Photo Credit: CHARLIE BLODNIEKS
BY CHARLIE BLODNIEKS
Frequently, leadership-position holding teenagers feel overworked. They join clubs for the purpose of looking good on a resume or application, but ignore the true purpose of such an organization. School clubs, in and of themselves, are self-sufficient institutions, requiring dedicated individuals to be a catalyst for success. There are demands of a club that must be met; someone has to organize meetings, events, fundraisers, and handle the financial implications of such endeavors. To even make these obviously beneficial organizations run, there’s a lot of time and effort that must be put in. But time and time again, these positions are highly undervalued, and thus, their leadership effectiveness suffers. Extracurricular activities should be led by those passionate about the program, yet these positions continue to be underappreciated.
Comparative success in school has slowly evolved from getting mostly A’s to getting only A’s, joining excessive numbers of clubs, holding multiple leadership positions, and doing hundreds of hours of community service. Obviously a flaw exists in this logic – but where? Priorities have blurred, and suddenly some students have found themselves leaving behind what they love in pursuit of a prestigious college application. However, a prestigious college application shouldn’t be the prime motivator. Leadership positions are designed very simply: these individuals are the backbone of the organization, planning and implementing events and making sure the members are informed. Giving so much of your time and effort to a club should be for something you care about. All too often, though, passion is put second to status, and is dropped altogether when the two are in conflict. Students should partake in what they care about, and in taking up a leadership position, meet the demands with enthusiasm.
When a student runs for office, they are expected to have some sort of knowledge of what the job requires. Much like an after-school job, a leadership position requires time, effort, and dedication. Most importantly, a leadership position needs to take some kind of priority. The benefits of a well-run organization can be seen nearly universally, whether it’s an organization like Key Club giving back to the community we’re a part of, or an LGBT Club giving kids confidence to accept themselves. To even dream of reaching these benefits, clubs require dedicated officers, and any person with a basic understanding of the school club hierarchy would concur. All too often, people don’t see the true merit of holding a leadership position, which is having a strong say in something you care about deeply. The demanding nature of such positions fades into nonexistence when you only see the position as a chore.
Taking on a leadership position, whether it’s President or Historian, teaches you imperative skills and gives you a basic understanding of the intricate nature of running an organization. Holding and dedicating yourself to a leadership position can boost your sense of accomplishment, teach team building and communication skills, and give you a background on your area of interest. Not only are these skills invaluable, it has also been found that high school students with a leadership position are more likely to enter managerial positions in the workplace. While the temptation to “pad your resume” may be strong (as the fear of not getting into your college of choice is evident), telling a story and loving what you’ve done gives you a far better, more substantial application and self-fulfillment than a laundry-list of titles you claim to hold.
While some teens feel overworked, some rise to the challenge and drive a club they love to do which is something truly great. Students need to be dedicated to the leadership position they’re in. College applications should come second to interests, because putting something you love above something with “status” will always lead you to where you need to be – and you never know when you’ll be the one with the passion to give your legacy a status. Clubs are self-sufficient, and leading them to greatness requires a love and a drive. The bottom line is this: leadership positions aren’t too demanding so long as you recognize the motivations, methods, and implications of taking one on.
