My anxiety came to an apex

this September as my oldest daugh-

ter started the first grade at a new

school with nary a familiar face. The

shyest of my three girls, starting at

a new school scared her. Even

though I work for the school

district, the lack of information

provided by the school stressed me out. With the

exception of learning we were not on a bus route,

we had to seek out information regarding the start

and end times of the day, after school options,

parent drop off and pick up directions, etc. on our

own. Feeling uninformed, I wondered if this is how

parents felt every fall when they sent their kids to

my high school.

As I have become a parent, I look at my job

of teacher and activities director through a new

set of lenses. I have (admittedly rather critically)

observed and judged the communication from my

daughters’ schools and teachers. My husband and

I have been asked to get involved, we’ve been

asked to donate to the classroom, and we’ve been

asked for input. Too little, too much, good, bad,

or indifferent, the weekly communication coming

home with my daughters and emailed out to

parents has given this working mom a connection

to my daughters, to their journeys through their

schools, an introduction to athletic opportunities for

Continued on page 2

December 2013/January 2014

O R E G O N A S S O C I A T I O N O F S T U D E N T C O U N C I L S 707 13th Street SE, Suite 100

Salem, Oregon 97301

503-480-7206

Hands-On Leadership

Important Dates

Jan. 25-26: SEC Retreat/OASC Executive Board Meeting

Feb. 15-17: Winter Energizer at Valley Catholic HS

In this issue . . .

Winter Energizer!, pg 3

New SEC President, pg 4

Board Chair Notes, pg 5

OASC Director Notes, pg 5

Polar Plunge, pg 6

“I’m New, Now What,”

with Amo Estrada, pg 7

New SEC Board, pp 8-10

OASC Calendar, pg 11

Meet the Speaker, pg 12

Community Service

Opportunity, pg 13

Leadership Advisors Tips:

Resolutions, pp 14-15

Defeat the Label, pg 15

Lesson Plan: Excuses,

Excuses, Excuses, pg 16

Maegan MacKelvie

Board Chair

Ridgeview HS, Redmond

Leigh Church

Hazelbrook MS, Tualatin

Jeremy Crowin

Brown MS, Hillsboro

Amo Estrada

Echo Jr/Sr HS, Echo

Julie Kasper

Century HS, Hillsboro

Patrick MacKelvie

Alumni

Stacy Michaelson

Alumni

Noland Peebles

Thurston HS, Springfield

Heather Ransom

South MS, Grants Pass

Kerrie Savage

McMinnville HS, McMinnville

OASC Board Members OASC Executive Director: Sara Nilles

“A gifted leader is one who is capable of touching your heart.”

~Jacob Samuel Potofsky

Anxiety . . . Jake Halbakken

President

Oregon City HS, Oregon City

Victoria Blanger

At-Large Representative

Gresham HS, Gresham

Ana Parvankin

At-Large Representative

Sam Barlow HS, Gresham

Mica Annis

Metro Representative

Glencoe HS, Hillsboro

Lizzi Cox

Eastern Representative

Echo Sr HS, Echo

Nathan Geissel

Southern Representative

Grants Pass HS, Grants Pass

Ally Gibbons

Central Representative

The Dalles Wahtonka HS, The Dalles

Amanda Kelley

Mid-West Representative

South Albany HS, Albany

Joe Stuart

Northwest Region

McMinnville HS, McMinnville

Zeke Medley

Mid-Level Representative

South MS, Grants Pass

Corina Romero

Mid-Level Representative

Brown MS, Hillsboro

Student Executive Council

Julie Kasper

Board Member

Century HS, Hillsboro

OASC Hands-On Leadership

December 2013/January 2014

Page 2

Continued from page 1, “Anxiety,” by Julie Kasper

my kids, and a link to the schools’ activities and events. I have come to depend on that connection and that

information. After some soul searching, I started looking at what I have done as a high school teacher. More

specifically, I started picking apart how I communicated with the parents of my student government kids. In

elementary schools, parents are asked (if not begged) to be present in the classroom. In middle schools, parents

might be asked for help by the school but are often pushed away by their kids. So in high schools, I wondered

how we get the parents back. How do we send the message that parent involvement is needed, wanted and

valued? Thus far, my program had done little more than asking for help. Please help with the carwash. Please

buy this candle. Please help clean up after the dance. I realized I had been taking without giving back.

A big part of my job (and the job of our student government) is to help create and positively influence the

culture of our school. It was time to start creating a culture with our leadership parents; to send the message that

they are a valued piece of our school’s community. Equally as important, it was time to start saying thank you for

the time I am given with their kids and to justify the long hours for which I ask every year.

Information Eases the Mind:

I often refer to the “leadership bubble” with my students. It’s this bubble of information that surrounds

and engulfs our leadership program and room. While we are more than aware of what is going on, the rest of our

community might not be as informed. As leaders, we often take for granted that not everyone uses or refers to the

school calendar (or any calendar for that matter) as often as we do. It was time to start popping the bubble and

including our parents with this information. To start the year, the first assignment I require from leadership

students is a list of required leadership dates for the entire year to be signed by both parents and students. Parents

must also sign off that they have reviewed the school’s activities calendar with their son or daughter. Both let par-

ents know how often their kids will be at school with me, but also allows students to plan ahead asking for work off

or preparing for times during the year that they will need to make up hours they have missed.

This year our school district launched a mobile app available for iOS and Android devices. Available in

different languages, parents can access district notifications, news, the district calendar, information on athletic

scores, and a live sports feed. Links to important district sites are also included in this app including a district

directory, a tip line and links to the district’s social media sites, school menus, students’ lunch accounts, the

district’s grading portal and the district’s YouTube channel featuring district and student produced videos. My

students feed events into the app providing parents with notifications and “push alerts” about our school’s events.

Work Together, Play Together:

Every summer, our student government ends our three-day retreat with a celebratory BBQ. My juniors

use this as a dress rehearsal for the Homecoming BBQ that they’ll host months later. While we have always asked

parents for their barbeques or to cook for us, we started inviting parents to attend the BBQ a few years ago. This

way, they get to hear about the goals we set, the plans we made and the ideas we have for the coming school

year. For new parents, this is an especially good time to meet me, for me to answer pertinent questions and for

everyone involved to put faces with names.

Back to School Night:

Our school did away with the BTS Night format allowing parents to move through their student’s schedule

years ago. While I have always been present with my students at a booth selling spirit gear and answering

general questions to parents, I wanted to have an open house for Leadership parents so that we could meet and

preview the year. We did just that at this year’s BTS Night reviewing the contract, the required dates, the keys to

student success and left plenty of time for question and answer time. The best part of the night was when parents

heard from two of my seniors (both of whom have been in my program all four years of high school) speaking to

their own experiences in leadership and in our school.

Celebrating Successes:

While I speak at our monthly Booster Club meetings, I wanted a means to share with parents some of

their students’ successes. I wanted a way to brag to parents about how well the events their students plan were

received by our student body. We started writing a quarterly newsletter. Since our mascot is the jaguar, we

named our newsletter the “Jag-WOW-er”. On a quarterly basis, my ASB Secretary writes articles and attaches

pictures summarizing the biggest and best events, service projects and happenings at our school. The letter gets

sent home to leadership parents and posted on our school’s website as well. Continued on page 3

February 2011

December 2013/January 2014

OASC Hands-On Leadership

Page 3

“Integrity has no need of rules.”

~Albert Camus

Continued from page 2, “Anxiety,” by Julie Kasper

Closing the Year:

Inspired by OASC’s SEC officer transition ceremony, our school created our officer transition meeting

and banquet that we invite parents to attend to help us celebrate. Organized by my outgoing and incoming ASB

Presidents and Vice Presidents, we kick off the program with a slide show of the year’s events, honor each of our

outgoing officers, introduce and welcome our incoming officers, and end the night with transition meetings

between both sets officers. It is a nice way to celebrate our outgoing council and also a good way to give a

preview of what lies ahead for the following year’s officers. Many pictures are taken, tears are shed and hugs

(that I never want to let go of) are shared.

What is Next?

To improve how my leaders communicate to the student body, we have amped up our social media efforts

using Instagram, Twitter and Facebook that any of our school’s students can follow. We also started a FB page

specifically for our student government. It has become the most effective way for me to communicate with the

student government not only referring to activities and assignments but also sharing volunteer opportunities,

senior project ideas, and upcoming scholarships. Our next step is to create a similar group for our leadership

parents as an additional means to keep them informed.

FEBRUARY 15-17, 2014 at Valley Catholic HS in Beaverton—For current 8th-12th graders

Don’t wait! Get pumped up for the remainder of the year! See old friends and meet new ones!

Bring back assembly ideas, leadership activities, and community service opportunities!

Meet and work with motivational speaker, Tiana Tozer,

past member of the Paralympics U.S.A Women’s Wheelchair Basketball Team who brought

home the silver from Barcelona and the bronze from Atlanta!

Go on-line and register today at www.oasc.org.

OASC Hands-On Leadership

December 2013/January 2014

Page 4

Hello, OASC! It’s sad to see my time as OASC State President come to an end, but I

can’t stress enough how great it has been. The past four years of attending conferences

and being a part of the Student Executive Council has given me more insight into being

a leader than I ever could have imagined. I must sincerely thank every advisor who has

brought their students to Fall Conference or sent them to summer camp because OASC would not be

the same without the impact of advisors.

I remember vividly my first experience attending OASC Fall Conference,

and how I was a young freshman completely overwhelmed with the sense of unity

and spirit that OASC was filled with. Never forget that feeling because it has more

power than you imagine.

Now, I would like to introduce my successor, Jake Halbakken (pronounced

Has-a-lot-of-bacon). Jake is a junior at Oregon City High School where he is the

ASB Vice President. Jake also is the social chair of NHS, and takes a multitude of AP

classes.

As OASC State President, Jake has some great plans, “My main goal is to get

every single school in Oregon aware of OASC.” His other goals include continuing

on the magic that OASC gives to people, seeing an increase in membership, and

surpassing the legend of “THE Max Denning.” There you have it folks! Hope you have a

good year! I’ll be around.

Here’s to New Beginnings

A Last Note from Your Former SEC President . . .

Max Denning

Past SEC President

Jake Halbakken

2013-14 President

Oregon City HS, Oregon City

“Excellence is not a skill. It is an attitude.”

~Ralph Marston

Be a Joy Maker! This holiday season generation On (http://www.generationon.org/) is asking kids of all ages to give joy and Be a Joy Maker by turning acts of service into donations of toys and games for kids in need. From now through December 20th, for each action a child or teen takes to help

others, Hasbro will donate a toy or game to Toys for Tots - up to 1 million dollars’ worth!

In communities across America, thousands of kids and teens are wrapping toys for military families, conducting canned food drives, collecting clothes and blankets for homeless shelters

and doing other acts of kindness. As part of the fourth annual Be a Joy Maker program, 32 young celebrities from TV, films and music are encouraging their nearly 3 million Twitter and Facebook fans – and inspiring young people everywhere - to “give joy” this holiday season.

Go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cz7EWX-nqdU&feature=youtu.be to see a video created by generationOn’s celebrity “Joy Makers” and go to http://www.givejoy.generationon.org/

for details on how to make your action count.

December 2013/January 2014

OASC Hands-On Leadership

Page 5

“Example is not the main thing in influencing others. It is the only thing.”

~Albert Schweitzer

Top 3 Activities to Ponder This Winter

From the Desk of Your OASC Board Chair . . .

Delay a Canned Food Drive?

Canned food drives are always very successful and the receiving parties are always grateful.

Although many shelters need non-perishable items and canned goods this

time of year, have you ever considered contacting your local food bank and

asking when they run into a food shortage? Rearrange your school canned

food drive around the time of year that the food banks experience shortages!

Staff Appreciation

A fun idea to warm your staff up would be for leadership to host a hot cocoa bar at a staff meeting.

Bring different fixings; marshmallows, caramel sauce, candy canes, etc. for the staff to stir into their

warm cup of cocoa and enjoy at the meeting!

Adopt a Family in Your District

Contact your local FAN advocate or district employee that works with less fortunate in your district

and adopt a local family in your district. Have the district provide you with a wish list and work as a

class, club, or school wide to make this family have a happy holiday season. A little joy goes a long

way this time of year.

From our OASC Director . . .

I just recently got home from attending the NASSCED

(National Association of State Student Council Executive Directors)

and NCSA (National Conference on Student Activities) conferences

in Austin, Texas. Wow, that’s a mouthful! As always, it’s an

exhausting and invigorating five days. It’s enjoyable to share ideas

with other people that share the same passion, listen to new speakers and gain a

wealth of knowledge. It’s also refreshing and affirming to realize that Oregon is

very well positioned in the nation with amazing programs, advisors and schools!

Throughout our meetings state directors shared with us stories from their

journeys in activities based on the Ten Principles to Live By written by James

Owen. Little did we know that James was going to also surprise us with his pres-

ence. He was inspiring to listen to and I felt his “Code of the West” had great

meaning in the lives of student leaders as well. You can learn more at

www.cowboyethics.org.

Sara Nilles

OASC Executive

Director

“We can ALL BE HEROES in our own LIVES!” James Owen, Cowboy Ethics

Maegan MacKelvie

OASC Board Chair

OASC Hands-On Leadership

December 2013/January 2014

Page 6

The Polar Plunge is what happens when thousands of people around Oregon run into icy cold water to raise money for Special Olympics Oregon. As a plunger, you register to participate in one of five plunges around the state. Then you raise a minimum of $50 in pledges from friends, family and co-workers. On plunge day you run or jump into the water and get out as fast as you can! You decide how far you want to go in. It’s all for fun and to raise money for a great cause and we invite your school to join the tradition!

AND… if your school team raises $1,000 or more, Special Olympics Oregon will give your school 20% back to be used for leadership activities!

Why Put Together a Team at Your School?

Show your school spirit while giving back to the community and supporting Special Olympics Oregon athletes Great opportunity for students to promote acceptance,

inclusion and respect

Team building experience

Enhances students skills in leadership, planning and

fundraising

Students can earn community service hours

Earn money for your school through the Polar Plunge Revenue Share

Supports any Special Olympics Oregon athletes that might

attend your school

How to Put a Team Together?

Assign a team captain

Register your team at www.PlungeOregon.com

Choose a team name that includes your school name so we

can identify your team (e.g., school name – team name)

Set a fundraising goal

Recruit students, teachers, family and friends to join your

team

Raise money

Your support through the Polar Plunge provides Training for

Life to the largest disability population in the state and provides 10,000 Special Olympics Oregon athletes with the

opportunity to participate in year-round sports training and competition opportunities.

To receive the 2014 Polar Plunge School Team Toolkit and other helpful resources, or if you have

questions contact: Alix Wasteney | awasteney@soor.org | 503-248-0600 ext.43

Polar Plunge for

Special Olympics Oregon

“Teamwork is the ability to work together toward a common vision. The ability to direct individual accomplishment toward

organizational objectives. It is the fuel that allows common people to attain uncommon results.”

~Andrew Carnegie

December 2013/January 2014

OASC Hands-On Leadership

Page 7

“You can do what I cannot do. I can do what you cannot do. Together we can do great things .”

~Mother Teresa

When you decided to become a teacher, what did you think about? If you’re like most

people, you thought about making a difference in children’s lives, about helping them learn,

making them think. You didn’t think about IEPs, disinterested parents, students with behavior

problems, unsupportive administrators or the isolation of being alone in a classroom with thirty

students.

You weren’t wrong before you started teaching. Now, you have been given a new

duty: Leadership Advisor. Hang onto your positivity. However, you may be finding out now

that making it a reality is harder than you thought.

Unfortunately, many of us in the education profession are guilty of exacerbating the difficulties faced by

new leadership teachers. We entice young people and older professionals to become “One” with marketing

strategies that show happy students and well-ordered activities, but we don’t get the adequate support once we

actually begin. There are few handbooks and websites for beginning leadership advisors.

So now what?

OASC is here to help. This organization will help you find the resources, support, ideas, and advice you

need to make your school the rewarding, positive learning environment you want it to be. I won’t pretend that it

will be easy — but I will promise that it will be worth the effort.

Keep this in mind, teaching in itself is hard. Like anything worth doing, good teaching takes work and

experience. You can’t expect to walk into a leadership room for the first time and immediately connect with every

student, make everything clear to everyone, teach every child everything he or she needs to know and end up

with fabulous activities.

Are you feeling isolated? Lonely? Many teachers believe that they can — or

should — go it alone. You can’t go it alone (and you don’t have to.). What you can do,

though, is learn from the experience of leadership advisors. Sign up to attend the

Summer Leadership Institute, held each summer on the Western Oregon University

campus. They have the resources that will help you take advantage of mentoring,

learning to communicate more effectively with parents, colleagues and administrators,

and build a support network you need for your program to grow.

Every classroom is different. Just as every student is unique, every school is

unique, too. There are no “one size fits all” solutions in student activities. The OASC Advisor Institute gives you

the perspectives of real teachers who have faced problems like yours and overcome them. You’ll see how other

advisors have used their own talents and teaching styles to be successful in a variety of environments.

Take advantage of a great resource. Do what you can now to secure funding for the 2014 Summer Advisor

Institute. Attend regionals in your area but better yet follow the advice of advisors in your athletic league that

attended the OASC Fall Conference in Seaside. Take a leap of faith and contact your regional rep or Sara Nilles,

herself, for guidance, support, or questions.

Amo Estrada

Board Member

Echo Jr/Sr HS, Echo

I’m the new leadership teacher, now what?

OASC Hands-On Leadership

December 2013/January 2014

Page 8

From Caroline Bresler, Your Past At-Large Representative: Wow! I'd like to begin by saying what an honor it was to represent all of you on the student executive council!

My time on the SEC has been absolutely wonderful. But I couldn't have done it without any of you. It has

been so awesome seeing and getting to know all of you at various OASC events throughout the year, and I

hope to see some of you again at this year's Winter Energizer! A big thank you to Sara Nilles, my fellow

student executive council board members, and the adult executive board members for making this year on SEC

remarkable.

Although it is a little sad to say goodbye to my position of At-Large Representative, I am so

excited to introduce your next At-Large Representative, Victoria Blanger! Victoria Blanger is a

junior at Gresham High School (Go Gophs'!). Victoria has been a part of leadership since 8th grade

and absolutely loves it. But her role as a leader doesn’t stop at student government. Victoria has

been in her school’s Key Club as a sophomore officer and now is the club bulletin editor, the junior

class officer for her schools National Honor Society, a member of her school's MECHA club,

and a full IB candidate. Victoria has been to OASC Summer Camp and Fall Conference.

Right now at her school, Victoria is helping create a benefit concert for the Philippines as

well as introducing and promoting the Children's Cancer Association. Best of luck to you

this upcoming year, Victoria. I know for a fact that you will do great!

From Shayna Taylor, Your Past At-Large Representative: My time has come to an end as one of the SEC At-Large Reps, but it has been an amazing year. I learned a lot about who I am as a leader and how I can

contribute to an organization. I’ve been to camps, conferences, and workshops representing the state of

Oregon and its student leaders and I am truly grateful for the experiences I have been able

to have due to this position. Thank you to everyone who made it a great year!

Now it’s time to introduce one of your next At-Large Reps, Ana Parvankin! She is one of the

sweetest, most hard working girls you could have the pleasure to meet, and we are so lucky that

she will be representing OASC. Let’s get to know Ana a bit more! Her favorite movie is a three-way

tie between Step Up, The Proposal, and Soul Surfer. She is currently the Recording Secretary at her

school and is also the Key Club President. Her favorite Disney characters are Hercules and

Belle. Ana ran for the SEC because she wanted to work with a group of people that have the

same goal as her, and to impact the lives of fellow leaders in order to make our schools

great.

From Jake Halbakken, Your Past Metro Representative: Hello, OASC, it has been a great year on the board! I am so thankful to have been able to serve as your Metro Rep for the 2012-2013 year. I am even more

thankful that I will be spending one more year on the board as President! But less about me, I am excited to

introduce to you your new Metro Rep, Mica Annis!

Mica was one of the first friends I made my first year at camp. She is an awesome girl with a lot of

potential. At her school she is involved in a lot of different activities including: Key Club, Sparrow

Club, NEHS, Polar Plunge Committee, Unity Club, and more! She holds the elected positions of Key

Club Vice President, At-Large Member in Sparrow Club, and Sophomore Class Secretary for ASB.

Her favorite event to plan is the Polar Plunge. She helped raise over $1,000 last year! When I asked

her what her goal for being Metro Rep this year was she said, "My goal is to make the metro district

better than ever, and help make every person feel more connected with each other. I want to

support the schools by making my self a resource, attending events, and using social

networks to help connect the metro schools and make their ASB even more effective!" Let

me tell you, Metro Schools, you are in good hands with Mica Annis!

Meet Your New Student Executive Council . . .

Victoria Blanger

2013-14 At-Large Representative

Gresham HS, Gresham

Ana Parvankin

2013-14 At-Large Representative

Sam Barlow HS, Gresham

Mica Annis

2013-14 Metro Representative

Glencoe HS, Hillsboro

December 2013/January 2014

OASC Hands-On Leadership

Page 9

“Leaders must be close enough to relate to others, but far enough ahead to motivate them.”

~John C. Maxwell

From Tyler Downing, Your Past Southern Representative: Happy December, OASC! Unfortunately this is my last newsletter and I would like to take the time to say what a

wonderful experience it has been to be a part of the Student Executive Council. I

have learned so much about myself and about being a leader throughout this past

year, and OASC deserves the credit for that. OASC truly changed my life through an

environment that is unable to be replicated anywhere else, and anyone who has been to an OASC event can

say the same. So thank you to everyone who I have met along this journey and thank you to the other board

members I have had the pleasure of working with.

Now I would like to introduce you to your new Oregon Association of Student Councils

Southern Representative, Nathan Geissel. Nathan is an amazing leader and person, and I know that

he will be an outstanding representative. Nathan is a sophomore at Grants Pass High School where

he serves as Sophomore Class Vice-President, and last year he was the Freshman Class Vice-

President. When not at school, he enjoys camping, rafting and traveling. He has volunteered with

the local middle schools in the area, and organized a Locks of Love drive at GPHS last year.

Nathan is a huge Oregon State University fan and he loves watching football in his free

time. And with that, I end my term as OASC Southern Representative, and hand the reigns

over to Nathan. Stay classy, OASC.

From Naomi Sherbahn, Your Past Eastern Representative: As the New Year is approaching, a chapter in my life is coming to a close. Being a part of the Student Executive Council made a huge impact on my life. I

will carry the memories of serving as your Eastern Region Representative for the rest of my life. Thank you,

OASC, for an outstanding year and for giving me the opportunity to serve you. If you ever need anything, I

will always be here for you.

Now it is time for me to pass the torch to another great leader in our state. I would like

to introduce Lizzi Cox. Lizzi is a sophomore at Echo High School. Currently Lizzi serves on the ASB,

and she is involved in FFA, Knowledge Bowl, ACE Car Club, and Key Club. Her hobbies are read-

ing, writing, and playing sports with her friends. For her future she is working hard to graduate

with honors and is planning on attending the University of Washington in the fall of 2016. Her hope

for OASC is that every school in Oregon can be involved and receive the same inspiration

she did. As being someone who served you and our organization, I believe Lizzi will do an

outstanding job and will carry on the OASC tradition.

From Rebekah Lovsness, Your Past Central Representative: Well, OASC, this past year has been an unforgettable experience serving as your OASC Central Rep. After Fall Conference was over and done,

sitting on the bus driving home, I got to reflect on just how much this has meant to me. I remember my first

OASC experience and how much it impacted me, and being allowed to impact all of the newcomers and

our die-hard students is something I’ll never forget. It was an honor serving on the SEC, and I

am proud to introduce you to your next Central Rep, Ally Gibbons from The Dalles Wahtonka

High School.

Ally is an athletic sophomore from The Dalles. She’s been playing soccer since fifth grade,

she loves to run and do yoga, and her favorite sport to watch is baseball. She loves music and she

plays the guitar and piano. She’s really interested in photography, too! Ally is currently

serving her fourth year on ASB, and is excited about this upcoming opportunity. She

can’t wait to represent our central region, and if you have any questions or want to be

featured in an article you can get a hold of her at AllyG1998@gmail.com. Thank you

OASC for an amazing year and remember it’s not goodbye, it’s see you later!

More New SEC Board Members . . .

Nathan Geissel

2013-14 Southern Representative

Grants Pass HS, Grants Pass

Ally Gibbons

2013-14 Central Representative

The Dalles Wahtonka HS, The Dalles

Lizzi Cox

2013-14 Eastern Representative

Echo Sr HS, Echo

OASC Hands-On Leadership

December 2013/January 2014

Page 10

.From Maria Martinez, Your Past Mid-Level

Representative: Being OASC mid-level has been an experience that I will never forget. I have

become a better leader because of this position, and

being involved with OASC. I am sad that my term is

over, but I am leaving an amazing person in my place, and

his is name is Zeke Medley. Zeke has been involved with

OASC since he was in 6th grade. Some of his hobbies are

basketball, cross country, wrestling, building

things, and exercising. He wanted to be mid

-level representative for experience with plan-

ning big events and representing people. At

fall conference, Zeke was always there willing

to help with anything you asked and was al-

ways so nice. I know that Zeke will be

an excellent mid-level represen-

tative.

From Kennedy Beck, Your Past Mid-Level

Representative: I'm sorry to say this, but this is my last letter. I had a really fun year and I loved my

student executive board. But don't you worry

because I'm leaving you in good hands. Replacing

me as your rep is Corina Romero. Corina is from Brown

Middle School. She ran for the position because she likes

helping people and being a part of something bigger. She

does soccer and cheer, and is very involved in

her school. Some of the activities she enjoys

are math, science, and engineering club. One

of the important people in her life is her step

dad, Rich Johnson. He pushes her to be better

person and he believes in her. Corina has

been in leadership for 2 years and

has been a communication officer for

1 year. Good luck, Corina, on your

new adventure!

And More New SEC Board Members . . .

Your New Northwest Representative: OASC welcomes Joe Stuart from McMinnville High School to the SEC Board.

Along with a passion for leadership, Joe enjoys being the

sports anchor for his school news broadcast

with Evergreen Aviation (MHS SOUR). With

his dedication and commitment, he is looking

forward to an outstanding year. If you need

to contact him for your upcoming events, his

email is jstuart1717@gmail.com.

He'll be happy to be at your

service.

Zeke Medley

2013-14 Mid-Level Representative

South MS, Grants Pass

Joe Stuart

2013-14 Northwest Representative

McMinnville HS, McMinnville

Your New Midwest

Representative: OASC

welcomes Amanda Kelley

from South Albany High

School to the SEC Board.

Being her school’s

sophomore class

president, an

IGNITE mentor,

and a volleyball

player fill her time when she isn’t busy with

leadership activities. Leadership has al-

ways been a huge part of her life, and she is

excited for this new experience. If you need

to contact her for your upcoming events, her

email is akelley240@gmail.com. Midwest,

let her know what you need!

Amanda Kelley

2013-14 Mid-West Representative

South Albany HS, Albany

Corina Romero

2013-14 Mid-Level Representative

Brown MS, Hillsboro

December 2013/January 2014

OASC Hands-On Leadership

Page 11

April, 2014 (continued) April : Last day to update #’s for Spring Conference (email Sara)

April 26: SEC Retreat & OASC Board Meeting (Holiday Inn –

Portland Airport)

April 27-28: OASC MS/HS Spring Conference (Holiday Inn –

Portland Airport)

June, 2014 June 9: Last day to register for camp at the early-bird price and if

you have already registered at least 1/2 of your registration

fees are due today or your registration will be cancelled!

June 24-30: Oregon’s trip to NASC

June 27-29: NASC Conference, Orlando, FL

July, 2014 July 1: Last Day to register for camp (based on availability)

July 1: Final payments for camp are DUE

July 13-18: Session 1 H.S. Summer Leadership Camp (Staff

Arrive 11/12th)

July 20-25: Session 2 H.S. Summer Leadership Camp (Staff

Arrive 18/19th)

July 20-23: Session 3 M.S. Summer Leadership Camp (Staff

Arrive 18th)

July 20-23: Advisor Leadership Institute

January, 2014 Jan. 10: Camp Staff Applications DUE Before of on Jan. 23: Winter Energizer Early-Bird Registration Jan. 25: SEC Retreat at Sara’s house

Jan. 26: OASC Executive Board Meeting (Portland Metro area)

February, 2014 Beg. Of Feb.: Camp Staff notifications Feb.9: Winter Energizer Last Day to Register! Feb. 15-17: Winter Energizer at Valley Catholic HS

Feb. 20: COSA Scholarship Applications DUE

March, 2014 Beg. of March: Camp Scholarship Applications become available March 5-8: CADA Conference for Advisors in Reno, NV March 15: Camp Staff Retreat March 21: Community Leader of the Year DUE March 21: Advisor of the Year DUE March 25: Community Fundraiser for Camp Scholarships at

Oregon Public House

April, 2014 April 9: Student Council Program Recognition DUE April : Early Bird Deadline for Spring Conference Pricing . . .it may

sell out sooner! April : OASC Camp Scholarship Application Round 1 DUE April : Late Spring Conference pricing Begins

If you would like to learn more about any of the events listed above, please visit http://oasc.org/?page_id=65

for links to more information. You can also contact Sara Nilles, OASC Program Director . . .

707 13th Street SE, Suite 100 | Salem, OR 97301-4035 | 503-480-7206 voice | 503-581-9840 fax | email: sara@oasc.org

“Individual commitment to a group effort—that is what makes a team work,

a company work, a society work, a civilization work.”

~Vince Lombardi

OASC 2014

OASC Hands-On Leadership

December 2013/January 2014

Page 12

Check it out . . . Looking for a great motivational speaker?

Looking for someone to pump up spirit at your school? Need an

expert to bring your group together? Each month, we’ll focus on a great

speaker . . . We’re working to help you find the perfect fit for you and your school!

Read on!

“Contrary to popular belief, there most certainly is an ‘I’ in ‘team.’

It is the same ‘I’ that appears three times in ‘responsibility.’”

~Amber Harding

At age 20, Tiana Tozer’s life took a dramatic turn when an

intoxicated driver ran a stop sign and hit the car in which she was

riding. She spent more than month in ICU and to date has had 35

surgeries; it took her four years to learn to walk again. Tiana went

on to compete in the Paralympics where she helped the U.S.A

Women’s Wheelchair Basketball Team bring home the silver from

Barcelona and the bronze from Atlanta. After fourteen years as a public relations specialist in corporate America,

she finally achieved her life-long dream of working internationally when she traveled to Iraq to run a program for

people with disabilities.

Since saving the world didn’t work out, she was extracted from the civil war in Sudan in June 2011, and she

is now back in the states making her living as public speaker. She encourages people to live their best lives being

true to who they are and what they value. She believes that laughter is necessary when things are at their worst

and that with hard work, tenacity and the right attitude anything is possible. In 2010, she was named University of

Oregon’s Outstanding Young Alumni and in 2012 she was honored by the University of Illinois with the Harold

Scharper Humanitarian Award for her service to others. She makes her home in Portland, Oregon where she is

currently working on getting her memoir published.

Tiana captivates her audience through her story of recovery, victories, and setbacks. Through the story of

her journey from junior high “C” team to Paralympic medalist, she shares the lessons she learned along the way

to make good choices and why they were important as well as role plays the power of those choices. Tiana shares

her best and most embarrassing moments, humorous stories about playing in the men’s division, the heartbreak

of losing the gold medal, and most importantly, how what you learn as an athlete both through winning and losing

can be translated into winning in life.

To meet Tiana IN PERSON, sign up to attend OASC’s Winter Energizer Feb. 15-17!

Learn more about Tiana at tianatozer.com.

December 2013/January 2014

OASC Hands-On Leadership

Page 13

Want to put together a community service project but not sure where to start. Interested

in learning about something you haven’t tried before? Check this one out!

“The task of the leaders is two-fold: to push us toward the rapids and away from the rocks.”

~Ron Cole

Transforming Communalities by

Empowering Youth

Red Sweater Project collaborates with developing

communities to create affordable, accessible and

advanced educational opportunities for children in

rural Tanzania.

And its about more than school buildings. This is

about building relationships and people. This is

about refusing to accept the way things are, and

creating something better.

It's such a simple gesture: put a child in a red sweater and send them to school. Provide food for each

student every day. Watch them grow. Empower them to question how they, too, can better their family,

their village, their world. It's a ripple effect. It's profound and it's not difficult.

This is also not your traditional aid model. This is about keeping kids out of hospitals and in the class-

room. Red Sweater Project brings together global resources and skills to create sustainable solutions

locally. A community donates their own land, their own resources, and their energy because they know

the status quo has to change. Now.

There are needs to be met immediately, such as food and medicines, and then there are needs that take

time. We're interested in both. And invested in both. By taking a holistic approach to education, our stu-

dents are equipped with reading, writing and arithmetic, as well as confidence, critical thinking, and a

voice of their own. They begin to hope and plan. Now they're in control.

For more information about the Red Sweater Project and what you can do to help, visit

http://www.redsweaterproject.org.

OASC Hands-On Leadership

December 2013/January 2014

Page 14

Tips for Leadership Advisors

Submitted by Heather Ransom, South Middle School

Taken from Forbes, http://www.forbes.com/sites/

dailymuse/2011/12/30/6-ways-to-actually-keep-your-new-years-

resolution/

With the new year approaching, I've begun to think about my New Year’s Resolutions,

which made me think about last year’s resolutions . . . hmmm . . . what were they? Did I

accomplish everything that I wanted to? Sadly, I can’t say that I did. I had great intentions, so

what happened? In my reading, I came across this article in Forbes on-line. It gives some

great tips a bout how to keep your resolutions this year . . . check it out.

It’s almost the New Year—the time to reflect on your aspirations and set meaningful goals to improve your

health and happiness. Which sounds great, right? But how many of us actually keep our New Year’s resolutions past

January?

Not many, according to a study by author and psychologist Richard Wiseman. His research found that 52%

of resolution-makers were confident that they’d achieve their goals, yet only 12% succeeded. What was the secret?

Those who took meaningful steps to achieve their resolutions—setting step-by-step goals or telling their friends and

family, for example—were far more likely to achieve their desires than those who made no specific commitments.

So if you really want to see results this year, it’s critical that you set your goals with sincerity, and set

yourself up for success. Read on for six practical tools for making realistic, attainable resolutions—and actually

sticking with them.

1. Get Specific

A common mistake people make is setting big, nebulous goals like, “I’ll be healthier.” Instead, make your

resolution specific, with a tangible, achievable outcome. Rather than saying, “I want to save money,” determine how

much, exactly, you want to save. What are you saving it for, and what will you do once you hit your goal?

Then, visualize what good will come when your goals and desires are met. What does it feel like? What does

it look like? It also helps to have something simple, tangible, and positive to repeat to yourself over and over again.

“I will be able to run a 5K because I’m healthy and strong,” is not only positive reinforcement, but it’s a quantifiable

goal that you can check in on and make your reality.

2. Write it Down

Write down your goals and outline the small, manageable steps you’ll need to take in order to achieve them.

If you set a big goal—say, learning a language—without a step-by-step plan, it can be overwhelming and trigger

frustration or negative thoughts that get in the way of your success. But by planning and accomplishing one small

thing at a time, you’ll stay on track, focused, and positive.

Continued on page 15

6 Ways to Actually Keep Your New Year's Resolution

“In a way, leadership is as delicate as Mozart’s melodies. The music exists and it doesn’t. It is written on the page, but it

means nothing until performed and heard. Much of it depends on the performer and the listener. The best leaders, like the

best music, inspire us to see new possibilities.”

~Max De Pree

December 2013/January 2014

OASC Hands-On Leadership

Page 15

“Excellence is to do a common thing in an uncommon way.”

~Booker T. Washington

3. Make Time

Be sure to set aside ample time for yourself to achieve your goals. If you really want to write that book

chapter, you might set aside three regular four-hour blocks during the week, and plan one day every month to

track your progress. If you want to exercise more, plot out time in your weekly schedule for runs and time at the

gym.

4. Move Past Doubt

Keep tabs on how often you “unset” your goals with your thoughts. Pay attention to self-sabotaging mind

chatter, like: “I’m not good enough” or “I can’t do it.” Every thought you have is an intention. It’s normal to feel

fear, doubt, or worry—but to make progress, it’s important to move past those negative feelings.

If you find negative thoughts surfacing, don’t criticize yourself, but stay in control. If your thoughts don’t support

you or your goals, let them go—they’re not doing you any good. Replace them with your positive mantra, instead.

5. Get a Partner

Having a group, partner, friend, or professional to encourage you can be a great way to keep you going.

Try finding a friend who has a similar resolution, and check in with each other every week to talk about your

mprogress and challenges. Or, ask a family member or significant other to keep you accountable—just make sure

they’re supportive and positive.

You can also seek professional help, whether that’s a personal trainer to help you meet your fitness goals

or a counselor who can help you tackle larger, looming issues such as low self-confidence or a lack of direction. If

you are dealing with issues of self-doubt, these can seriously get in the way of you meeting your other goals—so

do yourself a favor, and address such issues head on.

6. Be Still

You’re more likely to slip on your goals when you’re stressed or overwhelmed, so spend time every day

to getting out of your thoughts and reconnecting with yourself. Try a breathing exercise, meditation, yoga, or just

going for a walk. The more practice you have being still and calm, the more present you’ll be for each step of

achieving your goals.

Setting and reaching goals isn’t about willpower, it’s about the power of your intention. Once you’ve

mastered these few steps, you’ll be well-equipped to follow through on your resolutions—this time, for good.

Continued from page 14, “6 Ways to Actually Keep Your New Year's Resolution,” from Forbes on-line

Page 16 Hands-On Leadership Page 16

Source: Submitted by Amo Estrada, Board Member/Advisor at Echo Jr./Sr. HS, Lesson by Steve Aspleaf; Leadership Lessons: Lessons To Lead By,1998 NASCP.

Lesson Plans for Leaders on the Go . . . Busy, but you'd like to try something new? Check out this month’s featured leadership lesson plan.

Excuses, Excuses, Excuses Curriculum Unit: Group Process

Objective: To have students understand that making

excuses is a negative inhibitor to group and individual

effectiveness.

Materials: None needed

Time Required: 15 Minutes

Procedure

1. Ask the group members to sit in a circle. Designate one person to be the starter.

2. Give the first person a sentence. He/She must repeat the sentence out loud and add a “because”

to the end to complete the sentence.

3. He/She then points to another group member. That person must repeat the first person’s

“because…” statement and then makes up one of his/her own. Then that person points to a

third person, and so on.

(Example: You say, “The fish died, “and you point to a Jon. Jon says, “The fish died because he

ate too much,” and points to Sally. Sally says, “He ate too much because Bart put too much fish

food in the tank.” And so on.)

4. Be ready to assist the group if it needs a new statement because group members are stuck.

Processing

* Why do you think we did this activity?

* How could you have changed the message?

* Did you ever feel on the spot when someone pointed at you? What did you do when you weren’t

ready?

* When have you made excuses? Why?

* Does this ever sound like your school club offering excuses? How about excuses in class?

* What can be done to avoid making excuses?

OASC Hands-On Leadership

“A leader has the vision and conviction that a dream can be achieved. He inspires the power and energy to get it done.”

~Ralph Nader

December 2013/January 2014