My Key Leader Experience

by Kidest (Maryland)

I was lucky enough that my Kiwanis Club sponsored me to attend Key Leader and I was able to

attend without any difficulties. To be honest, I was nervous about going to Key Leader. I told myself that a bunch of my friends from Key Club would be coming with me, and

that I had no reason to worry. However, I couldn't help but wonder who I would meet and whether I could talk and bond with them as well as I could with my regular friends. The sudden wave of anxiety disappeared as soon as I met my student facilitator when signing in. Everyone was extremely friendly. Jane Erickson, our speaker and adult facilitator for the event, was absolutely phenomenal. From her witty anecdotes to her insightful advice and motivational speaking, it was the first time I sat glued to my seat for hours just listening to one person. I could always relate to what she was saying and I felt as though she understood me better than I did myself! The food was incredible. The lodging was nice and cozy too. Arlington Echo itself was simply breathtaking. To be honest, I'm not a camper, nor do I intend to camp frequently in the future. However, the scenery was simply beautiful. Who knew getting lost in the woods during free time could be so invigorating? Everyone would just sit in front of the lake playing cards, or spend most of their free time walking through the forest, catching up with friends. But most importantly, I learned, so, so much that weekend. The leadership activities were always very interactive and enjoyable, and what I gained from participating could be easily applied to real life scenarios. We even explored complex situations where we had to analyze our decision-making strategies and learn to stand up and adhere to our morals. Hypothetically, would you let your significant other turn in a plagiarized assignment? What if you found out they received a higher grade than you? Although we were all completely exhausted by the end of the weekend, I could tell we all had fun and made unforgettable memories. We spent a good amount of time writing Key Leader grams to all the people we met; little notes that conveyed so much emotion,whether gratitude, happiness, or appreciation. Key Leader was one of the best experiences of my life.

Thank you to all of the Kiwanis Clubs that sponsored students to attend one of our two 2011 Key Leader weekends in the Capital District! 2012 dates will be announced soon. For more Key Leader information or to join the Key Leader District Committee and help promote this incredible opportunity to more students and Kiwanis Clubs, please contact Key Leader District Chair Nicole McDermott at CapitalKeyLeader@gmail.com or 703.829.5481. Search Capital District Key Leader on Facebook and like it! Visit www.youtube.com/CapitalKeyLeader and watch testimonials from local students about the quality of this program.