It was an exhausting day (as to be expected at a State Student Council Conference). I was up at 6:30 after about 5 1/2 hours sleep and was anticipating heading over the the Conference after a quick shower…2 1/2 hours later I was finished with all of the E-Mail correspondence that had come in in the last 36 hours. On the plus side, I had also booked 2 speeches for the next few months, so it was certainly a nice way to get pumped for a day of Leadership.
The students and staff here are exceptional. They’re on top of their game and know what they’re doing. In the morning I was “adopted” by some great students at La Cueva High School in Albuquerque. Solid energy and good spirits! If you’re out there, thank you for the adoption.
But I have to say my best memory of the day (and probably the memory I’ll take with me for years to come) was during a rousing game of Stella-Ella-Olla! I was sitting down chatting with some of the Manzano High School Student Senate who were helping to make the Conference run when they asked me for some icebreaker games to try out. So after teaching them the greatest game of all time, “Mafia” which as always was a big hit, I asked if they liked “Stella-Ella-Olla”. I was met with a bunch of blank faces. I couldn’t believe it. Somehow the phenomenon of Stella-Ella-Olla that seemed so prevalent around North America had evaded this State.
After teaching them the game, they seemed hooked but I didn’t realize my impact until several hours later. In a clumsy move, I had left my jacket in the cafeteria after dinner. When I went to retrieve it, I walked in and began going towards my jacket when I heard loud chanting going on. It was Stella-Ella-Olla going on en masse with some 30-40 people participating. What was really awesome for me to see, was how a simple game I taught students was able to impact them in a way where they were able to and WANTED to share it with their council and keep the energy going.
When I come into a school or Conference, I run my speech and I run my workshops, but I’m never able to see the after-effects of what I do and actually observe students using my teachings when I’m not there. With my keynote speech for the State Conference tomorrow morning, it was the kind of scene that truly Motivates me and makes me believe in the impact I can make.
Off to bed with one of the more important speeches of my life to come!
***SIDE NOTE*** during dinner, a Staff Member mentioned to me that there is a fast food chain here in New Mexico called, “Twisters” that serves non-seasoned curly fries. Now, if you know anything about me, you know that non-seasoned curly fries is my favourite food in the world, but is also my unicorn. A mythological food that I have searched the world for and have only been able to find at Hooters’ Restaurants. I have won bets with people that non-seasoned curly fries are not available ANYWHERE. If this place truly has this yummy and wonderful treat, there is a chance I will shed a tear and move here permanently. I don’t know what I’m more excited about…my speech tomorrow, or the possibility of seeing and eating my unicorn.