Directors of Activities

I'm speaking at CADA this week, California Association of Directors of Activities (www.cada1.org). CADA is the largest organization of its kind, a network of people who oversee student government, leadership trianing, and the like.  In one of my workshops, I talked about how to identify students with leadership aptitude, since approx. 50% of student governments consist of students who are popular, but not leaders.

One thing I said was, "It's not about programs or events, it's about developing young leaders."  A man came up to me afterward and said, "I've been trying to say that to my peers for 25 years, it's about developing the student."  A lot of school activities directors focus on the planning of homecoming, yearbook, and whatever other events they're charged to "do," but they often overlook what's best for the student.  I love LeadWell training curriculum for teens, because it unleashes them to "do" by helping them develop leadership skills.