PASC News Volume 38Issue 6

February 2014

PASC Executive Director Jim Finnemeyer retires March 1 after serving in the position for 37 years.

Reminisces on a PASC Career

By Jim Finnemeyer, PASC Executive Director

As the final days pass in my role as PASC Executive Director, it has been certainly a time of transition, planning for the future, and remembrance. Serving 37 years in this role and being an historian by back-ground, causes me to do a great deal of thinking about the his-tory of PASC, the changes that have occurred over the years and how blessed I have been to have worked with so many outstanding student leaders and incredible advisors.

As a college graduate with a degree in education, I would never have dreamed of the opportunities that have been afforded me since I accepted the position as student council advisor at Pennfield Junior High School in the North Penn School District in 1967. As a high school and college student, I was never involved in student council or class govern-ment, although I had many friends who were. My interests were concentrated in band, theater, literary magazine, and yearbook. When I started my teaching career at Pennfield, the student council advisor position was vacant and it sounded like fun to me as a 21 year-old. It was the neatest

thing ever and I ended up never teaching a day in my 35-year career without being a student council advisor or later director of student activities at North Penn HS.

I know that I received the monthly PASC newsletter from Executive Secretary, Paul Landes, but never really did anything with it for two years, although we were a member school. From my first year on, I did take my officers to Philadelphia Suburban one-day middle level conferences, which were excellent for both them and for me. In the fall of 1968, I went to a meeting with my principal and state council president in Reading spon-sored by PASC and I learned more about what PASC had to offer. Then in October 1969, I took two students (all that each school was allowed) to my first state conference at Gettysburg HS. My junior high kids wanted to host one of these conferences when they were in high school and I was hooked.

In the fall of 1971, I trans-ferred to the new North Penn HS with the goal of reorganiz-ing the student council into an

SGA to become the umbrella organization for all high school organizations in an era of student activism. We bid for the 1972 state conference and lost; I was selected to become the new District Director for the four Philadelphia suburban counties and thus began to serve on the PASC Executive Board.

This was a time of change for PASC and student leadership in general. I had opportu-nity to work with students to draft a Student Bill of Rights for Pennsylvania, which was adopted by the PA Depart-ment of Education, and with PASC leaders to design the regional representative system still in use today. North Penn High School became the host of the 1973 state conference and the door was opened to me to attend national stu-dent council conferences and become exposed to outstanding speakers like Dr. Earl Reum of Colorado.

continued on page 12

InsIde ThIs Issue

News & Notes ...........................2

•District Newsletters and Up-dates Available

•Deadline to Apply for Junior State Board of Education Position

Horatio Alger Names 51 PA State Scholars ...........................2

Summer Workshop Video Online and District Scholarships Available ......................................2

Interboro High School Conducts Mid-Year Eval ..............................3

PASC to Host Activity Advisor Workshop ...................................3

2014 Summer Leadership Work-shop Dates ..................................4

Staff Applications Now Available for Workshops ...........................4

PASC Heads to Orlando for 2013 Conference ......................5

Present at NASC National Con-ference .........................................5

2014 PASC District/Regional Conferences ...............................6

National Council of Excellence Applications Due .......................6

Introducing Our 2014 Middle Level Representatives ...............7

Spread the Word with Social Media............................................7

Exciting Set of Speakers Slated for 78th PASC Conference .....8

State Conference Hosts Select State Charity .............................8 Wishes for HS Leaders ............9

Wishes for Middle School Lead-ers and Advisors ........................10

Thoughts for Advisors..............11

Getting W.E.I.R.D. with Leadership...................................12

PASC News • February 2014 • www.pasc.net2

News & NotesDistrict Newsletters and Updates Available at PASC WebsiteWinter editions of the District Directors newsletters can be found at www.pasc.net as of February 15th. The District pages will also include contact information for the district director and for the student regional representatives. In-formation on the spring district and regional conferences, summer workshop scholarship opportunities, and the process for nominating high school and middle level advisors of the year can be found on the district pages. Look for District and Regional News at the top of the Home Page. Click and find your district.

February 28 Is Deadline to Apply for Junior State Board of Education PositionPASC is seeking to name a present sophomore to become the Junior State Board of Education Member. In the spring of 2014, the process will be implemented to select the next Junior SBE Member, whose term will officially begin on July 1, 2014. Any sophomore, in a public high school in Pennsyl-vania, may apply for the position for the 2014–2015 school year. Students do not have to attend a PASC member school in order to apply.

The State Board of Education’s student leadership program is supported entirely through private grant funds made avail-able by the Highmark Corporation. PASC and the Board appreciate Highmark’s generosity in making this leadership opportunity available to high school juniors and seniors across the Commonwealth.

Through its grant funds, the SBE will pay for travel to SBE meetings and will provide hotel accommodations for meetings held in Harrisburg or at other designed locations within the state consistent with state travel policies. Minor students are required to have a parent or guardian accompany them during travel to and from Board meetings. Limited grant funding is available to support travel and subsistent costs for a student’s parents or guardian based on demonstrated financial need. Travel, meals, and lodging for the required meetings of PASC will be paid by PASC.

Go to www.pasc.net to apply now for this important student advocacy position in Pennsylvania.

Please direct any questions regarding these positions and the application process to 724-651-0973 or PASC.exdir@gmail.com. Fax 724-658-8617 Attn: RoseAnn Fulena

Horatio Alger Names 51 Pennsylvania State Scholars The Horatio Alger Association for Distinguished Americans

named 51 Pennsylvania seniors as Pennsylvania State Scholars in addition to the three National Scholars named in January. A total of $369,000 in scholarships will be given to these 54 Pennsylvania seniors in 2014.

The National Scholars are: • Paul Draper, Coatesville High School• Gloria Farrisi, Tulpehocken High School• Brandy Nunez, Wyomissing High School.

These students will be recognized at the Association’s National Scholars Conference in Washington, D.C in early April and will each receive a $21,000 scholarship.

The names and schools of the 51 Pennsylvania State Scholars can be found at www.horatioalger.com. Enter the site, click on scholarships, and then click on “State Scholars of Pennsylvania.” Each state scholar will receive a $6,000 scholarship though funds provided by the Neubauer Family Foundation and Horatio Alger Association member Alan B. Miller.

The Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans will be accepting applications from students in the graduating class of 2015 beginning on August 1, 2014 with a deadline of October 25, 2014 for completion of the online application.

Please share the following information with your Guidance De-partment and with present juniors whom you know might fit the following criteria:

The Horatio Alger Association seeks to assist students who have demonstrated integrity, perseverance in overcoming adversity, strength of character, financial need (under $50,000 adjusted gross family income), a good academic record, commitment to pursue a college education, and a desire to contribute to society.

Many of the PASC District Associations have scholarships available to attend a Blue or Gold PASC Summer Leadership Workshop. Now is the time to contact your District Director to see what is available in your area or by going to www.pasc.net and checking out scholarship information on your District Associa-tion’s page. Don’t delay—deadlines are fast approaching in many districts.

Visit the PASC Summer Workshops video which can be found on our website by clicking on summer workshops. This video can also be seen on You Tube by going to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7A-kX8vGGoU. Please share this video at an upcoming Student Council meeting, or provide it to your student leaders and parents to give them a sense of what our leadership workshops programs offer.

Summer Workshop Video Online and District Scholarships Available

PASC News • February 2014 • www.pasc.net 3

Why should students be the only ones to attend a summer workshop? Under the leader-ship of PASC Workshop Directors Andy Costanzo and Kathy Coll, PASC will sponsor a workshop that will reach out to student council advisors, class advisors, NHS advisors, and club advisors.

At this past State Confer-ence in Boyertown, all advisors experienced a “taste” of some of the topics to be covered at the seminar, including stress management, how to run a meeting, publicity techniques, and motivating others.

Details will be developed during the next six weeks and will be presented to the PASC Board in early March. But, here is what advisors can expect this summer.

n Dates: Beginning Tuesday,

July 8 at approximately 11:00 a.m

Ending Wednesday, July 9 at approximately 3:00 PM

n Site: Susquehanna Univer-sity, located 50 miles north of Harrisburg.

Air-conditioned classroom and accommodations

n Registration Cost: $75

n Meals: $35

n Lodging Package Op-tions: $20 per person double occupancy and $28 single occupancy

Act 48 Credit will be Granted

n Resources: PASC resources will be provided at each session, including Lyn Fiscus’ excellent Adviser’s Guide to Student Activ-ities and Leadership Standards for the 21st Century Leader

n Program: The program

will be appropriate for both new and experienced activity advisors and will feature large group and breakout sessions. Featured program elements will include:• David Trevaskis, expert on

the legal aspects of activity advising

• Effective use of technology for advisors

• Principles of situational advising

• Working effectively with the administration

• Parliamentary procedure/meeting skills

• Stress management for busy advisors

• Icebreakers and activities to increase student involvement

• The Value of Co-Curricular Activities in the Educational Process

• Idea exchange session

• Organizational and time management tips

• Dealing with finances of student activities

Workshop program details, including titles and descrip-tions of large sessions and small group breakouts and all registration information, will be posted on the PASC website in March. Please mark your calendars now and start talking with other activity advisors in your school or area school districts about car-pooling to attend. Check with your school district for funding. ( July 1 begins a new school year with new funds available.)

Don’t miss this hands-on seminar that will provide you with a notebook of resources and contacts to help you have a great 2014–2015 school year as an advisor.

PASC to Host Workshop for Activity Advisors In July

At the opening of the second semester, Interboro High School hosts an evening meeting and social activity for the officers and members of council. This is an excellent time to celebrate what has been accomplished in the first semester, re-tool meetings, plan programs to reach higher for success, and plot goals for the second semester. The meeting combines icebreakers, evaluation sessions, a large group activity, and some time for refreshments and fun.

Examples of the Interboro schedule and evaluation questions used earlier this month are listed below. The Leadership Carnival is an activity used at PASC Gold Workshops.

Midyear Evaluation Meeting ScheduleWednesday, February 5, 2014

7:00 to 8:15: Everyone together in the cafeteria for icebreakers, warm-ups, and the Leadership Carnival.

8:15 to 8:45: Groups meet with officers to work on Mid-Year Evaluations and to discuss suggestions for the second semester.

8:45: Everyone in cafeteria for pizza, soda, and fun.

Mid-Year EvaluationPlease answer each question with an explanation:• Are Student Council activities planned and carried out effi-

ciently?• What can we improve on and how?

• How efficiently are the meetings run?• How can we improve on the meetings?• Are the officers and committee chairs doing their jobs well?• What are the good points of Student Council this year?• What are some of the lesser points of Student Council this year?• What are the activities we should definitely keep for next year? What activities should we not do next year?• For committee chairs only—How can your committee be improved?

For more information contact Interboro advisor Andy Costanzo at costanab@nterborosd.org or 610-237-6410 ext. 2355.

Interboro High School Conducts Mid-Year Evaluation

PASC News • February 2014 • www.pasc.net4

Mark Your 2014 Calendar with These PASC Summer Leadership Workshop Dates Share these dates with underclass members of your student council, class governments, NHS, and other student organizations so that they may plan now for a week of learning, fun, and personal growth this summer.

Blue workshops are for middle level students in grades 7–9 in September 2014, while Gold work-shops are for high school students going into grades 9–12 for the 2014–2015 school year. Costs listed below include registration, program materials, room, meals, and a t-shirt.

The 2014 PASC Workshop Brochures and applications will be emailed to PASC member advisors and students who receive PASC NEWS during the first week in February. The hard copy of the brochure and application will be mailed to advisors as of March 15.

Please note the following dates and locations and begin planning now for students to attend in July.

Costs & Deadlines: Early Bird Regular (May 14) ( June 11)

Blue (Grades 7–9)

Grove City College July 13–17 $350 $375

Alvernia University July 27–31 $350 $375

Gold (Grades 9–12)

Grove City College July 20–25 $385 $410

Susquehanna University July 27–Aug 1 $385 $410

Advanced Gold (Grades 11–12)

University of Pittsburgh/Johnstown July 13–19 $510 $535

PASC is seeking students who will graduate from high school in 2014 (or have graduated in 2012 or 2013) to serve as group leaders/advisors at one of the five PASC Summer Leadership Workshops.

Additionally, student council advisors, other teachers, or

individuals with experience in leadership development are encouraged to apply for teach-ing positions at the PASC Blue Workshops (grades 7–9) or the PASC Gold Workshops (grades 9–12) for the summer of 2014. Applications are now available at www.pasc.net, by

contacting the PASC Registrar at PASCWorkshops@aol.com, or calling 215-280-9299. Selec-tion of staff members will be made by the Workshop Direc-tors beginning the first week in March and thus the deadline for submitting applications is February 28, 2014.

Staff Applications Now Available for Workshops

PASC NEWS is published monthly during

the school year. To submit

announcements, articles, or corrections for newsletters, please email the Executive Director or Assistant Ex-ecutive Director. Articles or information from PASC NEWS may be reproduced for use, with appropriate credit.

Executive DirectorJim FinnemeyerNorth Penn HS1340 Valley Forge RoadLansdale, PA 19446215-280-9299215-855-0632 (Fax)Finnemeyer@aol.comPASCInfo@aol.com

Assistant Executive DirectorKathy Ann Coll174 Link AvenuePittsburgh, PA 15237412-366-5744Kcoll1@comcast.net

PASC PresidentCourtney DetwilerAltoona High School1415 6th AvenueAltoona, PA 16602

PASC President-ElectHalifax High School3940 Peters Mountain Rd.Halifax, PA 17032

PASC News EditorLyn FiscusLeadership Logistics

PASC Email:PASCInfo@aol.com

PASC Website:www.pasc.net

The Best Part of the Summer Begins with You!

PASC News • February 2014 • www.pasc.net 5

“Aye, mate!” chart your course for Orlando, Florida, and come along on the voyage to “Discover the Treasures of Leadership” at the 2014 NASC National Con-ference. On June 24, students and advisors from all over PA will head south to Orlando for a special PASC pre-trip. From June 27–29, we drop anchor at Ocoee High School, host of the 2014 conference. The PASC delegation will return home on June 30.

Travelers will depart from either the Pittsburgh or Phila-delphia Airports and head to the amazing Hilton Orlando Lake Buena Vista, located in the Walt Disney World® Resort. The Hilton Orlando is an Official Walt Disney World® Hotel and is ideally situated next to the Downtown Disney® Marketplace, Downtown Disney® West Side, and Cirque du Soleil®.

PASC squads, comprised of advisors and students, will begin their adventure as soon as the planes touch down in Orlando, as we head with a two day “hopper” pass to visit Walt Disney World, which covers an area twice the size of New York’s Manhattan. There will be plenty of rides mixed with a dose of Disney charac-ters, storytelling, and thrilling roller coasters in the Magic King-dom. At Epcot, there will be lots of different countries to immerse in food, shopping, and culture. We will fit in some time in a water park for sun and adventure.

On Friday, the real adventure starts as we join fellow conference delegates from across America to head to Ocoee High School and the excitement of the NASC Conference. Continue to check out www.NASC.us for more details about the actual conference

schedule and programs. Sunday evening will be spent with all the students and advisors of Region 2 (NY, NJ, MD, and DE) for a fun-filled final night at Dave and Busters. Our delegation will leave the “magic,” the friends and the excitement of the Orlando conference as we journey home to PA on Monday, June 30.

The total fee for the trip and conference is $1,400. This will include all transportation (plane and bussing), registration fee for the conference, hotel stay at a Disney resort, all entertainment

including entrance fees to the Disney properties and to the Ken-nedy Space Center, meals (except lunches on pre-trip), chaperones, a special Region 2 activity on Sunday night at Dave and Busters, buttons, and state and region shirts.

All the current information and registration process is online at www.PASC.net. This PASC reservation form and $500 non-refundable deposit are due by February 15, 2014. Delegates will be notified when to register on the NASC site and the details on how to do it.

If you are interested in presenting your student council workshop at the NASC conference to students from all over the country, check out the article on page 7. It’s an honor to be selected as a presenter. All details and forms are available at www.nascconference.org. All applications for presenters need to be sent to www.nasccon-ference.org with a copy to Kathy Coll, PASC Trip Coordinator, by February 14, so watch that deadline!

Make PASC and the NASC experience a part of your summer! For questions, contact Kathy Coll at kcoll1@comcast.net

PASC Heads to Florida for NASC Conference

Deadline to Apply to Present at NASC Is February 14NASC is looking for work-

shop presenters. Expand your leadership experience and share your great ideas and the skills that you have learned by being a workshop presenter at the NASC Conference, June 2014 in Orlando, Florida.

Application Process: Down-load the application to your computer from the Call for Presenters tab at www.

nascconference.org. The 2014 application is a PDF form that features data entry fields and online submission. It also allows presenters to save copies of their completed applica-tions. With few exceptions, the majority of presenters will be able to complete the application process electronically. You can present as an individual or as a two-member workshop presen-

tation team. Deadline to apply is Friday, February 14, 2014.

Incomplete applications and those received with missing information will not be consid-ered, so be careful to include everything that is required. Questions about the NASC application may be emailed to Tammy Wightman at info@nascconference.org.

Be sure to make a copy of your

application before you send the original. Send a copy of your application and supporting materials to PASC Assistant Executive Director, Kathy Coll electronically at kcoll1@comcast.net or by mail to 174 Link Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15237. When accepted be sure to contact Kathy Coll so you are included on the PASC trip to Orlando.

PASC News • February 2014 • www.pasc.net6

National Council of Excellence Applications Due Feb. 18Middle level and high school student coun-cils that consistently provide quality lead-ership activities and service to their schools and communities can earn national recogni-tion through NASC’s National Councils of Excellence program.

The awards process guides student councils through standards-based criteria and demonstration-based outcomes. With only one weeek until the deadline to submit Councils of Excel-lence applications, it is time for your student council members to finalizeprojectreports,minutes and agendas of meetings, and other information to supportyour council’s applica-tion for 2014.

PASC would like to encourage all councils to apply for this presti-gious award. Details on the application process and the appropriate forms can be found at www.nasc.us. The ap-plication, based on the council’s accomplish-ments for calendar year 2013, is due to NASC on February 18, 2014.

2014 PASC District/Regional ConferencesMark your calendar and plan to attend the district/regional conference in your area.

District/Region Date Location Region A Districts 1 & 2 March 17 Villa Maria Academy Theme: The Luck of Leadership Speaker: Jackie Jaros Contact: Aniko Walker, advisor; Aniko.Walker@prep-villa.com, 814-454-5130 or 814-860-9475

District 3 April 14 Quaker Valley MS Theme: Oh, the Places You’ll Go! Speaker: Keith Hawkins (www.keithhawkins.com) Conference website: http://ohtheplacesyoullgo2014.weebly.com/ Contact Co-Chair Caroline Sletiotes carbo18@gmail.com

District 4 March 11 Ramada Inn Four Points–Greensburg Hosted by Belle Vernon HS Theme: Just Move It Speaker:FormerPittsburghSteeler,CraigWolfley Contact Lou Rood, advisor; lou.rood@bellevernonarea.net

District 6 April 23 Greater Johnstown Career & Tech Center Theme: Get Your Leadership HUMP On Speaker:AndyCostanzo Contact Mindy Leonard:, advisor; mleonard355@gmail.com

District 7 April 4–5 Troy HS Theme:TheCrazyTrainofLeadership Speaker: Jeff Yalden Contact: Bev Anderson, advisor; banderson@troyareasd.org

District 8 March 7 Halifax HS Theme: Super Councils Speaker:Sgt.MajorJeffreyTracey,FortIndiantownGap Conference website: www.supercouncils2014.weebly.com Contact: Dwayne Lahr, advisor; lahrd@hasd.us;NicoleCzaplicki, advisor; czaplickin@hasd.us

District 9 May 2 Hanover JSHS Theme: Keep Shining Speakers: Sgt. Robert Beamis, PA State Police; District Magistrate, Chris Cerski, former D IX President Contact Joe Dubinski, advisor; jdubinski,hanoverarea.netRegion FDistricts 11 & 12 March 5 Souderton HS Theme: Survival Guide to a Perfect StuCo Speaker: Jeff Yalden Conference website: https://sites.google.com/a/souderton.us/pas c2014regionfconference/ Contact Amy Tarlo, advisor; atarlo@soudertonsd.org or Jennifer Granito, advisor; jgranito@soudertonsd.org Region GDistricts 10 & 13 May 9 Fleetwood MS Theme: Wild for Leadership Speaker: To Be Named Contact Lisa Bernet, advisor; lbernet@fleetwoodasd.k12.pa.us

PASC News • February 2014 • www.pasc.net 7

Introducing Our 2014 Middle Level RepresentativesEach fall at the state conference, seventh graders are interviewed and chosen to serve as Middle Level Reps from January of their seventh grade year through August of their eighth grade year. Each attend six PASC Executive Board meetings (January-March-August) during their 20-month term along with their advisor. During their term they serve as co-chairs of the Middle Level committee, serve on one of the other seven PASC committees, and participate in state, district, and NASC Region 2 con-ferences. The following introductory articles were written by PASC’s two newest middle school board members, Billy Wermuth andJoshYourish.TheyjoinJoeyMoyerandNoahPolliowhowillcontinuetoserveaseighthgradersontheExecutiveBoard.

Billy Wermuth

Pennbrook MSHi! My name is Billy Wer-

muth. I am a seventh grade student at Pennbrook Middle School in Montgomery County (District 12). For the next 20 months, I am thrilled to be serving on the Executive Board as one of the two new Middle Level Representatives. While on the board, I hope to expand my knowledge about student government and gain opportunities to build relationships with peers across the state.

My family consists of my mom and dad as well as my ninth grade brother (and our dog Candy, who is as dumb as a box of rocks, but really cute). My main hobbies include swimming, water polo, and playing the trumpet. In school, I participate in four different bands, advanced classes, peer buddy, dodge ball, and student council. For the past five years I have been actively involved in student government, and functioned as president of my elementary school in sixth grade.

During my term in PASC, I hope that with all of our dedi-cation and commitment both Josh Yourish and I can make a lasting difference. Please share your student council projects with me and your PASC questions by emailing me at gymbw@gmail.com. Look for new ideas and middle level projects from the PASC Middle Level Reps in future issues of PASC News.

Josh Yourish Deer Lakes MSHi PASC, I’m Josh Yourish,

one of the new middle level reps. I am a seventh grader at Deer Lakes Middle School and I am Vice President on my student council. I am very excited and motivated to help my council.

In addition to student council, I am the starting point guard on my school’s seventh grade bas-ketball team. I have been playing basketball since second grade. I am also extremely involved with helping the youth basketball organization, my parents are in charge of the organization and I help coach a third and fourth grade team. In addition to bas-ketball one of my other hobbies is running 5K races and I plan on joining the track team in the spring. Outside of school and my sports and hobbies, I am a brother to my older sister, Emily.

I hope this helps you get to know me and I look forward to seeing emails from you about service projects and activities done in your school so that I can share them with other student councils across Pennsylvania. My email address is josh.yourish@gmail.com

PASC Is Proud of Our Middle Level Representatives7th grade: Billy Wermuth & Joshn Yourish8th grade: Joey Moyer & Noah Pollio

Looking for ways to get the word out about your council’s activities? Expand your reach with these ideas:• Create images members can

use as profile pictures or cover photos to advertise events.

• Create event-specific hashtags to put on posters and other

publicity so you can follow student comments and help create a buzz to publicize events. Give an incentive for people to use your hashtag by offering a free ticket or other prize for one lucky hashtag-ger.

• Post photos and stories on

social media about council events. Ask members to share them on their own accounts to spread the word.

• Create a Pinterest board with ideas for upcoming events like the Homecoming parade, spirit days, and so forth.

• Create a funny video promo

or skit for an event and post it on YouTube. Send the URL to group members and ask them to send it to their friends.

Send your ideas for using social media to promote your events to PASCexdir@gmail.com

Spread the Word with Social Media

PASC News • February 2014 • www.pasc.net8

The Altoona Area High School and Altoona Area Junior High School have chosen Children’s Miracle Network Hos-pitals as our State Charity for the 78th PASC State Student Council Conference November 6–8, 2014.

Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals is an international nonprofit organization that raises funds for children’s hospi-tals, medical research, and community awareness of children’s health issues. The organization, founded in 1983, is headquar-tered in Salt Lake City Utah and has raised more than $4.7 billion for a network of 170 hospitals.

Every minute, 62 children enter a Children’s Miracle Network Hospital for treatment. Whether they suffer from common childhood afflictions like asthma and broken bones, or fight bigger challenges like birth defects or cancer, Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals provide comfort, treatment, and hope to millions of sick kids. In fact, Children’s Miracle Network Hos-pitals treat one in 10 children in North America each year.

There are five Children’s Miracle Network hospitals in Penn-sylvania. They are: St. Vincent Health Center in Erie; Chil-dren’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC; Penn State Hershey Children’s Hospital; Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, and Geisinger Janet Weis Children’s Hospital.

We are asking schools to participate in a fundraiser to raise funds for these hospitals. All donations will be sent to the hospital that serves the region in which your school is located. Although there are many ideas on how to raise funds for this endeavor, we are encouraging schools to sell the $1.00 Balloon icons, which we will provide to you, if so desired, in the spring. We will send out a form for you to order the number of bal-loons you would like to sell and we will mail them to you. Once you have sold them, you may display them at your school if you would like and return the money to us so that we can keep a re-cord and then split the money to the appropriate hospitals after the Conference. We think of it as “Kids helping Kids.”

We hope you will support this charity as part of PASC’s com-mitment to helping others.

State Conference Hosts Select State Charity for 2014

The 78th Pennsylvania Association of Student Councils will be held on November 6, 7, and 8, 2014, hosted by the Altoona Area HS and Altoona Area JHS. This conference will be hotel-based, which means that all students and advisors will be staying in local hotels. Each hotel has at minimum a continental breakfast. All other meals will be served at the schools.

The host schools are very excited about their speaker line-up for the conference.

Ed Gerety will be the opening night speaker. He is a ”highly sought-after keynote speaker and leadership trainer who delivers programs focused on the principles and skills that are essential to developing leaders, which creates a positive school climate built upon respect and responsibility.”

Alvin Law will be the speaker on Friday. “Draw-ing on over 30 years experience as a speaker—but more importantly, 50 years of living life without arms—Alvin is as real as it gets… His custom-ized, professional, and enthusiastic presentations feature a performance on the keyboard and drums as proof positive of his success in overcoming

obstacles.”

Jason Hewlett will close the Conference on Saturday. “Audiences coast-to-coast have thrilled at the creativity, hilarious impersonations, touch-ing portrayals, and nostalgia of this one of a kind impressionist/musician/humorist…”

Attendees will also hear from PASC’s own Jackie Jeros and hypnotist Jason Christopher. We believe you will be wowed by the speakers!

More information about the upcoming conference will be forthcoming in future PASC News. Also, be sure to check out the website at www.PASC2014.org. Looking forward to “All the Places You’ll Go” starting in Altoona in November.

Exciting Set of Speakers Slated for 78th PASC Conference

PASC News • February 2014 • www.pasc.net 9

Jim Finnemeyer, retiring PASC Executive Director

As I leave my position as PASC Executive Director after 37 years in this role, I think about the thousands of student leaders I have worked with and have come to know. I also pause to think how the role of student leaders has changed and developed from the late 1960s to 2014. With these remembrances, I share with you with some thoughts and challenges as you continue on your leadership journey.

My challenge to those of you who are seniors…u Stay focused on the goals and dreams that caused

you to become an officer or representative in your council or class government. Strive to renew your efforts, fight senioritis, work hard to the last day that you are in office to complete that project which is important to you and make a difference in your school and community.

v Leave a legacy for underclassmen to follow; raise the standard of leadership in your school and leave behind the best written and electronic records, minutes, reports, and evaluations that you can to help future leaders to pick up where you left off and raise the bar in the future.

w Take time this spring to plan an orientation for the new officers and committee chairs and others who will fol-low you. Provide them with a handbook, meet one-on-one to share the successes and challenges that you have faced in leadership. Give them advice on what you would do if you started your leadership journey all over again.

x Go on the PASC website (www.pasc.net) and join the PASC Alumni Partners and stay in touch with PASC grads whom you met at conferences and workshops. Continue to network with them as you head to college, the military, or permanent employment. The PASC network is always there.

And to those of you who are underclassmen…u In many ways, student council can be much more than

what it is in most high schools today. Student Council/Student Government can be more than just another “club” within the building, but it takes time and the dedication of student leaders and advisors to make that happen. Student Council should be the umbrella leadership organization in high schools, creating InterClub Councils binding other organizations together. It should not only plan big activities

like Homecoming and Talent Shows, but should truly seek out and listen to the concerns and ideas of all members of the student body. Meet regularly with your principal and administration and listen to administrators’ concerns and share the viewpoints and ideas of your peers.

v Always remember that you serve every student in your school. Every school has cliques and unique groups. Seek to involve each of theses groups and listen to the individuals who make the groups. Use every tool of social media to connect with your fellow students. Make it a goal that during the year, your council will plan an activity that reaches every student—not one big activity, but many smaller ones that truly involve the diverse interests of your students: car shows, ping-pong tournaments, video game nights, fashion shows, and so forth. Plan a school-wide service project or several mini-projects. Be creative and reach out of your comfort zone.

w If you have not had the opportunity to attend a PASC district or regional conference in your area, do so this spring. Seek to attend a PAC Summer Workshop in July; it really is fun and very worthwhile (check out a summer workshop video at www.pasc.net). Come to Altoona HS for the state conference in November 2014. Create an exchange with a neighboring school—just get out of your building and meet other student leaders who will expand your hori-zons and allow you to share the great things your council is already doing.

xLeadership is a magnificent journey for life. Keep opening the doors to new opportunities, seek ways to connect with others who get excited about leading, just as you do. Learn the skills of leadership from those who can train you well, and grow as a leader by communicating with others, experiencing success and challenges. Make things happen, and feel the inner-joy that serving others brings, by making big and small differences in the lives of others.

Your school, your community, our nation, and the world need dedicated leaders who rise to the top. You are that next generation; use your high school experience as a springboard to making a difference in the days and years to come within community and religious organizations, parent groups and schools, local politics, and in the big political world that awaits you. The adult generation today needs your caring, your commitment, your altruism, and your ex-perience to move our nation and the world to new and more positive heights. Good Luck

Wishes for High School Leaders

PASC News • February 2014 • www.pasc.net10

Jim Finnemeyer, retiring PASC Executive Director

Some of my fondest memories as a teacher were the four years that I taught 8th grade history and 9th grade civics and was student council advisor at Pennfield Junior High School. Middle schools today span in many cases from 5th to 8th grades and some go to grade 9, while others include grade 4. Middle School years are the best of times. The enthusiasm of the students, their willingness to try new things, their caring nature, and their love of service to others open the doors for middle level student councils to be the very best and most fun places to be in schools.

Unfortunately, some may say, “We can not do that, we are only a middle school.” I say, from personal experience and observations while traveling in Pennsylvania and the nation, “Oh yes they can, because they are middle school students.” Middle School is the best time to learn new skills, to gain hands-on experiences in planning events, service projects, and activities. Advisors giving guidance and support, understanding administrators and parents, encouraging classroom teachers can go a long way in making the Student Coun-cil in any middle school just as strong, just as organized, as any high school in the nation. Learning about both success and how to overcome challenges are what middle school education is all about. Plan for success and always do your very best.

Middle School Leaders:u You start with an overwhelming amount of energy and

enthusiasm. Learn to plan completely, organize well, record in detail EVERYTHING that must be done to have a successful event or project.

vFollow Through, follow through, follow through. It is easy to come up with neat ideas, it is tremendously important to follow through to make your project a success in the end—that is the hard work. Stick to it, no matter how much work it takes.

w Seek other students to help you carry out your project. Certainly your friends may help, but go ask other classmates and fellow students to help you (many times they will not come to you

and volunteer). Many students who are not as popular as some elected leaders just need SOMEONE to ask them to help. ASK-ING is the key.

x Middle School student leaders tend to be some of the busiest kids in school with athletics, music practice, community clubs, family time, and of course lots of homework. Student Lead-ers need to manage their time well, but must also organize their projects well, with detailed lists of everything that has to be done (This is where an advisor can be so helpful in creating “To Do” lists). Advisors can help student leaders delegate and then follow up on the project planning. Advisor and student communication is really important here.

y Middle School Leadership: • Builds confidence• Teaches skills that last a lifetime• Provides opportunities to learn teamwork• Develops social skills•Creates an outlet to make friends

z The opportunity for middle students in grades 6–9 to attend a PASC Summer Leadership Workshop (camp) has been one of the things that I have implemented in my role as PASC Execu-tive Director of which I am most proud. The four-and-a-half-day programs on the campuses of Alvernia University (Reading) and Grove City College, provide a well supervised, positive, and fun-filled atmosphere in which to learn for any middle school student in a leadership role or who hopes to be a leader in future.

{ Advisors and middle level students, please consider coming this spring to one of the PASC district or regional conferences nearest to you (There are nine of them across the state beginning March 5.) Whether only the officers can come, or you can bring 20 or more, these one-day programs will energize your council, provide new ideas for the 2014–15 school year, and increase enthusiasm for all that a middle school council can become. Time out of school may be very limited, these are worth that time. Use them to build for the future.

Wishes for Middle School Leaders and Advisors

u v w x y z { | } ut

Join chapters from around the nation this spring in celebrating National Student Leadership Week 2014. NSLW, sponsored by the NASC national office since 1972, is an annual recognition of the important roles that student lead-ers play in schools and communities. This year’s theme is a challenge to every student leader to “Lead Strong!” See more at: www.nasc.us/programs-conferences/national-student-leader-ship-week.aspx

PASC News • February 2014 • www.pasc.net 11

Jim Finnemeyer, Retiring PASC Executive Director

Advisors, I would never downplay the tremendous demands that you face today in and out of our classrooms, but as I depart from PASC I wanted to share a few thoughts.

Well Worth ItOur role in student activities is always a balancing act between

the demands of the classroom, our families, lives outside of school, and maybe additional educational studies. Despite all of these demands, I want to advocate, one more time, for the value that can be found for you personally and for your student leaders through involvement with PASC and NASC sponsored programs and activities. Please make the time to come to a district and regional conference, they last for just a day and can be a real energizer for you and your leaders. Use them as a time to bring underclassmen to their first leadership experience. There may be challenges with transportation and your time to be out of school may be limited, but this involvement can open doors for you and your students in an inexpensive way. In many cases, you can bring 8 to 20 or more students, which will expose many to the excitement of student leadership.

Summer Leadership WorkshopsGoing to a week long, Summer Leadership Workshop is a stretch

for many students who have summer athletic camps, summer jobs, and vacations. If you have never sent a student, DO IT—it will change their life and in many ways, make your life as an advisor easier for the next school year by having trained and more moti-vated leaders. Veteran advisors in PA and across the nation will tell you it really does make a difference. The 400 PASC leaders who went to middle level and high school workshops in 2013 will overwhelmingly tell your students that the workshops are FUN and BENEFICIAL. It is the best way to NETWORK and make new FRIENDS that will last a very long time, even a lifetime for some.

Advisor TrainingThis year is YOUR OPPORTUNITY to attend a summer

leadership workshop as well. Advisor surveys have told PASC that a two-day summer experience is the best way to accommodate the needs and time restraints of the largest number of teachers. Tuesday, July 8, and Wednesday, July 9, at Susquehanna Univer-sity (north of Harrisburg), will provide PASC with a chance to share leadership lessons with all types of activity advisors in an atmosphere that requires no student supervision. Large and small group sessions, networking opportunities, and advisor social time will be a valuable and enjoyable adult experience with top speakers and leadership consultants who are or have been activity advisors just like you.

State ConferenceThe State Conference in November 2014 is a great way to

recharge your leaders and yourself at the beginning of the second marking period. PASC is noted for bringing in the best motiva-tional speakers and providing time for those speakers to interact with advisors as well as to speak in general sessions. Student-led workshops provide a great peer-learning opportunity for lead-ers at both the high school and middle school levels. PASC State Conferences are renowned for their program quality and great or-ganization of all conference aspects. The 2014 conference returns to Altoona Area HS, the host of more state conferences than any other school in Pennsylvania.

Great ValueSome PASC programs are run at minimal cost, others are more

expensive, but my experience as an advisor is that funds can be found through parents, the school, or the community when the value of the opportunity is shared and plans are made in advance. Just as I learned to open the door to leadership experiences and opportunities for myself and my students many years ago, the time and expense over many years made the most significant difference for me both as an activity advisor as well as a classroom teacher. The networking that I was able to do, the speakers who inspired me, and the friends I have made outside of my school were a tre-mendous source of energy and encouragement to me throughout my teaching career.

As an advisor with 1–3 years of experience or a veteran, if you have not involved your students in PASC, I urge you to OPEN THAT DOOR. The time out of class for me and my students and the costs incurred and fundraising that we had to do was well worth the gains achieved. You will not regret it. You have the chance to make a profound impact on the lives of your emerging student leaders and on your school.

Thank you for all that you do in making a difference in the

lives of young people and your faculty and administration

(even if they do not always realize it).

Thoughts for Advisors

Advisors who get involved in PASC activities find many rewards that keep them moti-vated and energized through the years.

PASC News • February 2014 • www.pasc.net12

Reminisces on a PASC Career (cont’d from pg 1)

By Dean Dickos, AdvisorMastery Charter Thomas Campus–Philadelphia

In December 2013, I had the privilege of accompanying many of PASC’s finest to the National Association of Workshop Director’s National Conference on Student Ac-tivities (NAWD’s conference: NCSA may be easier for those inclined to acronym!) in Austin, Texas. It was an amazing weekend with folks from across the country where the focus was on development for advisors. In Penn-sylvania, we work relentlessly to give our students the best opportunities at leadership they can have. Attending this conference with its “W.E.I.R.D.” theme (Where Everything Is Radically Different) affirmed that we are just one of 50 states who are doing a lot of things right. Being with a national network of advisors left me feeling like I was part of a movement not only to keep student activities in our schools, but to promote them and make them pillars in our schools.

While at the conference, one theme continued to manifest itself to me: we don’t give for the sake of giving, rather we give so that someone else might receive. As we trudge through these long,

winter months, it becomes easy to find ourselves going through our regular student council routines: come up with an idea for an event, rally kids to make it happen, hold the event, reflect, and move on. In that sequence, the thread tying it all together is one

big chore. Absent from that mindset is the idea that we are called to serve gratefully.

To truly be a student council, we must look beyond the routine chores and allow ourselves to really serve others. If we expand our minds to the possibility that we are doing more than completing a series of seemingly end-less checklists, we open ourselves up to put on an event that is really meaning-

ful where we can end up gaining more than we give as expressed by the gratitude of others. It’s a W.E.I.R.D. idea, but it just might be the one to refocus our efforts to the serving side of our work—which is why we’re all here in the first place!

The 2014 National Conference on Student Activities will be held in Scottsdale, Arizona on December 5–7, 2014 based around the theme “Leadership Fiesta.” For program details go to www.nawd.com.

Getting W.E.I.R.D. with Leadership

Paul Landes of Greensburg-Salem HS retired as Executive Secretary in 1973 and was followed in that role by District 3 Director, Ken Marks of Upper St Clair HS. In 1975, Ken and I wrote the original How to Host a State Conference Handbook. New opportunities came my way as I served on a PASC middle level workshop staff (1972), co-directed a Na-tional Leadership Workshop (1975–1981), and became the director of the PASC high school leadership workshop at Kutztown University (1976).

The spring of 1977 was sig-nificant. In late March, NPHS hosted its first regional confer-ence; in early April my wife, Barrie and I were married; in May, when Ken Marks resigned to move to North Carolina, I

suddenly became PASC Execu-tive Director; and in June at the NASC Conference in Boston I was selected as a member of the NASC Executive Board.

Thirty-seven years later, individuals with whom I worked those early PASC and NASC years remain dear friends. Many have retired, George Meyer (Bethel Park HS advisor) passed away way too early, and Andy Costanzo and Edrene Wright remain as major contributors and men-tors on the PASC Executive Board. PASC membership and programs have grown; PASC is seen as a leading organization in the nation for leadership development, middle level and high school student leaders within it play major roles and have a significant voice in every

decision that is made.

The challenges today in educa-tion are great and the impor-tance of leadership education and leadership development is as important today as it has ever been. The goal, as we move forward, is to constantly find new opportunities and tools, borrowing from the past and forging new ones to meet the needs of today’s student leaders and their advisors and administrators. Under the steady guidance of PASC Assistant Executive Director Kathy Coll and new Execu-tive Director RoseAnn Fulena, there is no doubt that PASC will remain a strong influence in the arena of student activi-ties and will grow in size and the depth of contributions in this field in the Commonwealth

and in the nation.

My thanks go to each student and adult member of the PASC Executive Board past and present, workshop staff members, members of the Pennsylvania Department of Education, Pennsylvania State Board of Education, and Na-tional Association of Student Councils. I am indebted to you for your support, encour-agement, and wise counsel over these many years. I look forward to continuing to work with PASC in my new role as Executive Director of the National Association of Work-shop Directors (NAWD) as we work to strengthen networking and educational opportuni-ties for activity advisors and to advocate for student activities across the nation.