David Walter, L'Anse Creuse HS North
MASC/MAHS Board of Delegates Member

I created and led my first club in the second grade. It was titled "Art Club," and we met every day during recess. This club lasted only a short period of time before my teacher pulled the plug. Her decision was based on the number of kids who cried that they felt excluded after I had denied their acceptance into the club... which was a lot of kids; hey, humans aren't born with leadership skills!

Since then, this Art-Club crazy man has transformed. In middle school, I was elected onto my school’s student council. I spent two years being a general member, a position in which I rolled with the punches and observed the eighth graders run the show. When I entered my own eighth grade year, I decided to run for an officer position, and was elected Vice President. In this role, I learned how to take roll-call like a pro, but furthermore, realized that younger students looked up to me.

The transition to high school is usually stressed to be difficult if one lacks involvement; therefore, I ran varsity cross country in the fall and track in the spring and ran for student council. I was elected onto student council as a general member and started exploring photography. I was enthusiastic about school and loved meeting new people from the other middle school; this year allowed for me to really network.

Each following year, I ran for a higher position and was voted into each spot: class president sophomore year, executive board vice-president junior year, and executive board president senior year. Each position tested my stress-management, my ability to work with kids my age, and my ability to work with people older than me. I went through all three levels of MASC/MAHS Leadership Camp, where I became overwhelmingly passionate about leadership. My favorite skill that I have picked up along the way is the virtue gratitude. Expressing my thanks in creative ways for people and situations has helped open
my eyes to a world of positivity.

Although I have held high positions in student council, I also serve as a member of National Honor Society, Link Crew, Mu Alpha Theta, Leadership, and Photography club. Simply being a member of these groups and not an officer gives me insights to how other organizations function; it keeps me interested and gives me the opportunity to study how other officers run their groups, allowing me to compare their leadership styles to my own and better myself.

The most recent leadership position that I have been elected to is representing Macomb County on Michigan’s student board of delegates. This organization is a wonderful way to network all over the county, and furthermore, the state.

Through these positions, I have been molded into a person who is enthusiastic, passionate, and interested in the well-being of my school, county, and state. I hope to continue taking on like roles in order to solidify my beliefs as a leader.