On November 9, the Executive Student Council met with nine other high school student councils from across the state in North Haven, Connecticut at a leadership conference hosted by the Connecticut Association of Schools (CAS).

According to its website, CAS is a private, non-profit organization whose “purpose is to improve the learning of every student in Connecticut by contributing to the improvement of elementary and secondary education.”

The Executive Student Council attended the meeting to use the leadership network the state has provided in order to better the schools and make kids more collaborative.

The five council members and Student Activities Director Russ Crist, who also attended, were eager to come back to the high school and share their findings with the class councils, their peers, and teachers, to see how they can make the high school a better environment.

“This is a really good way to gain experience, to work with kids from other schools, and for us to learn new things to bring back and make this school a better place,” Crist said.

This event not only demonstrated ways to help the school environment, but also strengthened the bond of the council members.

“We basically learned about how to interact with others in a respectful way and how to take action in our schools,” Executive Vice President Internal senior Pei Chao Zhuo said.

The students had a chance to talk with guest speakers such as a Yale employee that partners with Facebook to make a more positive school environment for the typical U.S. high schooler. There were various other guest speakers that talked about leadership and positivity.

“So, the state is making a lot more opportunities for students to learn about leadership, to learn about service, and how to learn about how to incorporate all students in their school. So those hands-on experiences are passed down to me. I really encourage more students to take part,” Crist said.

As the next leadership meeting’s date is uncertain, students from the first meeting will incorporate their learning to better the school’s culture. For any questions on the leadership event, student council, or how you can help out the school community please contact Crist or any of the student council members.