Themes

While considering your group's path and direction, remember these "Lessons From The Geese":

1. As each bird flaps its wings, it creates an uplift for others behind it. There is 71% more flying range in V-formation than flying alone.
   Lesson: People who share a common direction and sense of common purpose can get there more quickly.
2. Whenever a goose flies out of formation, it quickly feels a drag and tries to get back into position.
   Lesson: It's harder to do something alone than together.
3. When the lead goose gets tired, it rotates back into formation and another goose flies ahead.
   Lesson: Shared leadership and interdependence can give us each a chance to lead as well as opportunities to rest.
4. The geese in formation honk from behind to encourage those up front to keep up their speed.
   Lesson: We need to make sure our honking is encouraging and not discouraging.
5. When a goose gets sick or wounded and falls, two geese fall out and stay with it until it revives or dies. Then they catch up or join another flock.
   Lesson: Stand by your fellow group members in difficult times aswell as in good.

When discussing your group's hopes and goals, remember to concentrate on the challenges and struggles each student and staff member is facing at your school as the new school year begins. Your group has the opportunity to spearhead a school-wide campaign that will make your learning community a more caring, comfortable and hopeful place for all members of the community. Developing welcoming, school-wide activities helps everyone face the challenges of new beginnings. What happens during the first few months of school has the potential to shape an individual's experience during the school year, as well as their life.

According to the student survey administered for this initiative by students last spring, 47% of students (N=9,968) have helped an incoming transfer student feel welcome in their school. Your challenge for this month is to work with your school principal and or other administrators to find a way(s) to enhance such things as:< /FONT>

A procedure or activity in which new students moving into your community are greeted, welcomed, and made to feel a part of your school. How can your group create a school environment where every member of the school community starts the school year full of hope, and retains this sense of hope throughout the year?

A procedure or activity in which students entering your school building from a previous grade or "feeder" school are also greeted, welcomed and made to feel a valued member of your school community.A procedure or activity in which new school staff and parents/caregivers are given information about your learning community, and also made to feel welcomed and comfortable within your school.

December (Return to Top)
The Power of Inclusion
Belonging to, participating in, and contributing to a group can often be a highly rewarding experience. When interacting with a group of people, we not only have the opportunity to gain leadership and communication skills, we also have the opportunity to belong to something larger than ourselves. We have a chance to belong and feel valued - we have the opportunity to be recognized and included.

The following story demonstrates every individual's significance and the powerful force of recognition and inclusion:

During my second month of nursing school, our professor gave us a pop quiz. I was a conscientious student and had breezed through the questions, until I read the last one: "What is the first name of the woman who cleans the school?" Surely this was some kind of joke. I had seen the cleaning woman several times. She was tall, dark-haired and in her 50's, but how would I know her name? I handed in my paper, leaving the last question blank. Just before class ended, one student asked if the last question would count toward our quiz grade. "Absolutely," said the professor. "In your life, you will meet many people. All are significant. They deserve your attention and care, even if all you do is smile and say 'hello'." I've never forgotten that lesson. I also learned that her name was Dorothy.

According to the student survey that students administered last spring in connection with this initiative, only 44% of students (N=9,968) reported having been asked to participate actively and meaningfully in school leadership activities and only 60% had been asked to become involved in at least one extracurricular activity or program each year. In addition, 42% of students stated they participated in after-school activities while only 70% of students believed their schools encouraged and welcomed parents and other caregivers to become involved in school activities.< /FONT>

This month's theme of inclusion challenges your group, along with your school principal or other administrators to consider and act upon the following:

What after-school and extracurricular activities are available at your school? Are all members of the school community asked and encouraged to participate in these activities?

What about your student-led initiative group? Has everyone in your school been extended the opportunity to join? Specifically, have the students who seldom participate in activities at your school been asked to join? How can your group reach out to the individual who is frequently absent, tardy or who never has a nice word to say to others?

This month, discover ways you can reach out to students, parents, and other community members to increase their participation with and connectedness to your school. Your efforts have the potential to make every member of your learning community feel more valued, respected, and included in the success and greatness of your school.

January (Return to Top)
The Power of Diversity
Diversity is present in all things that surround an individual. No two things are precisely the same in life. Trees have intricate, beautiful leaves that differ from one another, human beings have particular passions, weaknesses or abilities that make them unique, and even the sidewalks you walk upon have different textures and cracks in them. It is the differences, however, that give life its depth and beauty. When put together, these differences can create exceptional works of wonder. In the autumn, the individual appearance of each leaf on a tree, when viewed as a whole, produces an astounding symphony of colors. The unique passions, weaknesses and abilities of every individual, when put with others, creates an elaborate human landscape where extraordinary thoughts can be shared, innovative ideas can be produced, and differing experiences can create boundless reservoirs of wisdom. Even the differing textures and cracks of sidewalks, when put together, create interesting and diverse paths to multiple destinations.

The following is a story that demonstrates the power of diversity and the beauty of togetherness:

A few years ago, at the Seattle Special Olympics, nine contestants, all physically or mentally disabled, assembled at the starting line for the 100-yard dash. At the gun, they all started out, not exactly in a dash, but with a relish to run the race to the finish and win. All, that is, except one little boy who stumbled on the asphalt, tumbled over a couple of times, and began to cry. The other eight heard the boy cry. They slowed down and looked back. Then they all turned around and went back - every one of them. One girl with Down's Syndrome bent down and kissed him and said, "This will make it better." Then all nine linked arms and walked together to the finish line. Everyone in the stadium stood, and the cheering went on for several minutes.

In the above story, each person began the race with different disabilities and hopes of winning. Their teamwork and efforts toward the end of the race, however, united their differences and hopes, and allowed them all to finish the race as winners.

According to the survey that students administered last spring in connection with this initiative, only 36% (N=9,968) of students believed they had been recognized for their individual skills and strengths. While completing the survey for the 2001-2002 Student-Led Initiative, Beavercreek High School, in Beavercreek, Ohio, asked another question related to diversity. They added a question to the survey that asked how many students had observed their peers showing disrespect to other people. Ninety-eight percent of their student body responded positively to this question.< /FONT>

Your challenge for this month is to work with your school principal and other administrators to find a way(s) to possibly enhance your learning environment by:

Evaluating the degree to which every student is accepted and appreciated within your school.

Determining if there are opportunities to learn about and promote diversity at your school.

Creating activities and programs that encourage enlightenment of and exposure to differing peoples, experiences, and environments. Such activities could involve inviting a guest speaker from another country to come to your school to talk about his or her place of origin and culture each month, or perhaps your group can create a "Peace/World Flag" to hang in your school as a reminder to all that differences are accepted, welcomed and respected.

Explore the meaning of multiculturalism and what it could mean for the climate in your school.

February (Return to Top)
The Power of Mastery
As young people grow and develop, they learn social skills that help them interact more effectively with others. They gather knowledge that will help them master language, math, science and other academic subjects. They learn-either through some special instruction or by example-how to survive and prosper. These life skills help us navigate uncharted waters. On this "sea of life," we can expect to encounter stormy waters as well as calm.

Following is a story about "Jonathon", a seagull who met the challenge of flying and mastered it. In the process, failure smacks him in the face. Read the story to discover more about ways to help young people in your school master life skills and cope with the pitfalls of failure.

I know I'm not like most gulls. For most gulls, it's not flying that matters, it's eating. For me, though, I just love to fly. I just want to know what I can do in the air and what I can't. That's all.

This kind of thinking has not made me very popular with other birds. Most gulls in my flock are dismayed by my low-level glides. They try to convince me that the reason to fly is to find food.

At one point, I almost became convinced. I had been trying to increase my speed above 70 miles per hour. Each time I rounded 70, I would spin to the ground in a churning mass of feathers. I just couldn't figure out what I was doing wrong. After days of trying, I finally made it to 90 miles an hour! But my victory was short-lived. The instant I began the pullout, the instant I changed the angle of my wings, I snapped into that same terrible uncontrolled disaster, and at 90 miles per hour, it hit me like dynamite. I fell spinning into a brick-hard sea.

When I came to, it was well after dark and I was floating in the moonlight on the surface of the ocean. My wings felt like ragged bars of lead. But the weight of my failure was even heavier on my back. I wished, feebly, that the weight could be just enough to drag me gently down to the bottom of the sea and end it all.

As I sank low in the water, I seemed to internalize what everyone had been telling me. There's no way around it. I am a seagull, I am limited by my very nature. If I were meant to learn so much about flying, I'd have charts for brains. If I were meant to fly at speed, I'd have a falcon's short wings and live on mice instead of fish. They were right. I must forget this foolishness. I must fly home to the flock and be content as I am, as a poor limited seagull. As I flew back to the shore, to the flock, I thought about the force that had driven me to learn. Now there would be no more challenge-but no more failure.

That flight back to shore was so pretty. It was a time to stop thinking and fly, fly through the dark toward the lights above the beach. And then it hit me-A FALCON'S SHORT WINGS! All I need to do was to tuck my wings beneath me to maintain control at high speed.

According to the survey that students administered in connection with this initiative, 62% of students (N=9,968) reported that were given opportunity to learn valuable life skills.< /FONT>

Your challenge for February is to work with your school principal and/or other administrators to find a way(s) to enhance your school environment such as:

Increasing school staff and parents awareness about the power adults have to model life skills for children and youth such as active listening, stress management, positive thinking, decision making, solution-finding, and goal planning.

Increasing student awareness about counseling and tutoring services that are available to them if they need special assistance or help.

Encouraging school administrators to develop student assistance services if they do not exist.

Developing a tutoring program for older students to work with younger ones.

 April (Return to Top) 
The Power of Independence
The school year has begun. Teachers are teaching, students are learning, secretaries are filing, coaches are coaching, and maintenance staff is maintaining, and John has just entered the cafeteria where he has some idea of the surprise which is to follow. You see, it's John's 17th birthday. He overheard some of his friends talking about what they have planned for him at lunch. His girlfriend baked a cake and gifts were purchased. This was going to be great! However, as John walked toward the table, events took a turn for the worse. To his complete shock, a student walking near him pulled out a gun and started firing randomly at anyone in the area. John, without a second thought, wrestled the student to the floor and held him until others could help him. In the process, John was shot, but not seriously injured.

Adults often say, "Protect our children because they are our future." This story about John certainly reflects that youth are more than our future; they are very much a part of our present. Without John's, quick response many more injuries and even deaths would have been realized that day.

We call John's decision to get involved "Situational Leadership." It means seeing something needing done and doing it or making others aware of a situation so it can be addressed. Bullying is a growing concern in schools-3 out of 4 students report being the victim of a bully. This condition can change if students begin to take care of each other.

Sixty-three percent (N=9,968) of students responding to a question on the survey administered as part of this initiative said they know their school has a crisis management plan that can be used in the event of a school emergency. Many times, crisis plans or people responsible to carry them out are not in the area or cannot be contacted at the time a crisis occurs. In these instances, situational leadership is key. It can be used as a response to situations such as a bully punching another student's arm continuously, or a student depressed or just not fitting in. It could even be as little as cleaning up after a spill knowing if you don't, someone might fall in the school classroom or hall.< /FONT>

Schools are teen communities. For every one adult in the school there might be a hundred students. Chances are that many students will have heard or seen something destructive before one adult notices. In almost every potentially dangerous situation at school, students are in the immediate area. Schools need students who understand the reason and need for "Situational Leadership." It means taking an active interest in the people and events that make up your milieu - whether that is home, school, or community. It means keeping one's self safe first and then others, at the same time doing something-anything!
Your challenge for this month is to meet with your school principal and/or other school administrator to discuss a way(s) to:

Explore the concept of "Situational Leadership" and how it fits for your learning community.

Reward students/staff who have used situational leadership in your school.

Ask teachers to provide the definition of "situational leadership" to students and discuss how youth can safely use the concept while at school, in the community with their peers, and at home.

  June (Return to Top)
The Power of Wisdom
Most of us know that fleas jump from animal to animal. Do you also know that a flea can jump more than 6 feet to travel from animal to animal? What is even less known is that a flea's jumping capability, if the flea has been contained in a jar with a lid on it, will be stifled so much that it will only be able to jump as far as the height of the jar. What is the size of the "jar" around you?

As humans, we have an innate reservoir called wisdom - let's say jumping! And we can think which makes us even more incredible! Unfortunately, that incredible mechanism called thought can also stifle our wisdom - our ability to jump - as surely as the jar stifles the flea.

As an adult, one is granted the power if they have the financial means to build their own home - pursuing that "man's home is his castle" dream. The focus of this month's activity is the power you now have to create the "home" that exists in your mind - your jar, so to speak. This home is not constructed with physical materials such as wood or brick. Rather, the foundation of this home is wisdom. The structure you build - the number of rooms, the security system, the landscape - will take shape as you entertain thoughts. The guests you entertain are the emotions or feelings that evolve from our thinking. Let's say, for example, that a student makes bad grades in math. Eventually, that student may begin to think "I'm dumb" - a room in the house. When test time rolls around the student's thoughts evoke feelings of anxiety and worry (invited guests) that limit the student's capabilities. This kind of thinking and feeling can only lead to another bad grade. The capacity of thought is a wondrous commodity - how we take charge of them determines the "home" we create for ourselves. What we are suggesting you ponder this month is the ability we have as humans to exercise your power to control your thoughts that sometimes result in anger, frustration, bitterness, jealousy and other wisdom-stifling feelings.

Think about recurring thoughts you have about some aspect of your life (see examples below). Then jot some of them down in a "room" of the house in the diagram on the next page.

Rooms of the house (thoughts you sometimes have) Examples:

• I am a good driver.
• I am not good at science.
• My mother doesn't trust me.

Reflection on guests in your home (emotions/feelings)
What emotions or feelings are frequent guests in your home? Which ones are associated with which rooms? Write some of these feelings around the house.

Reflection on security system and locks in your home
How do you protect your home from unwanted guests (negative feelings)? Sometimes, there may be stormy weather around you. How can you protect your home from weather damage?
Do you unlock your home after these times pass or do you remain locked in the fearful anticipation of another unsafe situation?
Is there a fence around your home?

Reflection on landscape around your home
Have you planted trees and shrubs around your home for shade and beauty? What people, places or memories do these trees represent? What about them provide the shade your home needs?
Is the grass and other plants that surround your home well tended? Are the trees and shrubs well-nourished to enhance growth?