Every spring, Ocean Lakes holds an intensive three-day workshop at Triple R Ranch that involves 150 students. Partially run by student-staff, the weekend is filled with team building activities, competitions, instructional sessions, and electives. Earlier this month, staff positions were offered to upperclassmen.

“It’s a three or four-part process, an online application, interview, then they have a task, and we look at teacher recommendations,” said AP U.S. Government teacher and adviser Darcy Pohl.

In addition to Pohl, Leadership Workshop is run by Carlin Conaway and Tasha Hurst.

“The application process focused mostly on the applicant as an individual and what they can bring to Leadership Workshop as a whole,” said senior staff member Nelson Soga. “The group interview gave advisers a chance to hear personal details about applicants that they couldn’t get from the application. The presentation allowed them to see how you function in a group and under situations with more pressure.”

With 55 applicants and 25 positions available, spaces were limited.

“When you have so many applications and so few spaces, it’s hard,” said Pohl.

This year’s staff includes Abby Asimos, Ally Bastable, Chloe Bishop, Kaden Bock, Kianna Butts, Lauren Chuderwicz, Corey Coerse, Calvin Cummins, Colsen Eubank, Analise Gonzalaz, Ally Grabarczyk, Andrea Granada, Caroline Hampton, Natelie Kasmarek, Katie Kerrigan, Anand Kolli, Natalie Pietrzak, Liv Scharfe, Naia Smith, Nelson Soga, Joanna Tanap, Lars Wirstrom, Esther Yi, Logan Zell, and Jennifer Zellers.

“I’m very excited about this year’s staff. We’ve only had two meetings, but we have a great group of kids. I look forward to seeing what they´re gonna do,” said Pohl.

Leadership Workshop offers many benefits to its delegates.

“I didn’t know much about Workshop before I went, and I found that I really connected with the program’s message. Second is that the skills taught at Workshop apply to all parts of your life. Workshop has the ability to shape and strengthen your character, which will leave you prepared to pursue more opportunities inside and outside of Ocean Lakes,” said senior Lars Wirstrom, a member of this year’s staff. “So I think this year’s staff is going to do really well. We have a lot of diversity in our ideas which I think will lend very well to our planning this year. In comparison to last year, I think that the staff is very similar, in that both groups are willing to experiment with changes to the format of Workshop.”

Caption: Staff for Leadership Workshop 2019 (left to right) Nelson Soga, Abby Asimos, Caroline Hampton, Logan Zell, and Naia Smith posing with Conaway. Photo by Abby Asimos.