Four attend Student Leadership Conference
by Tobi Dummett-Leget, Staff Writer

Those who gathered to participate in the "I have an essay to write-NOW WHAT?" led by Stormie Edwards and Tobi Leget and the participants of Anxiety Supervision Clinic (a.k.a. Stress Management Workshop) led by Marique Andringa and Mandy Johnson felt that the two workshops were well worth attending, based on the evaluations of the participants. Had I been an innocent observer of the clinics I too would have believed that these four students were calm, cool, and collected. These ladies definitely did not appear to be the type to show even the slightest crack under pressure. But, I was not an innocent observer, I was the reason that three of my cohorts had experienced one of the most stressful weeks of their lives.

I am a great fan of Paul Harvey and even as I write these works I can hear his voice saying, "And now for the rest of the story..."

When news of the 2004 Adult Student Leadership Conference first reached my ears I was thrilled. The Students Taking Advantage of Resources for Success, a.k.a. STARS program in conjunction with TRIO, sponsored the Adult Student Leadership Conference, which took place October 29-31, 2004.

Lucy Penner is the STARS Advisor in charge of the weekend and had approached the four of us individually about leading one of the workshops for the conference. We all agreed that leading a workshop would be interesting, sign us up! Lucy did not receive any further information about having her students lead any of the workshops, so we all assumed there were enough students to lead workshops and that there was no further need for student participation.

When Lucy walked out of her office I knew something was up. "Tobi, I just received an e-mail from the Leadership Conference saying that they would like the four of us to lead two of the workshops. Do you think that the girls are still interested in leading a workshop?" Wow, what a loaded question, yet I never hesitated in my reply, "Sure Lucy, it will be great!" The look of relief on Lucy's face made everything worth while.

The next step was to break the news of what I had just done to my "partners in crime." Marique I knew was no problem; she had already said that she would lead a conference. Now to break the news to Stormie and Mandy. I have an advantage because I know both Stormie and Mandy and knew just how to handle the two of them, flattery and guilt. My e-mail to the two of them went something like this:

Dear Mandy and Stormie,
Have I told you lately how beautiful the two of you are? Ravishing is the word which comes to mind when I think of the two of you. Oh, by the way, Lucy has asked if we would lead two of the student workshops in Wisconsin. I said that we would love to. Mandy and Marique are set to lead a workshop on stress. Stormie, you and I will lead a workshop on writing. Doesn't this sound like fun? Remember it is for Lucy! I knew you both would love the idea. Remember how much you love me!
Have a wonderful day! Tobi Ann

I e-mailed and ran. I hid, literally, from the two of them. I knew Mandy's reaction would be to have a heart attack first, ask questions later. Now Stormie on the other hand, she had just broken her arm and the freshly plastered cast she was sporting, along with her spunky nature was the source of my concern.

The week leading up to the conference was less than carefree, yet isn't it amazing how everything seems to work out? Just when you really need them, life sends little stress relievers your way. Laughter to me is one of the greatest natural stress relievers and laughter was one ingredient there was no shortage of during this trip.

Approximately twenty miles from Sheldon, Marique asked if she could have everyone's attention for thirty seconds. Marique was reading a book recommended to her by Rhonda Huisman from the shelves of the NCC Library. The title of this book was My Life Among Serial Killers. The book is about a forensic psychologist who interviewed serial killers to try to develop a type of profile, and learn what makes them "tick." Marique read the following passage to us, "Tomaselli removed more photos from a manila envelope. The images were of a women, brutally stabbed several times. She was left on her back in room 18B of the upscale Abbey resort hotel on the shores of Lake Geneva, about 50 miles southeast of Madison, Wisconsin." Following Marique's reading of the passage were thirty seconds of silence, then everyone started talking at once. "Lucy are we staying at the Abbey in Lake Geneca?" "Marique, when did the murder take place?" "Marique did they catch the killer?" "When was this book published?" "Where did you find this book?" Needless to say, Marique gained our attention for more than thirty seconds and presented us with a great story to share with our fellow participants of the workshops.

The Adult Student Leadership Conference afforded exceptional keynote speakers, one of whom spoke on the choices we make now will guide our path to the future. The conference theme "Celebrating Leadership: The Building Blocks of TRIO", emphasizes the developments of students as leaders in their schools, communities and in their nation. And now, dear readers, "you know the rest of the story."