LEADERSHIP IN ACTION
Written by: Rebecca Scherer *

If you ever attended summer camp as a child, you probably remember the instant connections of friendship that are made in minutes - and that last for a lifetime. With this memory in mind, put yourself in the shoes of eighty 20-something college students from around the country who are all passionate about health, fitness, and physical education - the perfect combination of a common interest and youth revisited. Mix this with inspired mentors, and you get the 2009 AAHPERD Undergraduate Student Leadership Conference at Camp Letts, Maryland.

Joining with other future physical and health educators was an incredible experience. Having the opportunity to discuss our chosen professions with input from students living in all different parts of our country was unbelievable. Getting feedback based on a variety of different philosophies has expanded my own, and has even allowed me to share my experience with my professors at Central Washington University.

The purpose of this weekend was to create strength through partnership - the slogan for AAHPERD. Not only was this goal met, but also it has created a united front for what we as young professionals want to strive for in order for our profession to flourish and grow, nationwide.

Although I had an amazing time and met new amazing people, there was more to this experience than that. A huge amount of planning and preparation went into creating an experience that was both enjoyable and strengthened our leadership and professional skills. Our mentors led the way by creating valuable workshops to help us grow as professionals and leaders in our field. These workshops included, but were not limited to: 1st class major clubs, answering the call to lead, putting your professional foot forward, dealing with conflict, career building, multiculturalism and diversity, speed interviewing, and a wide variety of round table discussions that allowed us to both voice opinions and seek answers from knowledgeable sources. These sessions made me look at our profession in a whole new light and increased my excitement about the goals we are all working towards.

Aside from these awesome presentations and learning experiences, the planning committee left scheduled times for ‘networking.’ This was where I met Fran Cleland, a professor at West Chester University, former NASPE President, and my new hero in physical education. This woman has the zeal for life and for her profession like nobody I have ever met before. In addition to this initial observation, she was a delightful woman from whom to seek advice, and she offered a tremendous amount of insight. In addition to Fran, the other mentors at camp were truly exceptional people. I have never felt so encouraged in my whole life than in the three days I spent at camp asking questions and getting answers.

Although I have painted a child-like picture of summer camp, this was truly an experience in leadership. Each activity, session, discussion, and conversation had something valuable to offer that I could take with me into my career as an educator and share with my more localized colleagues. The most important thing I want to take away from this experience is a quote from former AAHPERD President Monica Mize’s presentation on answering the call to lead. She said, “Leadership is not just for the people on top. Everyone can learn to lead by discovering the power that lies within each one of us to make a difference and be prepared when the time to lead comes.” With this quote in my mind and this experience as a stepping-stone, I feel better equipped and confident to be a leader.

* (Rebecca Scherer is a senior majoring in physical education at Central Washington University. She was also the recipient of the Student Major of the Year at the 2009 WAHPERD conference. Rebecca is an active coach and fitness advocate. She looks forward to beginning her teaching career and making a difference in the lives of children and the community.)

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