Students

Student Reviews

Megan Webster
2017 Leadership Weekend Participant

I loved how they gave us so many tools and not only told us how to be leaders, but showed us how. The many demonstrations and motivating talks were inspiring and eye opening. I believe that everyone has what they need inside of them to be a leader, but going to this camp helps you tremendously dig those characteristics out and be able to portray them to others. It has definitely changed my life and I can't wait to come back.

Liam Moore
2017 Leadership Weekend Participant Cathedral High School, IN

It was so different and unique from any other leadership activity I have attended. All the instructors were educational and motivating. Never before have I been in such a committed, energetic, fun, welcoming, and outstanding group of people. I feel more confident in myself and I think this weekend has helped me develop into a better version of myself. I wouldn't trade this experience for the world.

Dustin Goes
2012 Leadership Weekend Participant

Your leadership philosophies are fantastic and really have inspired me to share these leadership values with others. We received word that one of our band directors (from Mason High School) would not be returning as his wife was diagnosed with breast cancer and he wanted to spend more time with his family. The band at Mason was heart broken by this especially our leadership team. With the help of your philosophies and guidances for me at the symposium, we were able to get our leadership back on track for another great year of marching band. Thank you so much for all that you do and know that your lessons of leadership have truly taught me, my directors, and the leadership at Mason the true values of leading and teaching. You really kicked my butt into a new understanding of value for these ideals. Thank you.

Megan Stuart
2012 Leadership Weekend Participant

As soon as you stepped on stage on Saturday for the Leadership Weekend Experience, I knew it was going to be absolutely amazing. I have learned so, so much from you alone, and I know I will apply all of your teachings to band, as well as the rest of my life. I think what you taught us about teaching was truly the most important. I love how you make your audience laugh, and yet still are able to get your message across.

Brett
2011 Leadership Weekend Participant

I would HIGHLY recommend it because you get so much out of it. It is way worth the costs and will make you a better person. You can't even explain the fun that you will be experiencing. You must come to find out.

Addison
2011 Leadership Weekend Participant

You should come to the leadership weekend experience because it's like nothing else, it's fun, engaging, and you feel as if time is standing still. Everyone you meet is going to have something in common with you and no matter where you come from in the country, you will feel like you've been best friends with them forever.

DeLynn Mull
1999 Leadership Weekend Participant

I attended the BOA Leadership Camp more than 10 years ago and it was a complete awakening for me as far as how I treated others. I learned so much that I eventually earned high leadership roles in a top 5 drum corps. I now continue the message: You must lead, follow, or get out of the way. Fran, thank you so much. You are incredibly inspiring and a blessing to our youth. All schools should implement your classes!

Kaarin Hoogstraten
2008 Leadership Weekend Participant

I learned more info than I could ever use and I learned it in a fun way. A lot of the info was new and interestingly presented. You get information here that you will not hear anywhere else. These speakers need to be heard by as many students as possible. Meeting all the other students in small group sessions was so easy. The small group sessions created an intimate setting where you could discuss everything and make new friends. No one was rude or unfriendly. Everyone was open to meeting you.

Justin Mendoza
2008 Leadership Weekend Participant

It was eye-opening. The staff here and all the students are so open to new things and new people. There is such a diverse culture here and it is amazing to meet so many people. The information presented during the sessions dealt with so many new situations. So many simple points put across and illustrated so that they really hit home. The notebook really helped guide you through the process and gives notes to remind you in the future.

Emily Mason
2008 Leadership Weekend Participant

It's positively LIFE-CHANGING! It gives you a bigger view of band outside your own band world. I'm amazed at how the teachers live the way they teach! They're so genuine. I've accomplished things I've never dreamed I could do here. I've got like a leadership high, a surge of positive motivation. I'm going to change my band!

Jennie Butler
2008 Leadership Weekend Participant

I thought I learned a lot last year, but I learned even MORE this year (I'm figuring it out). I'm glad the students that previously attended got to go even more in-depth with leadership and work more on team building. It taught me so much about communication and that the key to success is by cooperating, listening to ideas, and looking at the situation in a different way.

Kirsten Clark
2008 Leadership Weekend Participant

I met some of the coolest people EVER and learned so many vital facets of leadership that I will surely apply to band and everything else I do. The speakers were fantastic. Everyone was so friendly that I connected with lots of students and SWAGs instantaneously. I will definitely use the notebook materials for future reference and the small-group discussions were GREAT! I'm definitely not the same person I was when I first came to this experience. Thank you!

Emily Nolan
2008 Leadership Weekend Participant

The Leadership Weekend Experience was very useful because I'm a first-year section leader. I had a blast! I felt that the clinics helped me develop (and continue to develop) into a better leader. The clinics helped me get new ideas on how to get not only my section but the whole band on the same level of commitment.

Rebecca Rhodes
2006 Leadership Weekend Participant

Thank you so much for the 2006 Leadership Weekend Experience. Your words were energetic, funny, and powerful. I feel much more equipped to be a real leader wherever I am.

Claire Jehle
2005 Leadership Weekend Participant

When I first came to the leadership weekend, I just thought, 'Hey, two more days of vacation, neat.' I didn't think that I would gain anything from it. Boy was I wrong.

Katie Enge
2005 Leadership Weekend Participant

You make learning even the toughest leadership lessons easier to comprehend.

Ashleigh Hayter
2005 Leadership Weekend Participant

Thank you so much for the experience of a lifetime. This is my third year coming to this camp and it's different each year in so many ways!

Calleen McDole
2004 Leadership Weekend Participant

Words fail to express the impact you have made on me and my friends this week. I was unsure about coming back to camp, but I'm so happy to be here and have this great experience.

Teachers

Teacher Reviews

Amanda Drinkwater
Marcus High School, Texas

I think the really unique thing about this camp, is the ability to connect with students and directors from programs all across the country. It's such an incredible way to learn about developing a culture of excellence in your band, choir, or orchestra program. A wonderful way for kids to connect and for them to grow in their interpersonal skills as well as their musical skills. It's just fantastic. The most fabulous music camp experience on earth!

Pat Toben, Arts and Community Engagement Program Coordinator
Sioux City Community Schools, Iowa

Returning to Music For All Summer Symposium with my children was truly a blessing. I am grateful for all of the conversations and learning that happened throughout that week and beyond. Thanks for all of your leadership ideas!

Glenn Price
Lugoff-Elgin High School, South Carolina

YOU have put together/organized/created/presented a leadership experience for my students that is second to none. I've been attending this camp for 22 consecutive years because of the leadership component. We could go to camp in a lot of places that wouldn't require an all night student lock-in or a 14+ hour bus ride, but it just wouldn't be the truly "life changing experience" that YOU help create. Thanks so much for all YOU do!

Jonathan Pwu
Saratoga High School, California

Thank you for your work with the students (and adults!) throughout the camp. Our four drum majors who went to the Leadership Weekend+Drum Major Institute returned the very next week and held a clinic/workshop for the other leadership students who did not go to camp. Each drum major did a "session" where they shared what they learned from you, Scott Lang, Tim Lautzenheiser, and others. This was completely initiated and led by them. Hope to bring more students in the coming years!

Rex Barker
Millard South High School, Nebraska

The kids had a great time and learned a lot because you (and many other great people) were there. I KNEW they would!

Jonathan Bell, Band Director
Germantown High School, Wisconsin

I was talking to some of my band parents about the Music for All Summer Symposium Summer Music Camp. They were asking about how it compares to other camps. I think the biggest difference is what you have done with the leadership curriculum for the weekend and the entire camp.

Rick Moffit
McQueen High School, Reno, Nevada

Over the years, I depend more and more on my student leaders to provide a positive example to all of my students. With all of us looking to jump start our programs for next year, this would be an incredible way to give your students a fabulous session on student leadership.

2011 Director Participant

The leadership track is beyond category. The students come back ready to lead in a positive manner.

2011 Director Participant

The Leadership Weekend – truly extraordinary and transforming! Fran Kick is amazing in what he does, what he organizes for everyone, and the people he brings in – fantastic!

Steve Nendza
2006 Participating Band Director

Thank you for sharing your talents and love of leadership with participants at the Music for All Summer Symposium. Your opening session was amazing. The fun-good-work cycle is brilliant. Our music staff met to work on our mission + vision of the department and we kept coming back to the fun-good-work cycle as a guide. My fine arts director loved it.

Josh Radecke, Choir Director
Berkeley High School, South Carolina

Leadership and choir go hand in hand. Unfortunately, there are not enough activities or camps 'choir kids' can attend to help foster and enhance their leadership skills. I have been working with Fran Kick at the Music for All Leadership Weekend Experience from 2006-2011. I have seen thousands of orchestra and band students (from around our nation) attend this weekend to be pumped up with positive energy and wonderful knowledge about how to be an effective leader. I have often wondered how awesome an experience it would be to have choir kids join the weekend. Every clinic and every activity doesn't focus on music, they’re more about leadership and team building. The amazing benefit is that music students use these character/life skills to improve their ensembles. Therefore, any student of any club (i.e., ROTC, Beta, Student Council) would really benefit from its design. Since my association with Music for All, I have been teaching and utilizing more and more activities and exercises from the leadership weekend with my chorus students. Now, I even have my own music camp with choir and band kids, very similar to Fran’s leadership weekend. The leadership weekend and the entire staff associated with the experience are just awesomely inspiring. It would definitely be a life-changing experience for any chorus kid!

Client

Client Reviews

The 1999 Leadership Weekend Experience launched as an expanded, multi-faceted program. Our goal was to create a more interactive series of experiences that developmentally dovetailed the leadership messages and team-building methods. Following that first year of expanded design and development work with the organization, Scott McCormick shared his thoughts:

Scott McCormick
Bands of America

Your work with the Leadership Preview Weekend carried our student programming to new heights. As usual, your own teaching and motivational skills were major hits with participants. Your reviews from Camp (Leadership Preview Weekend) and the DCI Leadership seminars in Murfreesboro and Madison were all outstanding... among the highest received by any clinician at the Symposium!

During the next two years the program grew in terms of programming and participants with over 550 students attending the 2001 Leadership Weekend Experience. Our work continued to expand with more hands-on involvement in the symposium’s volunteer SWAG team pre-camp training. After this third year of consulting work and record-breaking attendance, Eric Martin shared these kind words:

Eric Martin, President/CEO
Music for All Summer Symposium

The role you play in the planning and presentation of the Leadership Weekend is vital to its success. Moreover, the planning and execution of the extension of leadership programming and experiences to the full week camp were a complete success. Our record-breaking numbers (over 550 in leadership and almost 1,600 full week participants) also attests to the results of our pre-event planning and marketing efforts.

Greg Scapillato, Middle School Camp Coordinator
Music for All Summer Symposium

With deepest gratitude, I want to thank you for your tremendous contribution to the success of the inaugural middle school camp. We knew the team-building would be crucial; what you put together far exceeded our hopes. It is inspirational to observe the meaningful lessons and experiences you created for the students!

Gary Markham
Summer Symposium Camp Director

I just wanted to drop you a note to say thank you again for all you do and for the incredible week at camp. I've heard nothing but great reviews for the sessions. I'm very grateful to you all for your continued cooperation and dedication!!

Norm Ruebling
Summer Symposium Camp Director

Music for All Summer Symposium was a blast. You do a killer job and the kids respond to you in a tremendous bond.

Jamie Weaver, SWAG Team
Summer Symposium Camp Director

I wanted to say thank you for everything you do for the kids, the SWAGs, the organization and for me. Your dedication to this project and the passion you bring with it bring out the best in everyone—you are a true leader!

In addition to designing the leadership curriculum, we also create the t-shirt logo, edit/layout the notebook materials for students, staff and teachers, as well as assist in the marketing for each year’s program.

View the 2006 notebook materials via this PDF file.

Videos

Leadership Weekend (Overview)

Leadership Weekend (First-time Students)

Leadership Weekend (Returning Students)

2018 Leadership Weekend Video

2017 Leadership Weekend Video

2016 Leadership Weekend Video

2012 Leadership Weekend (Interviews)

2012 Leadership Weekend Video (Overview)

2011 Leadership Weekend Video

2010 Leadership Weekend Video (Day 1)

2010 Leadership Weekend Video (Day 2)

2009 Leadership Weekend Video (Day 1)

2009 Leadership Weekend Video (Day 2)

2008 Leadership Weekend Video (Day 1)

2008 Leadership Weekend Video (Day 2)

2007 Leadership Weekend Video (Day 1)

2007 Leadership Weekend Video (Day 2)

Flyer

Leadership Weekend Flyer

Share this PDF flyer with band, choir, and orchestra students as well as their parents.

Scholarship Certificate

Share this PDF Certificate with any band, choir, and orchestra students who want to attend the Leadership Weekend + Weeklong Summer Symposium.