DMS Student Council members learned about leadership, while attending the state student council conference.
Five DMS students attended the Oklahoma Association of Middle Junior High Student Council conference Nov. 13 and 14 in Poteau.
Those who attended the state conference included DMS Student Council President Huck Petersen, Vice President Bella Christian, Treasurer Jaylee Hornbeak and members Kayan Patel and Paige Bates.
Through the state conference the members earned a deeper understanding of leadership. They also separated into breakout sessions, where they were involved in teamwork activities and games.
Petersen said that enjoyed the state conference and found the students from other schools to be friendly. He said his main takeaway from the conference was a set of tips that focused on being a good leader.
He also found the collaborative time among the DMS Student Council members and advisers to be beneficial, as they discussed what to do to improve the school organization.
“We are trying to get more people involved,” Petersen said.
Christian said the thing that really stuck out to her was the speaker on the last day of the conference. As with much of the conference, the speaker focused on how to be good leaders.
“Leader is not a position; it is a purpose,” Christian said.
For Bates, the conference was about how to behave like a proper leader, especially since other students and other Student Council members would be looking to her as a leader.
She said the state conference will make a lasting impact on the Duncan Middle School Student Council for the better. Bates and Patel were named co-parliamentarians for the DMS Student Council during the December meeting, a decision which flowed from the state conference.
“Leadership is a skill,” Bates said.
