Using the title, “Mission: I’m Possible,” members of the Southwest Washington American Red Cross Youth Council trained 56 “agents” during the 5th annual Leadership Development Conference held March 3rd and 4th at Thomas Jefferson Middle School.
Participants and instructors were all students from area high schools. In addition to attending team-building, communication, diversity, and leadership workshops, 23 students were trained in CPR and the use of an automated external defibrillator (AED). Another 21 students became first-aid certified.
The Youth Council designed the two-day event around a spy theme parody of “Mission: Impossible.” Attendees were given an initial mission via video recording by Vancouver Mayor Tim Leavitt the morning of the first day.
Later the same day, the mayor spoke in person to all LDC participants about leadership and answered students’ questions. Each attendee was assigned to one of four teams, which were designed to mix together people from all ten high schools represented.
Students worked through assignments to earn advances in rank leading to becoming full-fledged Red Cross “agents” by the end of the second day.
Members of the Youth Council were responsible for almost every aspect of the two-day conference, including the curriculum outline, scheduling, and providing instruction to their peers.
The major event sponsor was Quantum Residential (Gary O’Connell). Other sponsors included Carolee’s Assisted Living (Carol Fox) and the American Red Cross.
Participants represented the following high schools: Mountain View, Camas, Prairie, Hudson’s Bay, Fort Vancouver, Columbia River, Union, Skyview, La Center, and Benson Polytechnic (Portland).
Jim Boline, SW Washington Media Team
Filed under: American Red Cross Month, Youth Council Tagged: | AED certified, American Red Cross, Benson Polytechnic High School, Camas High School, Carol Fox, Carolee’s Assisted Living, Columbia River High School, CPR certified, First Aid, Fort Vancouver High School, Hudson's Bay High School, LaCenter High School, Mayor Tim Leavitt, Mountain View High School, Prairie High School, Quantum Residential, Red Cross Youth, Skyview High School, Thomas Jefferson Middle School, Tim Leavitt, Union High School
