Hoover students attend Shelby County Student Leadership Conference

Students from around Shelby County learned about leadership at the Third Annual Shelby County Student Leadership Conference on Thursday, Sept. 24.

“This conference, it’s not just a day out of school,” said emcee Matt Peele. “It’s a day of impact.”

At the conference, students attended large and small group sessions to discuss leadership at their schools and goals in their lives.

Jameson Floyd, a senior at Spain Park High School, said the mix of students and activities created a fun and informative event. He said he enjoyed seeing how other schools handle different operations.

“Just because not every school does things the same way, and that’s not a bad thing,” Floyd said.

As Student Government Association President at Spain Park, Floyd said he enjoyed talking with Oak Mountain High School students about their large SGA program. Spain Park’s SGA program aims to grow its influence at the school and hopes to build participation through its upcoming Relay for Life event, Floyd said, and seeing other schools helped encourage that goal.

“We definitely admire all of the schools here,” Floyd said.

Randy Gravitt, a leadership consultant for the Pittsburgh Pirates Major League Baseball organization, Chick-fil-A, Fellowship of Christian Athletes and Big Brothers Big Sisters, was the keynote speaker at the conference. He discussed some of the subjects from his book, Finding Your Way.

To be good leaders and to find their own way, Gravitt said students need to look back, look in and look out. Those steps of self-examination and external analysis, he said, can help lead them down the right path.

In his final session of the day, Gravitt discussed the importance of sticking to what you enjoy. By allowing others to dictate their actions and activities, Gravitt said students are allowing themselves to be limited. He emphasized his point by playing the song “Stick to the Status Quo” from High School Musical, which encouraged a sing-a-long among the students.

“The status quo will wreck your soul … don’t just go through the motions in life,” Gravitt said.

Allowing the limitations of the status quo stands in the way of greatness, Gravitt said. He said students should have a safe, encouraging space with friends and family so that they can express themselves and live life to the fullest.

“Your friends are going to determine the quality and direction of your life,” Gravitt said.

Kallee Merrell, a junior at Shelby County High School, said the event provided an incentive to do more.

“It was very encouraging, like an individual encouragement,” Merrell said.

Merrell also said she noted down a quote from one of the big group sessions – “Those who drink the water remember those who built the well” – which she said motivated her and motivated her to be more appreciative.

Shelby County Superintendent Randy Fuller also spoke during one of the big group sessions. Fuller discussed recognizing and taking advantage of leadership opportunities.

He encouraged students to find leadership opportunities in the classroom as well as in their communities. Steps like helping a teacher clean up or assisting an elderly neighbor with their groceries are steps toward setting positive examples and being a leader, he said.

“As you move through your life, you’re going to have many, many opportunities for leadership,” Fuller said. “…If you step up and make a good decision, that’s a great opportunity for leadership.”

Fuller said being a good leader takes more than an appointment or a position title. It’s more important to show the qualities of a good leader – trustworthiness, sincerity, strong character and good morals – than to always control, he said. By helping others and demonstrating those qualities, Fuller said students can even gain more opportunities.

“You’ve got to give it up to get it back,” Fuller said.

Oak Mountain High School teacher John Milton organized the event, and he said he has enjoyed seeing it grow over the years. In its first year, only students from Shelby County School District attended. This year, students from Alabaster, Hoover, Pelham, private schools and home school organizations from around Shelby County attended.

Milton said he hopes the event will continue to grow, becoming statewide in a few years, and he encouraged attendees to help out in the future if they desire.

“I want you to know there are opportunities for leadership out there for you,” Milton said.