High school hosts national leadership event

More than 600 Colorado students found a ticket to success in two days.

Fueled by the theme “The Golden Ticket to Leadership,” the 2014 Colorado High School Activities Association (CHSSA) Fall Conference welcomed 600 student leaders from across Colorado to Golden, Oct. 24-25.

“We have a new facility that’s a little bit over five years old, so really it’s a great place to host a conference,” said Andrew Wise, senior class president at Golden High School. “It’s the whole swap-shop idea, coming together and getting different perspectives.”

Held at Golden High School, 701 24th St., the event focused on helping students learn key characteristics to help them lead activities, organize fundraisers, host events such as prom, work with media and student bodies in their respective schools.

“One of our goals was to take those big things and to be really good at the big things, to look at the big picture yet think outside the box,” said Lisa Deal, teacher adviser for the event and Golden’s student council.

“What can we do that’s outside the box, and that’s part of our theme “the Golden Ticket” you take that theme and you think outside the box and what can you do to accomplish to get the rest of your student bodies at your schools going.”

Taught in smaller groups of 10-15 students, the conference curriculum focused on bringing individuals together to gain insights on various aspects of leadership and how those are implemented in schools around the state.

“A lot of it is being with like-minded people that are doing amazing things in your schools,” said senior Sam Starkey. “Some of the most things you learn is by talking to people … you make lifelong connections with these people too.”

During this conference, students were able to take a break from academia, meet new leaders, brainstorm future ideas, have robust discussion and inspire one another to grow and embrace change individually and as student councils.

“Our mission statement is ‘We spark the change,'” Wise said. “We sort of want to instill that in people so they go back to their councils and spark the change.”

A first for Jefferson County, the conference was organized over the past year by Starkey, Golden High School’s student body president and the school’s student council, who said this conference is an accomplishment of a dream, truly guided by student leadership.

“It became a dream of mine to host it at Golden because we have an amazing nice, new facility, such an amazing town to host it,” Starkey said.

For more information on the conference, go to .

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