Grace's September Experience

I was attracted to Summit Park Leadership Community because of the emphasis it puts on serving others, both in the community and in our group. Currently we are working with Bailey Alternative High School in building them a portable stage that they might hold graduations on as well as plays. We have had at least 4 meetings with the students there so far where we have been able to figure out what they are looking for, look at the space, and figure out what the needs are for the stage. Some issues we have run into so far is simply coming up with a design that is aligned with the code of Missouri, but we have been able to overcome that with the help of our Faculty Advisor, Gerard Nadeau. In working with Bailey I hope to better my skills in working in a group and benefit the community at the same time.

Sarah's September Experience

I chose to participate in the Summit Park Leadership Community because I appreciate the opportunity to serve and live with others that have the same goal. Through this project I hope to experience the sense of fulfillment that one gains by volunteering in his or her community, and getting to know the members of my team as individuals. I believe that this experience is quite valuable and will help me to become more aware of the needs of the community I live in. Looking back on this project several years from now, I hope to retain the feeling of commitment and service towards others.

My leadership/personality style falls under the blue group. So far, I feel that this has been a strength as I am able to get along well with the other members of my group. So far, we have done well staying organized and on schedule, which helps to make this experience positive for everyone involved. I hope that we continue to find cooperation between one another easy to achieve, and that our project turns out as well as we are envisioning.

Haley's September Experience

I chose to participate in Summit Park Leadership Community because I thought it would help me to become more involved and make a difference in the community. I hope that it will help me to develop my communication skills (through working with my group) and, obviously, I think it will probably help me with my leadership skills. During our last Summit class, we took a test to help determine our leadership styles in terms of colors. I’m a green which means that I am very logical and that I like to plan. This is really good for this stage in our project since we are currently trying to figure out the best way to build a performing space. Personally, I am the one in charge of dealing with budget type stuff and so that means I get to currently do more behind the scenes work, which works well for my leadership skills since I am really detail oriented.

Rachel's September Experience

We are building a portable stage for Bailey Alternative High School! We have had several fun meetings with the students at Bailey so far. We have:built stages with marshmallows and toothpicks, played get-to-know-you games, and really had great one-on-one interaction with the kids and staff at Bailey. Bailey is a high school in the Springfield district that serves Sophomore-Senior students. There is a waiting list for students that apply to be a part of this specialized learning experience. The school targets mainly students that are at-risk in "the educational system" that we all think about being standard. There is a graduation for senior students every quarter, and new students on the waiting list are brought in. The school goes beyond curriculum; it teaches life skills and community service/involvement.

http://springfieldpublicschoolsmo.org/relocating/bailey.htm

 

I joined Summit to be a part of a community of people that really care about serving others. All of my neighbors and suitemates have similar goals, and we all can really relate to one another. Summit is not just an apartment, it's a support system. My blue personality is in overdrive keeping everyone sane in our apartment. We are doing a great job working together, but having different personalities does mean that we don't process information the same way. We are all different mixes of different colors, and we usually translate for each other when one idea doesn't make sense to any given team member. We work really well as a team, and even have time to go on some adventures that aren't school related.