A decades-old statewide leadership program for Oklahoma middle and junior high students is experiencing a significant drop in participation, sparking concerns about its future accessibility for young leaders.
The Oklahoma Association of Middle and Junior High School Student Councils conference, designed to foster leadership skills and confidence, has seen its numbers dwindle. Organizers attribute the decline to factors including the lingering impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, increased expenses for schools, and logistical challenges like transportation and overnight travel.
“To see it decline, it really hurts my heart,” said Jamie Maupins, a teacher at Newman Middle School in Skiatook and an organizer with the association. “Leadership is very, very close to my heart because I truly believe every student can be a leader.”
Maupins recalled when she first hosted the conference, over 30 schools and approximately 300 to 400 students attended. This year, participation has fallen to around 15 schools. Newman Middle School and Pansy Kidd Middle School in Poteau have been instrumental in organizing the conference in recent years.
Declining Participation Impacts Student Development
For students who have attended, the conference offers a valuable experience beyond a typical school trip. It provides a platform to connect with peers from different communities, cultivate leadership abilities, and build self-assurance outside the traditional classroom setting. Addi Barrett, who attended as a shy sixth grader, found her voice through the program.
“I was very quiet when I was a little sixth grader,” Barrett said. “So just me speaking there, like it really got me to open up in everything.”
The conference typically features speakers, breakout sessions, and activities aimed at equipping students with practical leadership techniques they can implement in their own schools. Ellie McCullough highlighted the breakout sessions as a particularly beneficial aspect of the experience.
“You get to learn all the leadership qualities and how to use them in real life,” McCullough said. These skills are crucial for students as they progress. The opportunity for students to learn about student leadership is a core benefit.
Challenges and Future Outlook
The pandemic forced the conference to halt for two years, disrupting its continuity. Now, schools face the added burden of covering costs associated with transportation and overnight stays, with students sometimes needing to fundraise to attend. The distance students travel, occasionally hours across the state, can also present a hurdle.
Organizers express concern that a continued drop in participation could deprive future students of essential opportunities to forge connections with peers from outside their immediate communities and develop skills that extend into high school and beyond. Barrett emphasized the importance of the confidence gained through the conference, stating, “I think people would slowly lose confidence as they go on because it really helped me gain a lot of my confidence I have today.”
Despite their current high school status, both Barrett and McCullough plan to return to this year’s event. They intend to assist with breakout groups and share their experiences with younger attendees, aiming to give back to a program that significantly boosted their confidence and ensure a new generation of Oklahoma students receives the same developmental chance.
This year’s conference is scheduled for November. Information on how schools can participate or how community members can support the program is available through the Oklahoma Association of Middle and Junior High School Student Councils. For further details, individuals can contact Jamie Maupins at [email protected].
The challenges faced by this leadership conference echo broader discussions about educational programs and leadership development, even in fields like AI. This situation also highlights the importance of programs that build confidence, similar to how some experts have praised police leadership in reducing crime.
