Celine Du - LLC 2023

Celina Du
Forest Hills Central High School, Ada-Cascade Rotary Club       
 
The Life Leadership Conference, looking back, is probably the highlight of my summer. There was a perfect mixture of "lectures" and hands-on activities, spaced out with generous breaks that allowed us to socialize and make new friends, which is also an important aspect of leadership. The staff at LLC were probably some of the kindest adults I've ever met. You could tell they were trying their hardest to make the conference the best it could possibly be, which they did. (It was absolutely the best). 
 
It truly is hard to pick which activity was the most impactful, because to be honest, it is the combination of them that made LLC so unforgettable. Of course, Molly Kennedy’s presentation about “Flipping Your 20” was life changing; I was not distracted for a moment in her message. The activity where I realized that there were, not one, but four types of leaders was also sort of an epiphany. Figuring out what category of leader I fell into helped me become more self-conscious of my leadership style and also gave me insight as to how others lead, and that there are many ways to lead. The activity in which we learned what the difference between a leader and a boss is was also very impactful. It all seemed to make sense after empirically experiencing both types of people one after the other. I never realized there was a distinction until that day. 
 
Not only did the conference teach me very important skills, it also helped me recognize how large Rotary was not only in our town, but in the state, nation, and worldwide. There were exchange students from Thailand, Austria, and Denmark. Listening to their stories was very inspiring as I began to grasp the importance and widespread influence of Rotary,where over a million people around the globe are motivated in aspects of philanthropy and service. Going into the future with my school's Interact club, I will definitely keep in mind just how significant the work we do at our little club is to the broader community. Of course, I will also be sure to apply the new leadership skills acquired.  
 
The Life Leadership Conference rates an 11 out of 10 already and I would definitely recommend it to anyone! That being said, for me personally, I would have appreciated more teamwork in the form of sports, being outside, etc. However, I know that this is not always possible.