North Dakota Leadership Seminar

by Alexis Brinkman, Staff Assistant

Earlier this month, one of my favorite events of the year, the North Dakota Leadership Seminar (NDLS), took place at the University of Mary in Bismarck.  Over 100 high school sophomores attended the three-day program put on by more than 80 volunteers and staff. 

Every high school in the state is eligible to select a student to attend the seminar free of charge.  Although this is a leadership seminar, NDLS is not necessarily looking for the most studious or brightest, but for the student in each school with the potential to grow as an individual.

Unfortunately, when some think of the word seminar, they might imagine sitting in chairs all day with little to no interaction.  I assure you, that is not the case at all!  NDLS exposes students to ideas on leadership, community involvement and volunteerism through interactive sessions with business and community leaders from across the state.  It is a motivating and high-energy experience. NDLS focuses on different topics in hopes of grabbing the interest of many individuals.  Some of the activities this past year included a mock legislative session, raft races (students constructed their own rafts as a team) and the completion of a volunteer project. 

Each year, the NDLS weekend brings out a whole new level of confidence in the students.  For many, this experience continues far beyond the weekend.  NDLS is a place where everyone is accepted for who they are, not for their academic or athletic talents.  Everyone who walks through the door is treated as equals, and their opinions are valued.  It’s amazing to watch the most shy and tentative students grow into young adults excited about who they are and what they have to offer! 

I’ve been participating in the program since I attended as a sophomore “student leader” in 2003, and it’s safe to say it has been one of the most life changing experiences I’ve ever had!  I now volunteer as a staff member during the seminar and serve on the NDLS State Board as the Director of Volunteerism.  One of my favorite parts of NDLS is the emphasis on service; the students are challenged to complete 100 hours of volunteer service in the following year.  We encourage the students to log all of the volunteer hours they complete on the NDLS website, www.ndleadership.org.  As Director of Volunteerism, I get to watch the volunteer hours roll in.  It’s incredibly exciting to see the multitude of ways these students are serving their communities.  In the year between the 2009 and 2010 seminars, alumni of the program donated more than 5,300 hours of community service!

Some of North Dakota’s most promising young people are NDLS alumni, including current Secretary of State candidate Corey Mock and District 23 Representative Ben Vig.  If you’d like to learn more about NDLS or how a student you know can attend next year’s seminar, please visit www.ndleadership.orgor contact your high school counselor.

Comments

[Bobbi Jo "Most Enthusastic!"]

YEAH! first one to comment! Alexis u did an amazing/ OUTSTANDING job on this it's really hard to put in words what NDLS because its so much more than the boring title North Dakota Leadership Seminar but you really did do an amazing job!! :-) Can't wait to see you and everyone else sooN!