Ninety students filled the community room this past weekend for Beachwood High School’s 15th annual Student Leadership Conference.

Planned by student leaders, the two-and-a-half-day conference is designed to enhance the leadership potential of BHS students and enrich their personal growth.

Molly Kennedy, a youth motivational speaker and Ironman triathlon finisher, spoke at the end of the school day Friday at an all-school assembly to kick off the weekend, and then worked with the conference attendees that evening.

She told students, “flip your 20 cent,” a play on the word “paradigm,” meaning that she wanted students to constantly look at things from a different perspective.

Conference participants were placed in random “family groups” that they would work with throughout the weekend.

For many students, the highlight of the conference is the Saturday ropes course, held this year at Camp Asbury in Hiram. This was the first year sophomore Zoe Grant attended Leadership, and she felt the ropes course was a great bonding experience.

“At the high ropes course, many of my group members shared their fear of heights,” she said. “To be scared and vulnerable and to conquer that with other people is [very] rewarding.”

This year, Camp Asbury’s staff utilized the giant swing, high ropes course and low ropes activities to emphasize the importance of teamwork and personal responsibility in relation to leadership.

In addition to the Asbury staff, Ted Wiese, known as one of America’s top youth speakers, returned to lead a program on Sunday engaging participants in a wide range of leadership building activities. Known for his enthusiasm, Wiese stresses the power of positivity.

“Leaders look at failures from a different perspective,” he told students.

Junior Ryan Marmaros also attended Leadership last year, and he was happy to see Wiese return for his second consecutive conference.

“Ted taught us that it is very difficult to move forward in life without a positive outlook,” he shared. “Sometimes all it takes is a change in perspective to lift your mood.”

Many believe that the most meaningful part of the conference is time spent in ‘family groups.’

The planning committee works for months in advance to develop engaging activities and conversation topics. The time spent in small groups allows student leaders to form relationships with students they may never have connected with otherwise.

Senior Ally Marks, a planning committee member, has attended the conference for four years and recognizes the small group conversations as the foundation of the Leadership Conference.

“At the end of the day, the time spent in small groups is the most important part of [the Leadership Conference],” she said. “Being able to work, connect, and build relationships with new people is what makes a student a leader.”

*The writer is a member of the Leadership Planning Committee