always willing to lend a helping hand. All the planned events were structured in such a way that kept our engagement and excitement to an astoundingly high level. I recommend this conference to any high school students who are interested in gaining leadership skills and meeting other people with driven goals. 
 

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

 

As the Life Leadership Conference drew nearer, I was more and more hesitant to spend three days of my summer vacation at Ferris State University with people I had never met. Little did I know that three days was not nearly enough time! Presentations that were hours long flew by and I found myself wanting to hear more. The strangers I sat next to soon became my friends. The adults I saw leading the conference became my role models. 
 
One of my biggest takeaways from this conference was how being a strong leader also means taking care of yourself. Anne Bonnie said that “People’s words only have as much power as you give them.” This is meaningful to me since it serves as a strong reminder that what we tell ourselves is much more important than what others think.
 
My favorite part of the LLC was being surrounded by people (conferees AND adults) that share the desire to better our world and communities. It can be easy at times to look at the bad things in life, the LLC allowed me to regain hope for the future and the people in it. The Life Leadership Conference was the highlight of my summer and one of my most meaningful and memorable highschool experiences. 
 
Thank you so much Montague Whitehall Rotary Club for sponsoring me to LLC.
 
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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.