Four Housatonic students attend leadership conference in Colorado

FALLS VILLAGE — Four students from Housatonic Valley Regional High School, with Principal Gretchen Foster, attended a student leadership conference in Denver and Boulder, Colo., last month.

Rising seniors Lynzie Adams and Bianca Ianucci and juniors Samantha McKenzie and Hunter Nelson were among 1,500 high school students at the conference. From the state of Connecticut, the only representatives were the four students from Housatonic and three students from one other high school.

And it appears they had a good time.

A productive time, too. Lynzie said she found a workshop on school spirit  especially useful.

To get reluctant students to participate in school spirit activities, she said, “make it a competition.�

Such as?

“The different classes trying to yell the loudest, stuff like that. If it’s a competition, everyone will do it.�

Bianca came away with some ideas for fundraising. “You get T-shirts with something weird on them so people have to ask what the shirt means.

“Or we could have ‘Say hi to a freshman’ day, or ‘High-five a sophomore.’

“They’re icebreakers,� she continued. “It makes things awkward. Kids will say something just to end the silence.�

Samantha liked an idea she heard, “a comedic thing called “The Royal Flush,� with jokes and information that is left in the bathrooms.

“Kids will pick it up, look at it and say, ‘Oh, it’s by the Student Council.’�

The biggest obstacle for the student leaders is overcoming the Uncool Factor.

“Is there anything worse than being uncool?� they were asked.

The answer: No.

“We’re going to have to make a name for ouselves,� said Lynzie.

“If you stick out in the crowd people will follow,� added Samantha.

Hunter could not make the interview, but emailed The Journal:

“I came back ready to take it all on. I came back very energized and ready to expand my leadership skills.�

The girls also had time to go on a whitewater rafting adventure — with Dr. Foster — to celebrate her birthday.

They refused to divulge which birthday.

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