Some 325 students — all eighth-grade boys — attended a leadership conference Saturday at Lanier Middle School in Fairfax. Thirteen boys from all 24 Fairfax County middle schools, plus the Burke Center, participated in this first-ever event here.
"THE PURPOSE was to introduce them to successful men in the workplace and talk about leadership skills and what they need to do to develop the attributes necessary to be successful in their future," said Stone Middle School Principal Ken Gaudreault, who co-directed the event with Cluster II Coordinator Ulysses Cox.
Following opening remarks by Gaudreault and Cox, Michael Glascoe, FCPS assistant superintendent for student accountability, introduced Willie Jollie, a renowned international motivational speaker, who addressed the students en masse in the auditorium. Then students broke into smaller groups and attended various sessions on leadership.
Topics were: Educational Preparation, Becoming a Responsible Citizen, Ethical Decision Making, Working Together, Resume Writing and the Application Process, Dressing for Success, Building a Personal Profile, and Physical and Mental Fitness.
Students also engaged in a team-building activity, ate lunch and then participated in small-group career sessions so they could explore various careers with professionals in these fields.
The careers included engineering, insurance, military, athletics, federal law enforcement, commercial real estate, government, business executive, airline pilot, broadcasting, law, education, Web design, accounting, photography and music. Afterward, Rep. Thomas M. Davis III (R-11th) presented closing remarks.
Charles Ivey of Fair Oaks' Century Oak community led the leadership group on Working Together. He trains engineers for Exxon/Mobil in Fairfax and is a captain in the Naval Reserves. "I enjoy both careers because I made good choices throughout my life," he told the students. "But whether I'm in a Naval uniform or a suit, one of the most important things about leadership is being able to work with other people."
NOTING THAT "a great leader just passed away — the Pope," Ivey had the boys list, for example, all the things they'd have to do to prepare for that, particular job, such as be a Catholic, a priest and a cardinal. And he said all these people regularly make choices, practice leadership and work together with people in the Church and with other leaders.
Next, he had the students write down what they want to do or become. Then they placed these slips of paper in a hat and each group of three boys drew one. Each group then had to list suggestions about what they'd have to do to achieve that goal. "The idea is for you guys to do it together," said Ivey. "Help each other, counsel each other."
One person said he wanted to someday be the owner of Disneyworld. So to make that a reality, decided the boys who drew that career choice, that person would have to know Disneyworld's history, the principles of business management and also engineering — because the rides would sometimes break down and need repair. So, said one boy, "We'd need to go to college and study math, science and engineering."
Afterward, Ivey said his session was important because "particularly in this age group, boys need to begin to think about the things they like so they can make career choices that are right for them." He said the leadership conference was a good idea because "leadership skills are something boys need to become conscious of early on so they can start to develop them from within. And I do believe that leaders are developed — not necessarily born [that way]."
Joshua Icore, a systems engineer with Lockheed Martin in Fairfax, told students about Building a Personal Profile. And when it comes right down to it, he said, "A personal profile is what it takes to make you stand out."
Whether a person is trying to get into a particular college or get hired for a certain job, he said, "There are things that will get you into the list of candidates being considered, and there are things that'll make you stand out."
Icore said it's all about passion and investment. "Investment is everything you've done that's an investment in yourself," he said. "Your college degree means you're qualified to learn how to do a job — not that you already know how to do it."
If he were hiring someone for Lockheed Martin, he said he'd consider several elements, including whether that person is likely to stay with the company after receiving training and experience. He'd also look for whatever distinguished that person from another.
"YOUR INVESTMENT in you is how you spent your years in high school and college — and what justifies it is your passion," explained Icore. "Your passion is how much you care about the things you do. You can take something you like and turn it into even more than that."
For example, he said, don't just play soccer, but volunteer to help younger children learn to play it. Lots of people play soccer, but not everybody volunteers to help out. "You were the one that cared enough to help [others]; it wasn't just about you," he said. "And that's what makes you stand out."
Icore said this is what would make a company want to invest in someone or a university want that person to attend its school. "The university would believe that you'll go on to graduate and do good things for the community," he said. "And that would reflect well on them."
Therefore, he said, community service and serious extracurricular activities can turn the tide for a person and make them attractive to colleges and businesses. "And you need to start thinking now" about how to do these things," he told the boys. "For example, tutor others not good in math. If there's something you're good at, help other kids with it. Do things that show you care about things that aren't just important to your own, personal successes."
Icore said students may also volunteer at places where they can learn about what they love. For instance, if they're interested in flying, they could volunteer to work at the national Air and Space Museum Annex (Udvar-Hazy Center) in Chantilly.
He also stressed that teamwork matters. "Everyone likes being cheered on," he said. "The U.S. Olympic basketball team consisted of five good players, but it didn't win any gold medals because they didn't play like a team."
In addition, said Icore, "Respect begins with yourself. Tell yourself each day, 'I'm a good person and I like myself. And each day, I'm going to make myself better.' I'm 30 and have had some great successes with my career because I know what teamwork's about. I'm successful when the team succeeds, and I accept responsibility when something the team does fails. You can't just say you're a good worker or a good person, you have to show it."
Icore said no one wants to invest in an individual, because individuals come and go, all the time. "A company is teams working together and being successful," he said. "You need to show you're capable of winning and losing as part of a team."
ALL OF THESE things go into building a personal profile. "Grades matter," he said. "But then colleges will look for people who are motivated enough to be self-starters and succeed. And you have to have a passion for learning; no one's going to hold your hand and make you go to class and do the work. Individual responsibility is something you develop over time."
Icore said many people believe that, "if you have a lot of money, you're successful. But actually, the cause is success and the effect is money. What causes success is taking the right chances and investing in yourself. The opportunities are there, and you have the ability to take advantage of them."
Afterward, he said the leadership conference was valuable because it showed boys they have control over what they're going to become. "Life is something you make, not something that just happens," he said. "But sometimes we realize it much later than we ought to."
"Middle school is a pivotal time," added Gaudreault. "Boys start trying to gain independence and don't always make the right decisions, and it's a vulnerable time for self-esteem and confidence. Young men in our society need continuous direction, and any opportunities we can afford them with knowledge are important so they'll be able to make the decisions necessary to become future leaders.