SIDNEY — Thirteen selected Fairlawn High School students attended the “Ignite: Student Leadership Conference” hosted by the Midwest Regional Education Service Center and left with a motivation to inspire others.
The conference, held at Indian Lake High School, hosted close to 75 student leaders from Shelby and Logan County High Schools. With stories and lessons from professionals such as Mike Nygren, co-author of “Authentic Teen Leadership,” and MRESC Director of Student Achievement Erica Baer, students were inspired to take active roles in their school clubs and athletics.
Fairlawn students were impacted by this and decided to form a school leadership group representing all extracurricular club and athletic offerings in order to enhance school pride throughout the student body and encourage younger elementary students and middle school students to pursue their interests through these clubs as well.
Freshman Drew Westerbeck said, “I think it’s important to support our youth athletes here at Fairlawn so they feel more confident and have something to aspire to. I hope we, as High Schoolers, can take more of a mentor role for the younger kids here.” Westerbeck represents the Jets varsity basketball, but there are other students representing everything from Drama Club and Choir to Academia and Model United Nations. Together, these young ambassadors will provide a student voice for Fairlawn and empower younger kids to do the same.
