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More than 150 student leaders from eight Santa Barbara-area high schools were nominated to participate in this year’s two-day Global Leadership Connection conference, co-sponsored by UCSB, SBCC and Westmont College.
Following submission of an application including a list of his or her accomplishments and involvements and a written essay, each student was interviewed by members of the Santa Barbara Area Leadership Team, chaired by Kim Busch, and volunteer leaders in the Santa Barbara community.
Members of the leadership team include Andy Busch, Alexandra Harder, Judith Crowell, Dennis and Paula Patrick, Patty Vignolo, Lee and Lori Mikles, Maria Fazio, Stacy and Ron Pulice, Marie Sexton, Lindsay McTavish, Walden Bohnet, Michelle Hughes, Claire and Hector Mon, Naoko and Ed Gamble, Patricia Aijian, and Greg and Denise Schipper.
The GLC program honors outstanding high school juniors who maintain a high scholastic average and have demonstrated leadership ability in their school, community and spiritual organizations. All participants received on-stage recognition and a GLC certificate.
Carole Harder, founder and executive director of the nonprofit organization, hosts programs in partnership with local colleges and universities in the Santa Barbara, Los Angeles and San Diego areas. The GLC mission is to further global education and leadership for today’s youth, and to stimulate talented young people and encourage them to develop and meet tomorrow’s demands.
Harder is an inspirational and engaging speaker with a meaningful message: “Listen to learn. You are what you think. Be yourself. Leadership is a choice. Choose. Choose. Choose to be positive.”
The group met fellow students from different area schools, different backgrounds, different ethnicities, different goals and different opinions. They engaged in discussions about the Wheel of Life and where they thought they fit in this wheel. They pondered over a Self-Dimension Grid to rate whether they were living a well-balanced life. Seemingly silly games were played that helped break the ice and allowed them to form new friendships and see old friends in a new light.
Again and again, Harder drummed home the mantra: “You are our nation’s greatest resources, you are our nation’s greatest resources … never forget this.”
The culmination of the GLC conference was last Sunday at Westmont College. Greeting the 150 students were Andy Busch, speaking on behalf of his wife, Kim, who was fighting the flu, and Lee Mikles, who inspired each and every student leader with his gripping personal story of overcoming adversity and recognizing not only your strengths but your weaknesses and learning to give back.
With a standing-room-only crowd, 14 students at the Page Hall Awards Program were awarded a $100 Ambassador Scholarship. These students and their respective schools were Claire Benhayon of Bishop Garcia Diego; Quentin Montoya, Pravneet Nagra and Krizza Joyce Perez of Cabrillo; Franziska Barthel, Jenny Jang and Jack Burns of Dos Pueblos; Pierce O’Donnell of Laguna Blanca; Jesse Shepherd of Lompoc; Summer Bosse and Tyson Miller of San Marcos; Lily McIntyre and Ben Clay of Santa Barbara; and Tanner Shean of Santa Ynez Valley.
The Leaders in Excellence, Busch Family and Patrick Family $500 Scholarship awards went to Emma Newton of Santa Ynez Valley High School and Tyler Greenwald of Santa Barbara High School. The two top awards went to Ali Mikles of Bishop Garcia Diego High School, who received the Santa Barbara Female Youth Leader of the Year, Jamie Harder $1,000 Scholarship, and to Scott Voulgaris of San Marcos High School, who received the Santa Barbara Male Youth Leader of the Year, Busch Family $1,000 Scholarship. All four winners, in addition to Nick Busch of Santa Barbara High School, will receive an all expenses-paid trip to the GLC Leadership Experience in Washington, D.C., Nov. 6-10, joining with other GLC students from across the country.
Click here for more information about the Global Leadership Connection.
— Noozhawk contributing writer Judy Crowell is an author, freelance travel writer and Santa Barbara resident. She can be reached at news@noozhawk.com.