- Community Service - Ethics - Participation - Academics - Experience - Logs - Responsibility -

- Internships - Agent of Change - Tech Challenge - Women’s Conference - Potluck - Smith Center -

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LEADER MAGAZINE2009 Fall/Winter

Putting together this magazine has taken a lot of hard work and perseverance. We couldn’t have done it without the help and contributions of others. We would especially like to thank Ms. Bolling and Ms. Priest for their guidance throughout these past few months. We would like to give a special thanks to Ms. Kranish for taking the time to help with the editing process of the magazine. Thank you to everyone for making this magazine possible.

About The Leadership Training Institute will provide a rigorous interdisciplinary education emphasizing experiential learning, community service projects, and leadership theory and application.

Leadership Training Institute students will become civic-minded, self reliant, service-driven young adults.

Curricula will be challenging, innovative and inspiring. • Personal development will be nurtured and supported. • Partnerships with school, community, business, and • parents will support academic excellence.

Academics

Catherine Cobblah

Participation

Femi Ige

Service

Alex Klinger

Ethics

Jennifer Vásquez

Note From the Editors

PROGRAM PRINCIPLES

The VISION

The MISSION

The Senior Project ProcessThe Leader Magazine Staff

1010Summer Internships 8

The Leadership ComplexBeverley Yuen

1616

Message from the SGA President

Higher Learningat the AIPC National Summit

Marcy Nadel

Claire Bernstein

1717

1717

Senior Projects 1212Leaders in Extracurriculars

The Freshman Field TripLTI Potluck & Awards Night

1414

18181919

Class Updates 4Ask Alumni

The Latest Polls67

The

LeaderMagazine

ContentsContents

4

2011

2012

My sophomore year has been great. We had the chance to help out our community with the Agent of Change project under Ms. Starita’s guidance. As

part of the class we went on a fi eld trip to the Capitol as a break from all our hard work. We look forward to working on the Women’s Conference in March. My sophomore year has been a big jump compared to my freshman year. It occurred to me early on that such apathetic behavior would not cut it in my sophomore year. Classes proved to be more of a challenge, especially my AP National, State and Local goverment class, which demands a lot of studying time. Because of this year’s

added workload, I was forced to plan ahead with homework assignments, and develop consistent study habits. Though the work can seem a little overwhelming at times, with the right planning, everything can be fi nished without too much trouble. After fi nding my own work fl ow, fi nishing my work wasn’t too much trouble. Overall, this has turned out to be my favorite year in my educational career, with the exception of kindergarten, of course. Nothing beats the play blocks!

~Mathew Locastro

Last year, in middle school, we knew everything that was going on and everyone in the school, but now we are back at the bottom of the pile. This year is vastly diff erent compared to last year—the change from middle school to high school. Changes include free time at lunch, larger workloads, and much more responsibility. One project

that we have done is building an egg protector that would theoretically make it so that if we dropped the egg, it would not crack. We were given tape and a box of 42 bendable straws. A project that I am really looking forward to is the Tech Challenge, a project in which we have to build a robot from scratch. The only materials that we are given are instructions and a box full of parts. After the construction of the robot, we then race them with other teams from diff erent schools. The only reason I have had such a brilliant start to my high school career is because of my wonderful LTI teachers: Mr. Adams (Tech Ed.), Mr. Howard (Honors English), Mr. Connors (Honors US History), and Ms. Ebert (Honors Physics). LTI has helped me grow over the past few months. It is a lot easier for me to talk to people and negotiate in a team environment. It also helped me become comfortable in professional working conditions and clothing. Overall, LTI has made me a better person.

~Koye Ige

Freshmen

Sophomores

Class Updates

5

2009

2010

There have been ups and downs, but for the most part, I can only remember the ups because that is what LTI is all about. Senior year focuses on Senior Projects that we work on during the fi rst semester. Our class has many projects, ranging from the fi rst ever Cavalier Cookbook to Swim 2 Save and the Leader Magazine. Every senior

in LTI spends his or her double period LTI class working hard to make sure that the project is a success. Ms. Bolling, our only LTI teacher, has taken our class under her wing for a few years now. She provides support for every group and encourages us throughout the duration of our projects. Each project that we do not only helps other people, but

also adds to our confi dence that we can change our society. I personally am looking forward to seeing my senior project become a reality. For second semester, every LTI senior is required to do an internship relevant to a career interest. Every internship gives us a taste of both the satisfaction of trying something new and the hard work necessary to succeed. We will be leaving after our four years in LTI with a set of skills that will enable us to identify a need, devise a possible solution and, most importantly, work with all kinds of other people to make our plans into reality.

~Gabriella Nesse

As underclassmen, people always warned us about junior year. They say it’s the toughest year in high school when it comes to the workload and course diffi culty. As 11th grade LTI students,

my peers and I are realizing just how right those people were. With LTI requiring us to take two AP courses (Psychology with Ms. Starita and English Language and Composition with Mrs. Kranish) and many of us taking more AP courses, the fi rst quarter really woke us up to what we have to do this year. We are doing a lot of big projects that help us fulfi ll some of the LTI pillars such as participation and academics. We just completed one of these projects for Mrs. Kranish, researching the use of rhetoric by a presidential candidate in the 2008 election. Our current project is writing a children’s book. To help us, a local children’s book author, Sallie Lowenstein, was invited to talk to us about her experiences with writing. While the academics are a big part of this year, my class has had no problem making time for regular socialization. Over the past two years, we have had time to develop new friendships, and now that we are upperclassmen we just continue to reinforce them. As is the case every year, most of us are looking forward to retreat at the end of the year for another chance to bond away from the regular school environment. Even though junior year is tough, the thought of becoming seniors will be enough to get us through.

~Sophie DeWaal

Juniors

Seniors

66

When I graduated from Kennedy in 2001, I chose to go to Virginia Tech and major in Architecture. I loved Blacksburg and the Hokie pride that runs through every vein on that campus! When I

got to school, I found LTI had prepared me well. Other than my architecture classes, which nothing could have prepared me for (no reading or writing—just design work, with long hours and no sleep), I found college classes a fairly easy transition from high school. While most of my friends complained that it was more work than they’d ever done before, it honestly didn’t seem that bad to me. All of those group projects and presentations in LTI did help me with the presentation skills required in architecture school. There, our assignments were to spend months designing a building and, at the end of the semester, stand in front of our class and professors and present our design and defend our ideas from the professor’s criticism. After three years in Blacksburg, I transferred to the architecture school’s Old Town Alexandria

campus, where I could work a part-time internship while fi nishing school. After fi nishing my Master’s in Architecture, my internship fi rm, The RKtects Studio, Inc., off ered me a permanent job, and I’ve been there ever since. I am currently working in Bethesda as a project architect, working on mostly residential additions and renovations, with some small commercial projects as well. In 2006, I got married, and shortly thereafter, left Alexandria to buy a house in Rockville, where my husband and I live with our dog and two cats.

~Kate Adams ‘01

After graduating from Kennedy in 2003, I entered the Montgomery Scholars program at Montgomery College. The Scholars program was easy to adjust to because of its similarity

to LTI. The program is heavy on team building exercises, leadership skills, academics, humanities and also camaraderie with our professors. I transferred to Johns Hopkins University where I started Active Minds, a mental health advocacy and awareness group. The skills I learned in LTI were of immense value while running this group, particularly the lessons learned from my senior project. My senior project forced me to be creative with no funds, to raise funds, to organize speaker events, to keep our membership active, and to maintain a high degree of professionalism. I graduated from JHU in 2008 with a Bachelor of Arts in Public Health Studies. Currently, I am working as an ophthalmic technician in Rockville while studying for the MCAT (Medical College Admission Test).

~Laura Vásquez ‘03

I am a 2003 graduate of JFK. When I look back on my high school years, my fondest memories are of my experiences in the LTI program. The endless group projects and presentations might have

seemed overwhelming at the time, but they have truly molded me into the confi dent, determined, and hardworking person I am today. I am so thankful for all the unique learning experiences that I was able to take advantage of as a student in the program. After graduation, I went on to pursue a bachelor’s degree in marketing from the University of Maryland business school. I have since been working in the Online Communications department of the largest animal protection organization in the country, The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS). I specialize in internet marketing and social media and manage all The HSUS’s communications on social networks like MySpace, Facebook, YouTube, Flickr, Change.org, Care2, and many more. When I’m not busy advocating for animals, you can fi nd me playing soccer,

learning to speak Italian, researching MBA programs, and planning a trip to Spain.~Caroline LeFevre ‘03

LTI AlumniWhere are They Now?

7

As a part of the Down County

Consortium (DCC), students have the option

of attending one of fi ve diff erent high schools.

All fi ve high schools are represented in the

Leadership Training Institute Signature

Program.

What is the home school in the Down County Consortium of LTI students?

Do LTI students mind dressing for success?

Which pillar do LTI students think is the most important?9th Grade

31% Participation28% Academics

17% Ethics24% Community Service

10th Grade17% Participation

25% Academics44% Ethics

14% Community Service

11th Grade 26% Participation

28% Academics 33% Ethics

13% Community Service

12th Grade11% Participation

27% Academics51% Ethics

11% Community Service

9th Grade66 % Yes34 % No

10th Grade28 % Yes72 % No

11th Grade53 % Yes47 % No

12th Grade32 % Yes68 % No

PollsCurious about LTI students? Questionnaires were sent to all LTI students.

The most interesting results were tallied.

“I think all pillars are important, but ethics cannot be taught. It is something you develop.”~Julia Cha

“Dressing for success teaches students the appropriate attire for the professional workplace.” ~Jewell Porter

8

I completed an internship at the Entertainment Software Association (ESA). Companies such as Microsoft, Atari, and

MTV Games trust the ESA to lobby for laws that will benefi t their companies. I had two supervisors, who were each in charge of one side of the legislative branch. I watched congressional hearings and wrote memos about them, and summarized Federal Trade Commission reports. My supervisors were too busy to read through lengthy reports and watch the hearings. They read my reports and gave me helpful feedback on my writing.

I also got to go with them to attend hearings with members of Congress. I met a number of Senators and Representatives, including Senator Leahy (D-VT), Representative Slaughter (D-NY) and Senator Cantwell (D-NY). Senator Cantwell off ered me an internship for next summer! The opportunity to work in Washington was a wonderful experience. I not only got to work, but I experienced the wealth of culture that our nation’s capitol has to off er. It was a truly unique experience, and I feel that it has helped me explore the possible careers I am interested in pursing in college.

~Rachel Berlage

For my internship, I worked at Rumors Restaurant in Washington, DC. This was a great experience because I

have great interest in restaurant business management, and by working there I was able to get an insider’s take on the

restaurant business. I did everything from waiting tables and food preparation to learning to how to work the restaurant computers, and I loved it!

~Gabriella Nesse

Over the summer, I interned at Ten Thousand Villages, a non-profi t organization that sells the goods of artisans in the

Developing World. It was my job to greet the customers and inform them about the store. My major project while at Ten Thousand Villages was to start them recycling. I made recycling

bins out of old containers they have there. The internship was a great experience. I learned a lot about myself and also what the working world is like.

~Heather Black

I interned at the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR) in Bethesda, MD. I worked in the Malaria Vaccine Development Division, which consisted of a lot of

laboratory work and assistance. I would be given two or three mini-labs to do for the day, with an hour lunch break. The work varied from collecting mouse bone marrow to staining the marrow with mouse media. I was given a protocol to follow for each procedure, and it was important to keep my work area sanitary and my information classifi ed.

~George Fountain III

SUMMER INTERNSHIPS

9

For my summer internship I worked at the Holy Cross Sports and Orthopedic Physical

Therapy Clinic four times a week for fi ve weeks. There were various types of patients, and over time I learned what each kind needed. If I saw on the schedule that a back patient was coming

in next, I would get his/her heat and stems ready like I would do for a knee or shoulder patient. Stems are little circular electric stickers that activated the dead or weak electrodes of the patient. The stems get hooked up to a machine, which I was also in charge of doing. After, I would follow one of the six therapists that worked at the clinic. They would teach me what they were doing on the patient step by step, as they did whatever was necessary. I loved the environment. The people were all nice and grateful to see me. Many of the patients were elderly and shared their experiences with me. I learned that physical therapy is a lot of hard work. The therapists had to know everything about anatomy and body chemistry, which I realized wasn’t really my area of interest. I am so glad I did this internship. It was an amazing experience, but I learned that physical therapy was not my calling.

~Becky Bitar

I completed my summer internship with Bikes for the World, a local non-profi t organization. The mission of Bikes for the World is to

collect donated bicycles for shipment to developing countries and create volunteer opportunities within the local community. Kids from the community prepare the bikes for shipping. My responsibilities included organizing a large barn full of hundreds of donated bikes, teaching volunteers how to disassemble bikes, and building shelves to hold hundreds of pounds of bike parts. Using materials I found around the property, I designed and constructed shelves that worked

perfectly. I was also in charge of preparing a volunteer appreciation picnic. This internship taught me about people; some volunteer for personal gain and others for the good of the cause. I learned that non-profi t does not mean free. I enjoyed giving my time to the community and learning about bikes and bike parts.

~Alex Klinger

For my summer internship, I worked as a physical therapist aid at Sports & Orthopaedic Therapy Services. This

experience helped me get a better understanding of my interest in physical therapy. After working there for several weeks, I learned that physical therapy was not for me. Any internship experience will benefi t students because they are

able to practice business and professional skills and build their resumes.~Chris Jung

For my summer internship, I worked with Joann Pellegrino, a speech pathologist, at her private practice. I worked

with infants and elementary school-aged kids as her personal assistant and did speech activities with the kids.

~Kristen Codner

10

by the Leader Magazine Staff

THE SENIOR PROJECT PROCESSEvery senior student of the Leadership Training Institute is

required to complete a semester long project dedicated to serving the community, known as a Senior Project. These projects are intended to refi ne seniors’ communication, time managment, confl ict resolution, decision making skills and further develop leadership qualities while preparing them for the “real world.”

In the end of junior year, all prospective LTI seniors schedule an interview with the director of LTI, Ms. Bolling, and another LTI teacher. The meeting is an evaluation of the student as a leader. During the meeting there is a presentation of the student’s portfolio and an evaluation of the student’s adherence to the four pillars. Each student also has a chance to propose his or her ideas for a Senior Project. The meeting is ultimately to determine whether or not the student is eligible to continue in the Leadership Training Institute as a senior based on the student’s grades, community service, compliance, and leadership demonstrated in and outside of school. After all prospective seniors have had their meetings, groups are formed by the LTI staff and projects are assigned.

Work on the Senior Projects could begin as early as the summer before senior year. During the fi rst few days of school, groups get together and brainstorm about every aspect of their projects. All group members contribute and discuss their ideas. Together everyone in the group collaborates to come up with an outline of their mission and a rough timeline for the semester.

1 The Junior/Senior Interview

2 Brainstorm

11

HARD WORK will result in SUCCESS

The Project Fair is held during the Winter Parent Meeting. Representatives from the chosen charities are invited for a photo oportunity to receive large “Publishers

Clearinghouse” style checks. Once the parent meeting has concluded, everyone

moves downstairs to the senior LTI classroom for a gallery walk of the senior projects. Each

group has a table where they display their PowerPoints, group notebook, trifold, and

any other artifacts related to the project. Group members are available if parents and students

have questions. Attendance by juniors is mandatory to prepare them for choosing their senior projects.

Students present a PowerPoint, trifold, and video clips to peers during the last few weeks

of the Senior Project Class. They highlight their obstacles and successes and refl ect on the overall group process.

When the donations are distributed and tasks have been implemented and fulfi lled, the senior project is complete,

but the LTI seniors don’t get to relax yet. After a triumphant completion of their senior projects, seniors promptly begin another rigorous semester of hard,

yet rewarding work as interns in workplaces relevant to their desired profession.

4

5 Senior Project Fair

Multimedia Presentations

After much thought and organization, plans for senior projects are put into action. Seniors reach out to the community for contributions to their projects. Sending business letters, putting up advertisements

around the school, making phone calls, and emailing important contacts are some of the many eff orts students make in order to inform the community of their

project. Because many of the senior projects are fundraisers, seniors need to fi nd sponsors to help fund their project’s needs. Bake sales and

other fundraising events are also held to cover project costs and for donations to charitable organizations.

3 Plan

12

Recruits eighth graders as well as promotes LTI throughout the DCC

Group Members: Joanna Lopez, Sara Kronopolus, Charles Lucas

A magazine to showcase the students and activities in LTIGroup Members: Alex Klinger, Catherine Cobblah,

Jennifer Vásquez, Femi Ige

Mus

ic O

utre

ach

Mentoring music students at Argyle Middle School to enhance musical skills

Group Members: Tessa Stultz, Austin Hill

Hea

lth F

air

Event to educate Kennedy students about health issuesGroup Members: Melissa Kulprasertrat, Bethany Brandt

Food

Fes

t

Event where food donated by restaurants is sold to raise money for the organization S.O.M.E. (So Others Might Eat)

Group Members: George Fountain III, Becky Bitar, Carol Wong, Brent Johnson

Hoo

ps fo

r Hea

rt

A basketball fundraiser for the American Heart Association

Group Members: Jenny Medina, Robert Forsythe

Inte

rnat

iona

l Nig

ht

A talent and fashion show to display the diverse cultures at JFK

Group Members: Vanessa Lopez, Julia Cha, Leonard Greig, Jewell Porter

JFK

Tuto

ring

Peer tutoring in all subjects available to JFK students.Group Members: Betty Wong, Rachel Berlage,

Beverley Yuen

Lead

er M

agaz

ine

Mid

dle

Scho

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SENIOR PROJECTS

13

-Group Picture Here-

Swim 2 Save Swim 2 Save is a charity swim meet with all funds generated going to the American Breast Cancer Foundation. This is the 10th year of the project’s existence. We feel the project was very successful. In addition to the meet, we held a fundraiser at Cheeburger Cheeburger and sold T-shirts to commemorate our project.

~ Mitchell Zack, Andy Kebede, Michael Chin-Lee

Global Awareness

We created the Cavalier Cookbook to show the diversity of the Kennedy community. The proceeds will benefi t the Capital Area Food Bank. We have chosen the Food Bank because of the economy and high food prices. We know that people in the area will have trouble aff ording food and we wanted to help.

~Heather Black, Chris Jung, Gabriella Nesse

Bears for a Cause Our group decided to start a new project called Bears for a Cause. This project benefi ts the patients of Children’s Inn at the National Institute of Health. We wanted to give the patients something that could support them during a diffi cult time in their lives. We did not want to give them any old stuff ed animal; we wanted to give them something special. At our event, each patient received a bear of their choice complete with an outfi t and accessories. They even get to put a heart in the bear. This project supported the patients and families at Children’s Inn, bringing smiles to their faces. We hope that this project will be continued in the future and bring smiles to many more faces.

~Lyndsi Bosco, Kristen Codner, Nalini Ramnanan

JFK Cookbook

We held two events: the fi rst being a benefi t for the citizens of Zimbabwe and the second being a fi lm screening of “The Devil Came on Horseback.” Our fi rst event consisted of a screening of the fi lm “Shadows and Lies” and then a panel discussion of the crises in Zimbabwe. We held the fi rst event to bring attention to the growing problems in Zimbabwe. Robert Mugabe, Zimbabwe’s president of 29 years, has put the country into political, social, and economic turmoil. Our second event was held to educate the community about Darfur and to raise money for the Darfur refugees. The government has employed mercenaries called the Janjaweed (translation: devils on horseback) to murder and rape the ethnic Africans of the Darfur region.

~ Julia Phung, Jenna Kefauver, Marcy Nadel

NEW

NEW

NEW

10th Year

14

9th grade:

1. David Collier—Captain, JV Football

10th grade:

2. Jennifer Cha—Soccer3. Hiba El-Kabli—Captain, Varsity Soccer4. Nicole Jenkins— Captain, Track5. Hannah Johnson—Captain, JV Soccer6. Thea LaFond— Captain, Track7. Maria Nkwanzi-- Captain, Volleyball8. Michelle Santos— Captain, JV Soccer9. Damilola Smith-Kayode—President of 201110. Saroja Stone— NJROTC Color Guard

11th grade:

11. Brenda Cao— Captain, Varsity soccer12. Sophie DeWaal—President of Equestrian Club13. Jainaba Fye—President of Young Democrats14. Kiki Lee—President of Anime Club

12th grade:

15. Beth Brandt— Captain, Tennis 16. George Fountain III— Captain, Varsity Basketball17. Leonard Greig— Commander, Rifl e Team18. Femi Ige—President of Popping Club19. Chris Jung— Captain, Wrestling20. Andy Kebede— Captain, Swimming21. Alex Klinger— Captain, Swimming22. Marcy Nadel—SGA President, President of Green Schools23. Gabriella Nesse— Captain, Varsity Volleyball, Swimming24. Julia Phung— Captain, Tennis25. Bev Yuen—President of NHS, President of Math Club26. Mitchell Zack— Captain, Swimming, Golf

Leaders in Extracurriculars

32

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15

Stepping up to Success

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Clockwise: A house Beverley worked on; Beverley with co-workers; Beverley holding plans

Community service is a distinct characteristic of the Leadership Training

Institute, and we are required to perform at least fi fty hours each year, but it should not just be a requirement. I really enjoy the community service aspect of LTI because I like to help people; I call it a “superhero complex,” in that I have the ability and opportunity to do almost anything with the resources I have, so why not help those who do not have the same opportunities or abilities? During a family dinner with some friends last spring, one of the friends suggested that I go to Biloxi, Mississippi, in the summer with some members of her church to help with the Hurricane Katrina relief. The church annually goes to Mississippi to help with the eff ort, in conjunction with Back

Bay Mission, an organization dedicated to helping the poor and marginalized of the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Back Bay Mission fi nances the rebuilding of houses of the victims based on their fi nancial situation and the amount of destruction on their house. In following my “superhero complex,”

to the construction of various houses for the hurricane victims as well as volunteer at the local soup kitchen where I prepared bagged lunches and served hot meals. Each day, for eight hours, I performed a variety of activities, such as hauling drywall (the heaviest thing in the world!), using basic and electric tools to create headers and doors for houses, nailing up the siding of houses, caulking the siding, installing insulation, painting, and landscaping. I am really grateful for this experience and am considering returning to Mississippi again during Spring Break to continue to help with the relief eff ort. This trip was very memorable and illustrated just how important and necessary it is to help the community.

Though Hurricane Katrina occurred three years ago, there is still quite a lot of destruction, and people are still rebuilding their homes and their lives. For an entire week, I helped contribute

“I jumped at the chance to go out

and help others in need.”

THESUPERHEROCOMPLEX

by Beverley Yuen

17

This November I attended the 3-day American Israel Public Aff airs Committee (AIPAC)

High School National Summit. AIPAC is the third most powerful lobbyist organization in the United States, and it strives to keep American-Israeli relationships strong and benefi cial to both states. AIPAC, a bipartisan organization, works to make sure that the United States always has Israel’s best interests in mind. The organization talks with congressmen, provides information and ideas to the government, and proposes pro-Israel bills to Congress. The annual Summit brings 350 students from across the country for an intense three days of leadership training and skills-building workshops in order to create future Israel advocates and AIPAC leaders. I was selected as one of fi fty to represent B’nai Brith Youth Organization (BBYO) at the

conference and to bring AIPAC and Israel support back to BBYO, locally and internationally. During the conference, I attended seminars about how teens can infl uence Washington, the current situation in Israel and the entire Middle East, the US-Israel relationship, and why AIPAC is important. On the second day of the conference, all 350 students went over to Congress and talked to over 20 congressmen or their staff . Our purpose was to inform them of the major issues Israel is facing right now and explain how vital their support is to ensuring a strong relationship between Israel and the US. We also attended leadership training workshops, such as Advocacy Writing and Motivating the Apathetic. The entire conference was a learning experience, and I left with even more enthusiasm for Israel. I am taking everything I

learned and informing my peers of the importance of taking action and being an activist. I am now helping to start a national Israel education campaign in BBYO, and we are trying to bring congressmen to our BBYO conventions to get teens involved. I urge you to write to a congressman, hold an informative program, or sign a petition about something you truly care about because you can make a diff erence. Get involved in your community and in your government. Nothing is stopping you from standing up for that issue that you have so much passion for.

As the Student Government Association President, I have no predetermined tasks to

complete – in a sense the job is what I make of it. But as a member of the SGA for the past three years and an active participant in education at Kennedy, I feel a sense of personal obligation to help make the SGA’s projects as successful as they possibly can be. When confronted with the news that Pep Club had ceased to exist, we took on the challenge of planning the pep rally, spirit days, hallway night, and homecoming royalty elections on top of our usual responsibilities. This is why I ran for president in the fi rst

place, so that I could be there when issues like this came up, to advocate for the student voice and make sure nothing important to us is neglected. If you are interested in joining Student Government my advice is to get involved now, early and often. Join the class, and see how things work. Without the practical knowledge I gained by watching the previous SGA classes function, I would not be able to work as effi ciently with my peers, our class sponsor, and other adults in the building. Being SGA President means doing your best with what you are given, and I gladly accept this challenge.

Message from the SGA President

Higher Learning at the AIPC National Summitby Claire Bernstein

by Marcy Nadel

18

Every year the LTI freshmen take a trip to the Lathrop E. Smith Environmental Education Center. They have the opportunity to bond with their peers through

team building activities. The Smith Center trip is a fun way to meet new classmates, with whom they will spend their next four years. Students are put to the test through activities that can only be done through the use of teamwork, such as the confi dence course, human relations activities and team building fi eld events. Besides the bonding aspect, the freshmen begin learning the fundamentals of leadership, like communication, confi dence, and planning.

Here, blind-folded students are guided through a “mushroom patch” with help from the directions of fellow students. The blind-folded student has to trust the others giving directions.

Students are given a giant puzzle with no picture. Students must work together without talking to successfully put the puzzle together.

Students work togther to transport the “hazardous chemicals” within a container. Because so many students are lifting the container at the same time, students must communicate eff ectively so everyone lifts the container in the same direction.

3

2

2

1

1

3

The LTI Freshman

Field Tripat the Smith Center

In the Pictures

19

The annual potluck dinner at the end of the school year is a night set aside for parents, students, and staff to come together and enjoy great food and great company. Awards are given to recognize great

student leaders in the LTI community. The evening is also a time to congratulate the graduating seniors and celebrate by presenting the senior slideshow.

The 2008 Award WinnersGuidelines for Community Service Award

variety of community service activities• the nature of the community service• hours spent participating•

Guidelines for Leader of the Year:outgoing and exemplary behavior• works well with peers outside of social circle• nominated by teachers• voted for by students•

Seniors

Community Service:

Hannah Baptiste

Outstanding Leader:

Kelly Harper

The 4x4:

Rebecca Rother

Given to a senior who exemplifi es the four pillars of LTI throughout his or her high school career

Juniors Sophomores Freshmen

Outstanding Leader:

Femi Ige

Outstanding Leader:

Staphanie Tran

Outstanding Leader:

John Kronopolus

Community Service:

Heather Black

Community Service:

Kristhyana Lee

Community Service:

Josline Ali-Napo

The Potluckand Awards Night

...become a leader?...lead groups?

...make a diff erence?...participate in group activities?

...step up to challenges?

Do you want to...

If so, join LTI.

Leadership Training Institute