NOTE FROM THE EDITOR: More than 30 area students attended the April 23 Youth Leadership Conference organized by United for a Good Cause Inc. It was a great success and we congratulate each and every one of the students that participated, the speakers who gave of their time, the sponsors, and the volunteers. Congratulations also to the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Emerald Coast, who partnered with the organization and did an outstanding job! In my humble opinion, so long as there are kids like Jayly and the others that participated, our nation will continue to thrive! See more conference pictures at: www.unitedforagoodcause.org
Inspiration from the 2016 Youth Leadership Conference
By Jayly Jackson
Hello, my name is Jayly Jackson, and I will share with you the knowledge and wisdom I gained through the Youth Leadership Conference. . I live in Laurel Hill, Florida, an hour north of Fort-Walton Beach where the Conference was held. All of the Conference speakers spoke well, but I will describe the ones who left lasting impressions on me.
My goal in life is to become a great leader, so I am always looking for opportunities to strengthen my leadership skills.
When I arrived at the Boys and Girls Club where the conference was being held, I was a little nervous, I knew no one there. Our first speaker: Gary Westfal made me feel welcome by introducing himself and showing me where to sit. As Mr. Wesfal spoke, I kept reflecting on his courteousness, they say first impressions leave a lasting impression, the weight of Mr. Westfal’s words sunk in because of his impression. Being extraordinary instead of ordinary is what Mr. Westfal wanted to help us balance.
When we strive to be extraordinary in our daily lives, our choices will define us more positively. A positive world view is just as important as having good body posture as our next speaker, Ms. Colleen Riddle explained. Ms. Riddle helped us understand how our bodies reflect our moods. A positive mindset will show in the way we walk, sit, and talk. If we practice saying positive things to ourselves, we will be able to master the nuances of body language.
Mr. Kirk Hendricks talked about the difference between our abilities, and capabilities. All of us have the ability to do something, but we are capable of adding more abilities to our tool belts. The more we tell ourselves we can’t do something, the weaker we’ll be, but if we counter that negative thought process with positivity, we can break any barriers down! Mr. Gary Loster, built upon that strong foundation with the phrase: “Dare to be great, dare to be different.
One of Mr. Loster’s most memorable sayings was, “Why are you flying with turkeys when you could be flying with eagles?” The choices I make now will affect my life for good, or for bad, I will soar high if I make good choices in this life. But sometimes the choices we make, whether good or bad require sacrifice, Captain Nathan Nelson helped me to understand that. Before he spoke, I had the privilege to meet him and thank him for his service.
Mr. Nathan could have given up on God because of his paralysis, but his faith is what carries him on today.
My life can be successful, but empty without God. Applying the life skills I learned about at this Conference with a strong faith in God will ensure my true success in life. Every day I wake, I am nothing without my God, forgetting that is folly. As long as I trust God, He will keep guiding me on my path to Leadership.
