8th Annual Leadership Summit – San Diego MESA Alliance

The 8th annual San Diego MESA Alliance Leadership Summit took place at the Indian Hills Camp in Jamul on the weekend of February 27 – March 1, 2009. Students from San Diego City College, San Diego State University, Southwestern College, Ventura College, and various high schools involved in the Imperial Valley MESA Schools Program, participated in various competitions that promoted the use of their leadership skills and various strengths attributes.

The Strengths Quest seminar presented by Mr. Alex Juden consisted of Reviewing Strengths (resulting from an online Strengths Quest test via the Gallup Organization), a Scavenger Hunt, Common Strengths lecture, and a homework assignment on visual expression. Students then broke into teams to complete a human knot activity and a LEGO challenge.

As the afternoon turned into late evening, students and staff alike mingled around the bonfire to conclude the night.

Ms. Dolores Ventura led a seminar on Professional Development to start the 2nd day of activities. Mr. Alex Juden continued the Strengths Quest seminar with lectures on how to connect strengths to future planning and life/career goals, as a well as a workshop on creating a cover/interest letter(s).

Students were treated to the Zip Line activity in which a pulley is suspended on a cable mounted on an incline.

Students returned to the barn area for team challenges, which consisted of building toothpick bridges and pitting them in several competitions based on aesthetics and weight capacity.

The night again concluded with the roasting of marshmallows around a bonfire.

The last day was reserved for the conclusion of the team challenge which consisted of conducting a PowerPoint presentation on specific topics, as the annual Leadership Summit came to an end.

A very special thanks goes out to SDSU MEP alumna Ms. Dolores Ventura of IEC for her presentation and continued support of the MESA program, as well as PBS&J – without their grant award the Leadership Summit would not be possible. Thank you.

LEGO Challenge competition winners:

Steven Almos
Raymond Evans
Mariana Abaunza
Christina Severa

Toothpick bridge design competition winners:

1st place:

Raymond Evans
Frank Bogart
Arielle Nuspl

2nd place:

Mariella Medina
Bryan Shibley
Carlos Fletes

3rd place:

Steven Almos
Natalia Cordona
Christina Newell

Toothpick bridge weight competition winners:

1st place:

Raymond Evans
Frank Bogart
Arielle Nuspl