| INTRODUCTION
The MASC Summer Leadership
Conference is designed to teach the principles of effective leadership
through a practical, hands-on approach. Students will have the
opportunity to meet and make new friends from all over Massachusetts.
Attendance at the MASC Summer Leadership Conference will help
each student realize their potential as a leader and develop crucial
self awareness skills. The conference will be held at Stonehill
College. The five day conference will run from July 8th - 12th,
2008 (Tuesday - Saturday). The conference concludes on Saturday,
July 8, 2008 promptly at 10:30 AM.
Our goal is to bring
out the best in each student attending the MASC Summer Leadership
Conference. Throughout the week students will be exposed to many
different models of leadership. In turn, this will help them identify
and develop a model of leadership to use when they return to their
schools.
CURRICULUM
As in years past,
we will be offering a multilevel curriculum, with students being
placed according to their years of attendance at our annual summer
conference. Traditional skills of communication, organization,
and problem solving will be taught. The three levels of the MASC
Leadership Conference are:
Year 1 – Basic Level
The first year attendees
will learn about themselves as leaders. The curriculum will include
an introduction to communication, team building, group process,
problem solving and self-awareness. Through Powerskills and council
groupings, students will be exposed to new approaches in leadership.
Attendees will benefit from large and small gatherings to test
the theories of group and individual dynamics of student government.
During the week, students are faced with obstacles and challenges,
inspiring them to use their leadership skills to find workable
solutions. Students will return with strengthened leadership methods
and ideas to share with their school community.
Year 2 – Intermediate
Level
Second year attendees
are exposed to more challenging experiences at MASC. The focus
lies on preparing the students at this level to hold positions
of leadership in their schools and at the regional and state levels.
Students are involved with creative problem solving initiatives
and Powerskill workshops to develop areas such as goal setting,
communication, and self-awareness. Students learn the importance
of understanding and appreciating the diversity of their fellow
council members and the use of evaluation when developing projects.
It goes without saying that the conference delegates will also
enjoy the friendship and bonding that has already developed from
their first year.
Year 3 – Advanced Level
Third year attendees
now get to practice what has been learned during the past two
years by implementing the new skills presented during the third
year. The curriculum is designed around the theory of the three
P’s: paper, people, and presentation. The third year students
will be asked to plan a self-directed project for their own school,
and by doing so, will learn how all of the pieces of planning
must be implemented to create successful projects and events within
their school. Included in the people piece is a role-playing activity
that focuses on the dealing with faculty and administration. Along
with planning their own self-directed project to take with them,
the students in the group will plan a camp event for which they
are responsible to facilitate and direct.
COUNCIL
GROUPS
Each SC is paired with
a JC and given a "council" made up of about 18 students,
randomly placed with a mix of students from different schools.
This group will work and grow together during the week as they
take on new activities and lessons.
STAFF
We are proud to have
have a student to staff ratio of 7 students to 1 staff member.
Our MASC Summer Leadership Conference Staff comprises some of
the finest educators and student leaders in New England.
Our 15 Senior Counselors
are experienced educators or private sector professionals with
many years experience in the role of advising and working with
high school students. Our 17 Junior Counselors are attending college
and have participated in the MASC Summer Leadership Program. Our
Senior and Junior Counselors have the necessary energy, drive,
and experience to work with all our MASC Summer Leadership Conference
attendees. Our counselors our also supported by an administrative
staff of 8 including a dedicated 24 hour on-site registered nurse
(RN).
All staff members have
successfully completed annual staff training and have been CORI
(Criminal Offender Records Inquiry) checked by the Massachusetts
Criminal History Systems Board.
HOUSING
/ MEALS
Delegates are housed
in traditional college dormitories. Nightly curfews are strictly
enforced by our staff to ensure delegates are safe and well rested
for the next days activities. Dorms are gender specific by floor
or wing, depending on the building assigned. Delegates are not
permitted to visit the floor / wing / dorm of the opposite gender
at any time. Access to the dormitory is by key card only, and
each room has its on separate key. A key deposit is required for
all keys.
Each delegate shares
a room with a delegate from a different school. Roommates are
selected randomly and we do not accept requests for specific roommates.
Roommates are an essential part of the conference experience and
help student develop inter-personal skills.
Stonehill has a wide
selection of food items at each meal. Both hot and cold options
as well as healthy choices are available for breakfast, lunch
and dinner. While there are healthy options, we do not police
what the students choose to eat at each meal. Our staff members
do their best to make sure each student eats enough and drinks
plenty of fluids; these students are leaders and we expect they
will make responsible choices at mealtime.
TRANSPORTATION
Each delegate
is responsible for finding his or her own transportation to the
conference. We STRONGLY DISCOURAGE A DELEGATE FROM DRIVING
HIS/HER SELF to the conference due to driver fatigue
on Saturday morning. We have had unconfirmed reports of students
falling asleep at the wheel when returning home from the conference.
If an adult cannot drive the delegate due to work on Tuesday,
we suggest allowing the delegate to drive to the conference, but
having a pair of adults available to pickup the car and delegate
for the drive home. Please check with your advisor to see if a
parent car pool can be arranged. If no other transportation can
be arranged, please contact Co-Director Vincent Crossman at camp@mastuco.net
and we will try to put you in contact with another delegate in
your area who may be able to give you a ride.
SAFETY
/ MEDICAL
Our
summer program boast a student to staff ratio of about 7:1 (7
students to 1 staff member). Students are engaged in group settings
from 8:00 AM - 11:00 PM, always facilitated or supervised by our
staff. In the dorms both during free time (about an hour each
afternoon) and at night, staff is assigned and resides on each
floor with students. Stonehill College also has its own 24 hour
professional police department.
Students
are provided with various ways to contact emergency help if necessary.
We hire a certified medical professional (RN or Paramedic). This
individual is with us 24/7 and his/her only responsibility is
our camp. He or she is visible at all general activities and have
a specified location during quiet times so students can access
help if needed. The Easton area has various hospitals that we
use when necessary. Students are transported by ambulance in case
of emergency; for non-emergencies, the medical staff or one of
our adult staff members will transport and stay with the student
until a parent/guardian arrives. Parents/Guardians are contacted
immediately if their child has repeated issues or medical concerns
or if at any time they are transported to a medical facility.
CONFERENCE
STORE
A conference store will be available on Wednesday at lunch. Delegates
may purchase t-shirts and other gifts for a nominal fee. We also
offer a hooded sweatshirt which is always very popular. It must
be pre-ordered in advance of the conference. ou can order your
hoodie online here. As always,
1 conference t-shirt will be provided at registration free of
charge.
COMMITMENT
Each
delegate is required to attend the entire conference. A student
who comes late or leaves early detracts from the entire group's
experience. Temporary dismissals are granted for extenuating circumstances
on a limited case-by-case basis at the discretion of the conference
co-directors.
REGISTRATION
Tuition for the MASC
Summer Leadership Conference is $335, a bargain for 5 days including
housing, food and program costs! Students should register by June
1, 2008. A $150 deposit will secure your place at the MASC Summer
Leadership Conference. Full and Final payments for MASC Summer
Leadership Conference must be received on or before June 23, 2008.
Download a registration
form here.
GO
EXPRESS!
After
you register, you will receive a packet of forms in the mail which
needs to be returned to the MASC office in Franklin, MA. Delegates
who return all forms in a timely manner will be designated as
"express" registrants, and will have a much shorter
wait time when coming to the conference on Tuesday morning. Parent/Guardians
are not required to bring their delegate to the conference, but
it is crucial that all forms are signed and on file. Delegates
without the proper paperwork will be required to obtain the paperwork
before coming into the conference.
|
