Members of the Revere High School Student Council attended the Ohio Student Council State Conference in order to improve their leadership skills.

From April 27 through April 30, ten Revere students traveled to Mansfield, Ohio, for 2016’s Student Council state conference. Revere High School guidance counselor and Student Council adviser Jenny Kirchner explained the purpose of the annual Student Council conference.

“The main purpose of the conference is [for students] to attend leadership workshops, to collaborate with other student council organizations throughout the state, and there are also about seven different events throughout the year. We sent twenty-six students to a week-long camp last summer for leadership, and eventually, if you attend enough camps, then you become a delegate who actually offers the workshop, meaning you present the leadership information at the workshop. Our students will be presenting workshops, and some will be receiving awards,” Kirchner said.

Kirchner also talked about what events were held during the course of the conference.

“As a unit, the student council received an award for all the different things that we do. There was a big group session at the beginning, and then Saturday, different leadership workshops took place, and then Saturday night was a big dinner and a dance. The kids have fun together, and all the advisers collaborate, so we got a better idea of what we can do as a student council for the next year,” Kirchner said.

Student Council President Caroline Edwards elaborated on what she hoped to gain from attending this year’s conference.

“(Ohio Association of Student Councils) OASC runs leadership workshops and events throughout the school year. This State Conference is the cumulation of these events. Each council that attends brings a kind of scrap book record of everything they accomplished over the school year, and these Honor Books are shared and evaluated at the conference. Aside from this final wrap-up for the year, the conference focuses on leadership and making new connections just as all OASC events do. I hope to meet new people and to connect with friends I made in an OASC workshop over the summer, and have fun sharing stories and experiences with people from other schools. I want to learn more about myself as a leader and continue to improve my leadership skills. I also want to take new ideas back to our Student Council here in the hopes of bettering our events and processes. Lastly, I want to enjoy this finalization of my high school Student Council experience,” Edwards said.

Edwards also shared her favorite aspect of the different student council events that she has attended throughout her high school career.

“The best part to me about OASC events is the whirlwind of thoughts, experiences and people that happens in such a short time. I come home from them with a fresh perspective and confidence, as well as many great memories,” Edwards said.

Sophomore Student Council member Amanda Marchetta also described the purpose of the conference, as well as what she hoped to gain from attending the conference.

“[The conference] is partially a business meeting for all the heads of the student councils from across the state, but then it is also a leadership workshop for the students in attendance. I am attending the conference because I know it will be fun and I hope it makes me a better leader and a better communicator,” Marchetta said.

Marchetta talked about where the attendees stayed for the duration of the conference.

“We are staying in what are called host homes in Mansfield, and they are splitting up everyone from Revere, so we are all going to be staying with at least one other person from a different school,” Marchetta said.

The students attending hope to develop and foster new relationships with student council members from outside Revere, as well as improve their leadership, communication and project management skills at the conference in Mansfield.