Today’s program was presented by Hsiao Chen in conjunction with the Teen Leadership Camp participants from the Arcadia Rotary Club. There were 5 participants: Kyle, Kelly, Jeremiah, Merjan and Rachel.

TLC gives 7th and 8th graders a chance to learn about Leadership and Teamwork.  The students are divided into Regions and given animal characteristics to help break the ice. Each student experiences different emotions and challenges. The students described initial feelings of stress, fear of being surrounded by other top students, lack of needed social skills and more, however, all of them further described meeting others as exciting, eye opening and life changing.

The activities were designed to encourage teamwork, leadership and included Ball Pass, Tag, team building and more. Arcadia Rotarian’s asked the students what the most important lesson they learned was, and some of the responses were:

• I have more potential than I thought
• Did not know I could make friends that easily
• You can make friends fast if your open to others
• Leadership means including everyone
• Leadership is social and not all about me
• Do the things you want to do

And my favorite lesson from one student that “A lifelong friend is only a Hello away”. Our Rotary thank you to Hsiao Chen and Kathy Ellison for guiding and encouraging these students to participate.