From December 9 to 11, the New Jersey District of Kiwanis hosted the Key Leadership Conference in Lebanon, NJ for Key Club members across the state. It proved to be a reputable experience that assisted many JP Stevens students in their journey to becoming better members of their communities. The event gathered positive reviews from students who were able to strengthen their public speaking and listening skills through creative activities, engaging presentations, and collaborative opportunities. The goal of this event was to reinforce the five main core values of the club: integrity, growth, community, excellence, and respect.

The conference started strong on Friday evening by reinforcing positive thinking. With hands-on activities such as fun hand prints and interesting questionnaires, students were able to improve their usage of body language, eye contact, and ability to team-build. Each student was given a bag to decorate, and others were instructed to leave sweet messages inside of them. These “mail bags” plastered instant smiles to students’ faces.

“I never did anything quite like mailbags before,” said junior Arnav Kaple, “They were a great way to spread kindness and form better relationships with my fellow peers.”

Day two began with integrity as students were encouraged to identify their values and share their main influences. This allowed students to reflect on the integrity of their actions while the staff members were able to help address the importance of honesty.

The following day, students were given a questionnaire to assist them in identifying what kind of learner they were. From there, they collaborated with their fellow peers to create a t-shirt design. Through the presentation of their “apparel,” students were able to identify distinct differences in how each personality type perceived the assignment differently. Through this activity, students were better able to understand the importance of establishing teams filled with diverse personality types as it allows for a variety of innovative perspectives. 

The next topic was community, with the section composed of two parts. Firstly, students were assigned community members as well as real-world issues. They had to give a skit to demonstrate how each of these community members could be utilized in achieving a common goal such as reforming the park or assisting the homeless. Through this first activity, students saw firsthand the strength of community and how a common goal can unite a group of individuals. The second activity was an incredibly enjoyable low-ropes course. Students were able to apply the skills they obtained through the leadership presentations in real-world collaboration. Whether it was to untie the knot, guide a blindfolded partner through a pretend battle or make it through a seemingly never-ending maze, students were able to learn how to better collaborate, uplift, and excel in their respective teams.

 “The ropes course was a new and fun way of learning.” said senior Aaron Bansal, “I enjoyed bonding with my peers and improving my communication skills.”

Excellence was the next core pillar addressed by Ms. Jane, a public speaking ambassador for the Kiwanis International Foundation. She typically lectures high school kids on the importance of representing the core pillars. She provided the students with the tools they needed to craft specific and achievable S.M.A.R.T. goals. Students were able to identify the actions they needed to take to become even better leaders.

Finally, on the last day of camp, respect was addressed. Students were requested to conduct two discussions with their seat partners. One, while engaging with each other and the other with a lack of interest or regard for the other person. While reflecting on this activity, students learned how simple body movements such as eye contact can not only display respect but improve the flow of conversation.

JPS students walked out of the Key Leader camp not only more knowledgeable but with a collection of unforgettable experiences ranging from campfire songs to delicious meals. With a better understanding of the core pillars and how they can be used to improve leadership, the students created a vision to be the change they want to see in the world.  

“This conference completely changed my perspective on what makes a great leader,” said sophomore Tanya Singh, “It was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience.” The Key Club Leadership Conference turned out to be a large success and served as an inspiration for students to contribute something to their community.