Manitou Springs student leaders planning for a great school year
The start of the 2021-22 school year is right around the corner. In order to get the year off to a great start, student leadership groups from schools across the state are already hard at work creating activities and events for their students.
On Aug. 1, I had the opportunity to join student leaders from Manitou Springs High School as they began planning. The great thing about this planning activity is that it took place in person. MSHS student leaders gathered at their school, boarded a bus and headed to La Foret Conference and Retreat Center. This beautiful conference center is located just north of Colorado Springs in the heart of Black Forest.
The adviser for the group, and current CHSAA Student Leadership Advisory Committee Chair, Alice Stoneback, was kind enough to allow me to join the group for the afternoon as they unpacked and began to participate in some icebreaker activities. While the group unpacked, Alice and I talked about how good it felt to bring two thirds of her council to an in-person event. With the students cooking meals together, sharing in the growth experience, and just looking forward to spending time together, this was going to be a growth experience- especially for the younger council members.
- Abigail Parker- Student Body President
- Gideon Aigner- Student Body VP
- Ayla Fleet- Student Body Secretary
- Madrid Mack- Student Body Treasurer
- Aiden Cote- Student Body Trustee
Talking with the student leaders of this group gave me some insight into why this was such an important trip. Here is a bit of my conversation with the officers:
How does it feel to be together, at La Foret, with your fellow student leaders?
“Jubilant!”
“We are starting the year strong.”
“We can genuinely hang out with 30 people.”
What would constitute a successful retreat?
“Building relationships. That will allow us to be more open to share ideas.”
“Building trust and connections.”
“Knowing each other better, so that we can bring the hype to our student body!”
Tell me a bit about your thoughts as you head back to plan activities and events.
“Seniors will be teaching new staff and students about the school culture.”
“We are nervous about trying to capture what our culture really is.”
“It has to be super special because we haven’t done anything. Even juniors haven’t had a full year on campus.”
How is your adviser helping you to get back into the groove of in-person planning?
“When she is here, she is not the adviser, she makes it about being one of us.”
”’Stoney’ [Stoneback’s unofficial title] allows for others to see what belonging is by participating with us.”
Shout out to the MSHS student leaders and Alice Stoneback for the invitation to attend their event. We wish this group, and to all of our Student Leadership groups, the very best as they plan for a year of campus activities and events. If your group would like to share what you are doing, send me an email (rdavis@chsaa.org).
