2006 Business Professionals of America Leadership Academy
Once again we'll be KICKin' IT IN at the Business Professionals of America National Leadership Conference May 11-12, 2006 in Orlando, Florida with the BPA Leadership Academy!
If you haven't already, be sure to check out BPA's web site for further details and registration information. The first Leadership Academy we created for BPA was two year's ago in Cincinnati, Ohio with a college/high school student leadership program. Last year in Anaheim, California we added a junior high/middle school student leadership program. This year we'll be expanding the program with a State Officer Leadership Academy open to all current and future State Officers in BPA.
If you didn't attend last year's conference, I thought you might find some of the background information and references below interesting and insightful as to how we're going to make things happen. I hope to see you in Orlando when we...
KICK IT IN at BPA!
Fran Kick
P.S. Here's the information about the two-day BPA Leadership Academy, the people involved, the things we'll focus on, the way we'll do it, the materials used and some past programs that have KICKed IT IN!
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2006 BPA Leadership Academy
The academy curriculum intentionally inspires students to KICK IT IN and TAKE THE LEAD! The sessions are created as interactive learning experiences. Students are involved in many activities (group, partner, and individual) experiencing an enthusiastic atmosphere, learning the importance of their individual participation. It's a chance for the individual person to become more aware of their leadership potential, learn the concepts & tools needed to realize that leadership potential (both as an individual & within a group), and to put the tools into use to create positive action!
There are three levels of the academy presented: one for high school and college age students, one for junior high/middle school students, and one for all current and future State Officers in BPA.
High School and College Student Leadership Academy Thursday, May 11, 2006 (8:00 A.M.-1:00 P.M.) Friday, May 12, 2006 (8:00 A.M.-11:00 A.M.)
This two-day program focus will begin on day one developing the personal leadership needed to take the lead. Think of day one in terms of "leading yourself." Areas such as self-awareness, paying attention, responding appropriately and putting more into it if you want to get more out of it all tie into day one. Values such as consciousness of self, congruence and commitment will be covered. We'll also cover risk-taking, comfort zones and building trust within ourselves as well as in our organizations. Day one concludes with everyone learning first hand from a professional leadership panel of special guests.
On the second day, we'll focus on inspiring the self-motivation to KICK IT IN! Building upon the activities covered in day one, day two will be more group oriented "leading others." The program will include how effective leaders work with others though interaction, communication, cooperation, collaboration, common goals, dealing with controversy and creating an atmosphere of collective community. Additionally, participants will participate in experiential, hands-on activities exploring the idea of developing leadership in others.
Program objectives include:
Increase individual leadership competencies and how to relate them to real-life situations.
Focus on organizational leadership orientation and how to develop leadership in others.
Learn how to enhance personal leadership skills, improve self-awareness, respond appropriately at all times, model effective communication, encourage cooperation and collaboration.
Investigate leadership values including consciousness of self, ethical congruence and commitment to completion.
Participate in experiential hands-on activities in group, partner, and individual situations.
Become more reflective and learn from your own as well as other peoples experiences.
Junior High and Middle School Student Leadership Academy
Thursday, May 11, 2006 (2:00-5:00 P.M.)
This program, designed for every junior high and middle school student who attends the conference, brings leadership development to the future leaders of your program. Introductory leadership themes include the idea that leaders "pay attention and respond appropriately." Knowing that "the more you put into it, the more you get out of it" and "what you put into it, is what you get out of it" drive much of the day's experiential programming.
Program objectives include:
Introduce students to individual leadership competencies and how to relate them to real-life situations.
Build an organizational leadership orientation and how to develop leadership in yourself.
Develop the personal leadership skills to improve self-awareness, respond appropriately at all times, model effective communication, and encourage cooperation.
Explore leadership values including consciousness of self, ethical congruence and commitment to completion.
Participate in experiential hands-on activities in group, partner, and individual situations.
Become more reflective and learn from your own as well as other peoples experiences.
State Officer Leadership Academy
Friday, May 12, 2006 (11:30 A.M.-1:30 P.M.)
This session is open to all current and future BPA State Officers attending the conference. The goal of this new program is to help state officers from across the country come together, meet each other, and collectively "put everyone on the same page." Understanding that leadership is a process of setting the kind of example which inspires others to action. Ultimately, leadership is not about having a title or position, it's about what you do that counts. Bringing the designated student leaders of BPA from across the USA together for this important event will provide a powerful place to "make your mark and show others the way!"
All three BPA Academy programs will be co-facilitated with Fran Kick and Frank Crockett, a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist and member of the Association for Experiential Education (AEE). Frank brings a series of low-level ropes course and team building initiatives to the program which will integrate leadership theory into hands-on practice right then and there. Frank is one of the best in the business at bringing leadership lessons to life via experiential learning initiatives having done so with students from all over the U.S. and Canada.
For over ten years Frank and Fran have collabortively worked together on numerous projects. Here are just two samples demonstrating their tag-team approach to student leadership development for you to review:
The BPA Leadership Academy curriculum develops and supports all the material found in KICK IT IN: Developing the Self-Motivation to TAKE THE LEAD! This book serves as our guide throughout the BPA Leadership Academy. Designed to begin an exploration of student leadership, ultimately it can be used by both individuals or within the context of a group, leadership class, organization or BPA chapter.
If you are interested in reviewing more information about this series of books and seeing a preview sample of both the participant book and facilitator guide simply follow the link below:
What past participants are saying about the BPA Leadership Academy
"The Leadership Academy was great! I figured it would be someone lecturing to me about what I needed to do to be a better leader but it was games that could be easily played. Games that you could tell had a meaning. After being there for the first half hour it no longer seemed like something I had to do, but that I was there because I had the potential to be or do something great and someone wanted to help me realize I could do it. I really enjoyed attending the Leadership Academy. I've already tried to put into practice some of the things you talked about. You did an excellent job. Thanks for caring about how the future will go"
– Jennifer Marshall Tri Jr./Sr. High School, IN
"The Leadership Academy taught me a great deal about not only leadership roles in business, but life lessons. My approach towards everything has changed from my demeanor and attentive nature in school to relationships in my life. It's a worthwhile program that all students should have the opportunity of going through. The Leadership Academy also allowed me to build friendships with people that shared similar interests with me."
– Afshin Zahraee Neuqua Valley High School, IL
"If I were speaking to someone who was thinking about going to Nationals to be in the Academy, I would tell them GO FOR IT! It's an experience that I will never forget and I bet a ton of other people feel the same way. Both days I left your presentation saying ‘Wow, that was really great!’ And I meant it. You definitely made me look at what being a leader is all about in a different way. I thought everything we did was so fun and really helpful. Thank you so much for being in California to teach us everything that you did. Your presentation was inspiring, especially for someone like me who is looking into working in the business world some day. I also hope one day to be a leader, and now I know the important steps I need to take to be a great one. To everyone who is going to participate in the 2006 BPA Leadership Academy: Go for it! It's an experience you'll never forget! Learn it, enjoy it, live it! Thank you again Mr. Kick, I hope to see you next year."
– Katelyn Wooley Taconic High School, MA
"The Leadership Academy was a great opportunity for me to view leadership from not only a different perspective, but from a more fun and exciting one as well. It was an awesome experience with a lot of great insights into leadership. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who wants to make a difference in any way."
– Stephanie Rose Jones Weslaco High School, TX
"The best thing about the Leadership Academy was that I really felt like I was doing something. Competing is fun but I definitely enjoyed interning more than anything. The workshops were really fun too. I learned a lot and got to meet tons of new people."
– Sarah Marie Key
Hutchinson High School, KS
Letters of Reference
If you're interested in reviewing a few of the many letters received from other people and programs who have KICKed IT IN simply click on the links below:
"The words above were taken from an FCCLA Fall Leadership Meeting evaluation sheet. I wanted to share them with you as a way to saying thank you for all you did to make the Fall Leadership Meeting successful this year. Your keynote addresses were fundamental to the success of our Fall Leadership Meeting and the entire State Association owes you a debt of gratitude for the time, interest and learning opportunities that you brought to students from all over Georgia."
– Charla Allen Executive Director of FCCLA Georgia
"THANK YOU for joining us to KICK IT IN at the 2000 Great Lakes Regional Conference at Indiana University. Fran, you were clearly the highlight of our Saturday events. Your incredibly positive attitude and your ability to reach people to motivate themselves impacted the students, advisors and guests who attended your keynote address and your workshop way beyond the short time they spent in Bloomington. Each of them have taken what they learned and applied it on their campuses, in their communities and in their everyday lives."
– Joy McVey Golden Key International Great Lakes Regional Director
"WOW - what a camp! Your wonderful presentation made our program extra special. We certainly enjoyed having you motivate our student leaders. Your message aspired our group in many ways. Your methods of motivating our large group was almost unbelievable. You have received the highest possible ratings on our program evaluation form. Your witty humor, mixed with a heartfelt message, held us captive to the end. I can clearly say that your speaking has had a positive effect on us all, and I hope that others will be able to benefit from your speaking as well as we did."
– Angie Dee Ohio DECA Summer Leadership Retreat Director
"Thank you for KICKing off our highly successful New York State Conference for Administrators of Nonpublic Schools [October 2001]. This was the largest attendance in its 17-year history and the most diverse. These have been difficult times for everyone here in New York State and your opening keynote was just what the nonpublic school community needed to start our event in an enthusiastically positive direction. The message you shared was right on target and hit the nail on the head for the organizations that attended. Pulling together such a diverse group of people from the many organizations that were represented is no easy task. However, you had everyone interacting with each other and completely engaged in the first ten minutes of your keynote! Your breakout session was also just what we needed. In the past, many sessions have been very 'sit and listen' kinds of presentations. Not yours! You had them literally up on their feet making things happen!"
– Thomas Hogan New York State Department of Education
"THANK YOU for the excellent presentation you made at the Cross Training. Your style, in which you use humor to make your point was on target for the audience in each of the sessions. Many people have stopped me, since the training, to say how much they enjoyed the training and that they are definitely taking a new approach to work and life in general after hearing your presentation. Change is very difficult for many people. Your presentation was perfect to address this matter."
– Pamela Rourke, Director of the Sullivan Co. Emp. & Training Center, New York
"The only non-positive comment in the evaluations of Fran's sessions was that the room was crowded! A sampling of comments from Fran's sessions speaks for itself: 'tons of energy and enthusiasm and fun, extremely positive and high energy, it's about time we emphasize the positive, Fran is one of the most dynamic and interesting presenters I have seen' And they go on and on! In addition to his great presentation manner, Fran is easy to work with, flexible and well prepared. He not only talks about leadership and motivation, he walks the talk."
– Russ Simon, Senior Policy Associate for NYATEP, New York
"Thank you again for the outstanding seminar you recently gave to my sales organization. In my almost ten years with Proctor & Gamble, your seminar was one of the two best training presentations I have attended. My sales organization continues to rave about your seminar. Several employees have commented on your enthusiastic delivery style and enjoyed the many colorful examples you shared."
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