States. For leadership kids, that word brings to mind something outside of the normal sports finals and educational competitions. For us, it’s a weekend where everyone gets caught up in their love of leadership and learning. It’s motivational and inspirational. It’s a weekend of forging new connections and meeting up with old friends that you’ve made at past LTI’s, regional conferences, or state conferences. It’s a weekend of listening to amazing speakers who motivate us to explore, to challenge ourselves, and to think outside the box. It’s a weekend that we look forward to all year.…

There’s a magic act that features poles and plates that deserves more recognition than it is given. For a solid two minutes, one magician manages to balance eight or so plates spinning on a half-inch pole. Starting one-by-one, the magician spins all eight simultaneously until the end of the act. While there might not be deception or misdirection involved, this act is truly magic; rather, the way this act relates to life and leadership is magic.

Many leaders have an innate drive to better themselves and their surroundings. They seek efficiency to maximize their impact, and…

Hey everyone, Max here. I just thought that I would share a “guide” of sorts on how to spice up your outlook on life with positivity. As the Michigan weather continues to fluctuate, sometimes dipping far into frigid numbers, I think it is important to reframe your thought process and ensure that you are making the most, or “maximizing” what you get out of each and every day! Some of the tips are things that I already do, some are based on what I have heard, and some are things that I am actively trying to do more, so I think that makes this all the more worthwhile to share. 

…

Ah yes, February-the end of January. The beginning of hope that maybe winter will finally cease its hold over us all. Oh yeah and Valentine’s Day. 

It’s pretty safe to say that February is definitely the month of the ol’ amore, but I’m here to say you don’t need a significant other to feel the love this February-and every month after! I think we as people forget to appreciate ourselves and the constants in our life. A daily dose of love is healthy.

Self-Love:
Sometimes people misconstrue being selfish with self-love. Well folks that’s just not true. Self-love is an…

Senior year is a weird year, I can’t think of a better way to put it. Whether it’s your senior year of high school or college, you find yourself saying goodbye to one part of your life and looking onto the next. You find yourself scared and anxious to leave what and who you know behind, while at the same time giddy with excitement for the adventures ahead of you.  

Having just started my last semester at Michigan State University, those feelings of apprehension and eagerness have left a constant swarm of butterflies in my stomach that I’m sure will be there until I find my next…

With the spring semester upon us, it is a great time to stop to consider why we do things the way we do. At this point, maybe ideas or methods have gone stale, and you want to change something up! I’m sure that at some point in a student council meeting, honor society meeting, or class, you’ve wondered, “Why do we do [blank] this way instead of that way?” If you ask, more often than not, you’ll get an answer that leaves you more confused than before. “We’ve always done it this way,” seems to be the most common response. If you receive an answer like that, then you’re in luck; you have a…

To get in the holiday spirit, here is the ~last~ verse of “The 12 Days of Leadership” featuring all things MASC/MAHS! Feel free to sing along and share the holiday leadership! 

Wishing everyone a very Happy Holidays full of good people, good food, and warm socks! Don’t forget to look back at all of your growth and accomplishments from this past year, and celebrate all the wonderful things ahead!

The 12 Days of Leadership
To the theme of “The 12 Days of Christmas” 

On the 12th day of leadership MASC/MAHS gave to me…

12 Collective…

I’m sure you sat in an elementary school classroom at one point in your life in the month of December and your teacher gave you a blank white piece of paper. After being instructed to fold and cut it, you later opened it and noticed that you made a snowflake. Your teacher then went on and pointed out that everyone’s snowflake looked a little different. No snowflake is exactly the same, yet they are equally as beautiful. 

There is something magical about how one snowflake couldn’t be noticed lying on the ground alone. Snow only becomes noticeable when it all stick together and…

“Leaders aren't born, they are made. They are made by hard effort, which is the price which all of us must pay to achieve any goal which is worthwhile.” -Vince Lombardi

Leadership is hard. It’s really really hard, even for the most conditioned leaders. No matter how often we practice it, how many conferences we go to, or how many activities we are involved in, there is a continual strain to practice leadership each and every day. 

As we move forward in the school year, we are beginning to become drained and busy. Whether it’s the cold weather upon us or the actual…

With Homecoming gone and Christmas not quite within grasp, many are left with empty stretches within their student activities calendar. My name is Brooke Ray and I am a senior at Chippewa Hills High School in Remus, MI. This is the story of how my school raised morale and funds at the same time. Last year a need was brought to our attention by our principal for an emergency fund to be started. She wanted to create a financial safety net to be utilized in times of crisis and tragedy in our school community. National Honor Society answered this call for an emergency fund and we launched a…

There are two faces of leadership we work with on a consistent basis: the community around us and our own reflection. So often as leaders in our schools and community, we have been taught and grown into the mindset that being a leader means being there for others and acting upon servant leadership. That is absolutely valid and servant leadership is something that we all try to work towards every day. {and rightfully so!}

With the Halloween season upon us, everything seems to be themed accordingly: classic Halloween movies are playing on ABC, Target has more than everything you need to get in the spooky spirit, haunted hayrides/houses are frequent weekend activities, and everything is pumpkin flavored. Even leadership is following suit with the “scary” theme of Halloween.

Hold the phone! What did she just say??

…

The Tricks and Treats of Leadership

Leadership- it shapes us, it challenges us, and it changes us. It’s scary, it’s difficult, yet it’s worth it. It plays a constant role in our everyday lives, and without it, we wouldn’t be the person we are today. However, leadership is more often than not difficult to practice each and everyday, and although it is a part of who we are, it is also the thing that molds us to become someone entirely new.…

Whether it's tickets for the homecoming dance or a fundraiser for one of your many school-wide clubs, student volunteers are often recruited to collect funds during lunch or after school throughout the year. No matter the person or the event, there are a number of important accountability standards and checks and balances to have in place to ensure everyone and everything stays on the straight and narrow.

Student Accountability
First and foremost, a single student should never be in charge of a collection table alone.  This is not necessary an indictment of…

Our 2017 Leadership Training Institutes are now open for registration! You don't want to miss this opportunity to kick off the school year on the right foot! Sign-up your student group now by clicking here!

Currently scheduled dates and locations include:

• October 16 — Macomb Community College
• October 18 — Craig's Cruisers (Grand Rapids)
• October 24 — Burton Manor (Livonia)
• October 26 — Comfort Inn (Mt. Pleasant)
• October 30 — Bavarian Inn (Frankenmuth) SOLD OUT!!!…

Your first installment of this year's Adviser Checklist series is now available. Our motto around the office lately has been "New Year, New Look." You'll notice that the Adviser Checklist has been updated in terms of content, look and functionality. We hope that it will help better serve you and your student leaders!

Click here to download a PDF copy of the September checklist. 

Make sure you continue receiving your monthly Checklists and other members-only information, benefits and discounts by…

And just like that, summer camp will return to slumber until 2018. We had a fantastic year, welcoming more than 500 students and 80 staffers for a week long celebration of leadership at Albion College.

Each year we improve, we redesign, we laugh, we love, we lead… and we create the best experience a camper could wish for. To check out photos from our amazing week, visit the MASC/MAHS Facebook page.