Awareness - A Huge Part of Leadership

Awareness is an absolute must in the equation for a good leader. An aware leader knows where the need for leadership exists and takes the necessary steps to meet that need. Another aspect of awareness in a leader is the realization that everyone has different capabilities. Simply put, there are some things a person isn't as good at. A true leader realizes their strengths and looks for opportunities to use those strengths.

In our community there are many leaders some public and some less known. Atchison has been gifted with many great leaders that have made this town a place to call home. The city has a local government which works to make Atchison a safe and comfortable place to live. There are many in the community that we have seen that serve the community as well. The United Way, The Benedictine Sisters, and many others have a strong impact on our community in the most positive of ways.

To most effectively be aware to meet the need for leadership a transformational mentality is needed. When coaching leaders, I always point out the dangers of comparing themselves to previous leaders in the same position. This is especially a danger is the previous leader accomplished very little. It is very easy to go beyond someone who did not accomplish much. This can set the stage for mediocrity and failure.

Rather than compare to other leaders, I recommend observing many different leaders and noting their positive attributes, then make an effort to go beyond what they have done and achieve a new level of effectiveness.

Trash Bash

I have heard nothing, but good comments about our project!
I am so glad to have been a part of such a good thing that
happened in our community! I hope it is continued on and
more people get involved!

Swine Flu or H1N1 Virus


As of today there seems to be an effort to change the name of the instantly infamous "Swine Flu". Both Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack now insist the that this possible pandemic now be attractively labeled "H1N1 Virus", as a way to protect pigs; well not to protect pigs but rather to make sure they are still being eaten. The virus actually has a stronger link to an avian component.

Beyond the bickering of the newly named H1N1 Virus, there are many different complexities. Many around the world are fearing that globalisation is leading to the rapid spread of sickness such as the H1N1 Virus. While I have never considered sickness and disease arguments for protectionism, a primary concern is raised. Are countries doing the right thing to combat this illness? We cannot yet know this answer.

It is clear that there is a global effect from this virus that, by many accounts, originated near Mexico City. Yesterday, the NYSE declined because of fears of massive flu pandemic. Many countries are recommending that travelers avoid both Mexico and the US. This is sure to hurt travel related business in affected areas. The potential effects on the global economy could be very damaging.

On a global scale this virus must be addressed. But more specifically it is national, state, and local governments that have to work together to ensure that a community is prepared to deal with a potentially massive outbreak of the flu.

On our very own local scale, it is vital that the Atchison community have a plan in place. In times of fear and stress leadership is needed more than ever before. There is a need for community leaders to take a proactive approach to have a plan in place.

Lucca Living Leadership

Recently I returned from a very successful week in Ponte A Moriano, Lucca, Italia at the Lucca Living Leadership Program which was at beautiful Villa Boccella.

This was a truly amazing opportunity to meet people from all over the world. There were attendees from the UK, Holland, South Africa, India, Macedonia, Ireland, and the US.

It is amazing that people from so many different backgrounds are there to meet the need for leaders in our world.

Trash Bash Review

I just wanted to express my excitement towards the overall success of the trash bash.

We were so lucky to have weather that turned out ok for the day.

It was great to see various members of Leadership Atchison taking ownership in their tasks. I look forward to having a discussion that constructively evaluates the weekend as a whole.

Trash Bash- Student Involvment

I have placed painted boxs all around campus. The dorm RA's are going to be helping with sign ups. Dorms seem to be really excited about this! Scholastica Hall has already filled their box and they are starting on another one. This is great and it is the responce we were looking for!

SIFE Regionals

Hello friends,

I will be leaving tonight to go to Dallas Tx, to take part in the SIFE Regional compition. I will be talking to people there about the trash bash, and seeing if people have done things like this before and getting ways to improve in the future. I hope to learn alot from this experiance.

Global Financial Summit

This weekend Benedictine College school of Business is hosting a
Global Financial Summit. There will be a panel discussion on Saturday
that will be very interesting. I believe you have to register to attend, but
here is the link to check it out!

http://www.benedictinebusiness.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=73&Itemid=78

progress

I am looking for boxs to place around campus and in Atchison schools to collect recyclables. We are making progress.

IMPORTANT PRESS RELEASE

Here's a quick press release I through together for an WTO expert giving a presentation tomorrow at 4 PM:


World Trade Expert to Speak at Benedictine College (Wednesday, March 25, 2009)

Benedictine College’s Thomas M. Hoenig Student International Business Council (SIBC) will host Irina Nicolaevna Kireeva-Dudley, an international lawyer with expertise in the World Trade Organization, on Thursday, March 26. Her presentation, titled “The Functions and Purpose of the World Trade Organization,” is set for 4 p.m. in Westerman Auditorium that afternoon. The event is free and open to the public.

Kireeva-Dudley has been an associate lawyer at O’Connor & Company in Belgium since 2002. She has provided legal advice and expertise as well as technical assistance on World Trade Organization (WTO) law in the areas of agriculture, sanitary measures, technical barriers, intellectual property and European Community general food law. She is well versed in the current round of negotiations in the WTO, known as the Doha Round. She also has had experience in Thailand, Kenya, China, Rwanda, Kazakhstan, Tanzania, Swaziland, and Russia.
The WTO is the only global organization dealing with the rules of trade between nations. At the core of the WTO are agreements that are negotiated and signed by a majority of the world’s trading nations. The WTO aims to help producers of goods and services as well as assist exporters and importers conduct their business.

Dr. Michael King, Chair of the School of Business at Benedictine College, shared his outlook for this Thursday’s presentation.

“First of all she brings an expertise in two areas, one is the WTO and the other is agricultural issues from trade to national security on agriculture,” he said. “She also has practical legal expertise and extensive publishing accomplishments. We are pleased to have her on our campus and encourage everyone to come.”

Anthony Martinez, chairman of the SIBC, also expressed his anticipation for the presentation.

“Having an awareness of the WTO and the factors surrounding it are vital in our increasingly globalized world,” he said. “This presents an amazing opportunity to take learning beyond the classroom experience and hear from someone who deals with the WTO and international law directly.”

The Thomas M. Hoenig Student International Business Council is known for its international business consulting projects and internships. It is united with Benedictine College in enhancing the education of individuals through faith and scholarship. The council develops the human person in all dynamics through discovery experiences and servant leadership. The SIBC models business excellence on all levels of commerce.

The Arts

The Arts have been a great part of my life. I can remember the first CD I ever really bought, embarrassingly enough it was Hanson's "Middle of Nowhere," but looking back on feeling the passion of the music, it really struck me and I believe carried on to what I am today. I've been playing the guitar for several years now and am currently both teaching guitar lessons and running my own recording studio. I was in a band named "Glory Blue" where we recorded two albums and toured and played lots of shows (www.myspace.com/glorybluemusic). From my studies in the music program and involvement in choir at Benedictine College, and through my experience with music, I find great joy in all different kinds of music and find that I can appreciate every kind of music from country to rock to rap. Having this appreciation for music, I can look at other arts and see the passion people put into them. While I may not have a great knowledge about different styles of painting or different ways of acting, I can see that there is great beauty in that passion and fulfillment from the arts. This also has given me a better outlook on life in general by being able to look at people and appreciate their differences in opinions and culture. So ya, that's the arts for me. Cheers!

The art museum

The art museum.

Arts

How arts has influenced my life is that I did play the clarinet when I was in Elementary School. I love to listen to music because each song has a true meaning about life in one way or another. I think that arts can be something that you are passionate about and that you really like. Which I'm very passionate about basketball I just really love the game and the atmosphere of it.

Arts

How the arts influence my life?

Arts have had a indirect influence on my life. I played the clarinet in the 5th and 6th grade, and that is the most direct connection to the arts. If poetry is considered an art, I used to write poetry in middle school and I was actually published in a book that my teacher wrote. The biggest impact the arts have had in my life is the music that I listen to. I enjoy listening to all kinds of music, from old school rock & roll to rap. I constantly have my mp3 player on me and I listen to music while I walk from class to class. I like the kind of music that tells a story, and music I can learn lessons from. I had a more direct connection with the arts earlier in my life, but arts in the form of music still have a big influence in my life.

Project

We need to get our marketing materials to print as soon as possible. What do we have planned for that? Posters? Flyers? Let me know and I can see who the Chamber uses for printing.

Also, I spoke with Jerry Sanders at Wal-Mart and he said that they would be happy to take the plastic bags that we collect. We just need to let him know more details as soon as we have them.

Also, on April 2nd Rita from the Beautification committee would like to present what we are doing to the Rotary Club. I would love to have a couple people come and speak with myself and Rita. We meet at 12:00 at the Heritage Conference Center. You will have lunch and then present and will by done by 1:00.

Thanks so much.

Arts!

How the arts influence my life? I enjoy listening to music, all kinds of music from country to rock. When I was eight years old I started to take dance classes, which I continued to do until I was 18. I did tap dancing, jazz and some ballet. My favorite was definitely by far tap dancing. But in order to improve my tap dancing skills I was instructed to take jazz and ballet. Doing dance for so long helped me learn about myself and gave me discipline. It also helped me learn how to manage my time especially in high school. I always thought it was fun to perform dances, because it was a sense of accomplishment. I think that art is was more important part in my life in high school then now, but I still enjoy listening to music and occasionally watching a play.

-Candace Walker

Arts

The arts in my life are few, but those that I have gotten involved in I have been completely committed to. I took dance from the time I was three to 18 when I graduated from high school and even after that when I would come back from college I would go back to the studio. I took all types of dance tap, jazz, ballet, pointe, etc. I loved ballet and pointe the most. It taught me a lot throughout my life, how to take instruction, be disciplined and overall I loved doing it.

I have experienced many types of art though, I have been to Broadway plays, musicals, the symphony, operas, ballets, and many more. I have great respect and love going to the different types of art. I think it makes you open your eyes to so many other peoples talents and makes you appreciate what they do so much more.

Global Financial Summit

Hi everyone! Below is a great event that shouldn't be passed up!

Mark your calendars!

April 4 – Global Financial Summit

The School of Business and the International Business Advisory Council will host a series of public sessions focusing on national and international business, finance, and security.

The Arts

The Arts

The arts are a very important aspect of my life. Since the 7th grade I have taken private vocal lessons 2-3 times a week and been in a select traveling choir called the Nebraska Choral Arts Society. I have had the opportunity to preform many solo concerts and to learn to sing in French, Italian, German, Polish, Spanish and Latin. I have also been involved in a traditional Gregorian Chant choir at my home parish that practiced sometimes up to 3 times a week. That was quite a learning experience because Gregorian Chant was some of the first music ever written down on paper, and my! things have changed! I participated in many music camps and I still enjoy picking up any instrument and exploring it.

As you can see the arts are dear to my heart, I honestly believe that they changed who I am as a person. I also believe that the arts are a very important part of binding a community together. The above picture is the picture of my select choir. The arts created a family and many good friends. It also taught me leadership. As freshman entered the choir and seniors left, we learned to step up and help the younger kids with anything they needed.

Exploration of the Arts

This week we are going to explore the arts of Atchison. In my life the arts are very important. I enjoy listening to music and love to sing. In high school I was in a traveling honor choir, pep band, marching band, etc. How do the arts influence your life?

Volunteering

Many people volunteer everyday, for example to help out their community, to help the poor, or to tutor people in school. Volunteering can impact your life in many different ways and not all people get the same satisfaction for volunteering their time to help someone that may be in need. I think that people who do volunteers their time not only impacts them but the people they help impacts them too.

Volunteering

---Just wanted to let everyone know the girls won so they play here at 7 on Fri against Avilla.. Also the guys play tomorrow at 7 at William Jewell.


--- I also think volunteering is a good idea not only because it looks good on a resume but the feeling you get when you do it is par none. Also even though you might not realize it when you are doing it you are learning things also, that you can carry over to the next time you lead someone or even a group of people.

Info

I was talking with my mom and she said that the community that I am from in Omaha is also going to have a big cleaning day but it is going to be during our spring break so I am planning on helping with that and maybe stealing some ideas from it!! Also my friend is not able to DJ but I am going to ask the school if we can use there sound system.

Volunteering

Here is the topic for this week. Volunteering is extremely important to the success of many organizations. What are some of the motivating factors of why people volunteer? Some examples may be to be a change agent, to get to know their community, or to donate their professional skills.

Project Planning

For my weekly post this week, I've decided to go back to a topic discussed a few weeks ago. I didn't get a chance to answer this question at that time, so I'm doing so now. So what do I think project planning is and why is it important?

Project planning is an incredibly important task that needs to be undertaken by a leader. The leader must look at what needs to be done and delegate the tasks between the other members of the team. He should make sure that everyone is doing their own share and that everyone is doing the best job possible.

For me, I'm sure like everyone else, I've had the opportunity to plan a lot of different projects where it was necessary to go through this listing and delegation period. One example that comes to mind is my Discovery Day Project last year, the "Blue Room Compilations." Myself and Stephonne Singleton undertook the project together and decided we wanted to make a CD of all the different musical artists on campus. In order to do this, we had to figure out all the different things that needed to be done. We had to make sure we had all the equipment necessary, find the people to be on the CD, make sure we had the proper funding from the Discovery Day Committee, prioritize and make time for the project, find people to do the graphic design and website, find the cheapest prices for duplication, plan a CD release party, and actually do all the recording, mixing, and mastering, among many other things. By splitting these tasks up and making sure we put all forth all our efforts, we were able to make a quality project.

Leadership Teams

I have been on many teams that required me to step up and be a team player/leader. I have been involved with many things through church, my hobby of horse back riding and school.
I think that the best example is when I had to plan a trip to Washington DC for 600 youth. As a team it took a lot of cooperation and team work.


ALSO: I wanted to call to everyone attention the following opportunity:
Thursday 8 p.m. - Cray Lecture in the Haverty Center. Jeff Berghoff, a young businessman from Scottsdale, Ariz., will talk about his business and the entrepreneurial spirit in his presentation “Youth as an Entrepreneurial Advantage”

Teams I have been on

In high school I was able to play 3 sports all 4 years, and my Junior year I was on the varsity basketball team. Although we had three seniors on the team they where not leaders. Along with the seniors it was our new coaches first year as the coach of the program so it was all new to him also. Our school had a reputation as being one of the best basketball programs in the state. But because of lack of leadership we went 0-21 that year. The following year we as seniors made it a goal to do better leading the younger kids in our program and teaching them how to practice and win. So I think being in situations where there was lack of leadership has helped me just rise to the occasion because I have had first hand experience that every team needs a leader.

Benedictine College School of Business

and the

Thomas M. Hoenig Student International Business Council

cordially invite you to attend a

Lucca Leadership Weekend

WELCOME & NETWORKING RECEPTION

Friday, March 6, 20095:30pm - 7:30pm

Benedictine College Legacy Hall Lounge1020 North 2nd Street (corner of Second St. & Mound St.)Atchison, KS

Meet and greet with Tim Munden and the team from Lucca Leadership North America (LLNA). Tim is Chairman of LLNA and also a Vice President at Unilever.

Lucca Leadership is a non-profit organization dedicated to the development of young leaders who will bring about change for good in their communities, societies, and beyond. The independent organization operates globally from five countries and brings the best of traditional leadership development together with modern research and experiential learning techniques. Hors d’oeuvres and drinks will be served.

For more information on this event, please contact the
School of Business at (913) 360-7426.

Weekly Post: Teams

What kind of teams you have been on and how has it helped you and made you a better leader?

Throughout my life, I've been on many different kinds of teams. From athletics to jobs to clubs to group projects, I've had plenty of experience seeing what a team really means.

I can remember all the way back to gradeschool soccer, baseball, and basketball teams when the best player on the team was usually the leader. Because that one person had the most experience or talent in the sport, they were usually the person that others looked to for help. In many cases, though, this doesn't prove to be the point. The leader on the team can be anyone from the coach to the guy who rides the bench. A leader has to be the one getting the team fired up, whether it be through words or actions, out in front or behind the scenes. The leader is the one who puts the time in and gives everything he has so he can become the best he can be for the betterment of his team.

One example in particular comes to mind with athletic teams. When I was a sophomore in high school, I was privileged to be a part of the Missouri State 4A Golf Champion team. As we went through the season, leadership shifted many different times. At the beginning of the season, our coach was the one who brought us together and encouraged us to push each other to be the absolute best we could be. As the season continued, I picked up a lot of the leadership. Being the youngest member on the team, I pushed the other guys by practicing unceasingly and making them fear me because they didn't want to be beaten by a sophomore. As we neared the State Championship, two of our other players, Zach and Justin, started playing absolutely lights out. When the two day state tournament started, they led us to victory with record-breaking scores. They showed me that if you do your job well and better than anyone else, people have no choice but to follow you.

Electronics Recycling Truck

I talked with Ed Henry with Twin Valley Developmental Services regarding bringing a truck to Atchison for our event. He is the guy that comes through Atchison and collects electronics from BC once a year. He said he is going to check to make sure the date will work for him and get back with me.

His company recieves a grant from the state to provide the recycling service so this would be free to all individuals who bring their personal electronics to be recycled. If businesses want to bring their electronics though, they will have to pay a fee of $10 for TV's and $5 for moniters. Everything else they businesses can drop off for free.

He said that they will take anything electronic but people will have to fill paperwork out when they drop it off. I don't think there is much paperwork. So far, this seems like the best option. I talked to Brian Handke and he said that everybody that he talked to wanted to charge everybody to drop off items. Anyway, I didn't commit to anything with the guy and when he calls me back, I will post any new information that I get.

Lucca Leadership North America Reception

I am pleased to invite each of you to a very special reception Friday, March 6th for Tim Munden and his team from Lucca Leadership North America (LLNA). This event promises each of you an opportunity to learn about Lucca Leadership, an internationally known leadership organization.

The reception is from 5:30-7:30 in the new Legacy Lounge in the new apartments on campus. There will be food and drinks for all to enjoy. I hope to see you there!

-Anthony J. Martinez

Weekly Post

I didn't see a question posted for this week...

I have been talking about our "Trash Bash" with a few people and they seem interested and excited about it! We need to start advertising and looking for volunteers for the day by our next class I would think. We need to get some posters and flyers up around town so that people can mark it down on their calendars!

Food Info

As regards to our project, I have inquired with a friend whose father is a bread man. He has told me that he can get us as many hamburger buns as we needed for our "Trash Bash." I have also called my contact at my hometown Burger King but am awaiting reply.

Project Planning

What is the most important aspect of project planning?

I believe that planning is a vital part of everyone's day. It is what keeps the world spinning around. Without plans we would all be unorganized and things would not get done. An important part of project planning is knowing what needs to be accomplished. It helps give people different stepping stones to make it towards their final goal.

- George Bazin

Project Planning

http://earth911.com/

The above is a website which will locate nearby recycling centers of virtually any type for you. I checked the Atchison area, and it is pretty thorough.


Project Planning

Speaking as a project manager here, I think there has been a bit of a misunderstanding about the differences between goals and projects. I'm not admonishing anyone- we're all guilty of this "Tunnel vision" from time to time.

Let me explain: A goal is an ideal, something that you want to see happen. For example, a goal would be "A cleaner greener Atchison." A project is a plan, perhaps one of many plans, to work towards that goal. The goal is by far the most important part of any project. If you do not have something to test against, something to work for, then you are doing work for its' own sake.

There have been a few posts that miss the point lately. You don't want a project to continue for years. A project needs to meet the measurable goals you set for it, and then end. I think the issue is that we started this class project without setting a clear goal. "Let's have a class project" was the goal, and now there is a bit of a lack of direction to the class.

We need to step back and evaluate what our goal for the class is. Is the goal to finish a project, or is it to improve the community? If the goal is to improve the community, let's say through recycling, how can we best shape our Earth Day project so that it affects Atchison long after we are done working on it?

What is our goal?

P.S. Stop being afraid to disagree! Real discussion doesn't happen until somebody is willing to voice a different opinion.

I think the most important aspect of project planning is having a good cause and being efficient in what you are doing to get the full meaning out of the project. A project needs to be something that can be built upon and continue on for many years. Having a good cause and working hard to make sure that the cause is well advertised and that everything in the event revolves around the cause so that the project is successful.

Project Planning?

This is my first post and I have not had a chance to read most of the previous ones. The event that we are trying to put together is of good value and has "good cause" written all over it. It will be a fun day where people will show up to support an environmental effort. I have a few questions that we should ask ourselves. Are we "event" planning or "project" planning? Event planning is what we are doing now. Organizing a day for activities at a venue for people to attend. The completion of a project should benefit the community and be sustainable. I believe we are planning an event and not putting together a project that will have a sustainable outcome. After the "Earth Day", what will happen next? If we are not planning to continue this, I do not see the point.

From what I have heard, the beautification committee has been doing something similar in the past so what will make our event that much more successful? If we think that putting together one day where people can bring used tires can help this town, then so be it. I do not want to put down this event because it is a good cause, but I think we should ask ourselves what is the goal of a leadership class? If we want to do a community service class, this event would fall right in. Is this what the community needs from a leadership class at a college? Community service is a part of leadership, but it would be better for our group to develop a forum for community service, rather than just one event.

As pertaining to recycling, Trinity Lutheran has started a program where you can sign up to have your recycling picked up at your home.

Also, Best Buy has started an electronic recycling program. Check it out.
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?type=category&id=pcmcat149900050025&DCMP=category&ref=36&loc=20

So this is my first blog!! Yeah not really sure what I am doing but here we go.. Good job in class so far we have come a long way, but we still have a lot of things to do.. I think the community will benefit a lot from this and fun will be had by all. The most important part of project planning is initiating.. I think starting something and finding people to help is the hardest thing to do.

Weekly Posts

What is the most important aspect of project planning?


I believe that planning is very important no matter what you do. I am a person that has to plan out my day! Project planning for anything is important, weather it be for a paper, trip, or our community project.

I think that an important aspect of project planning is that you know what you are getting yourself into. I believe that it helps set out a timeline and when deadlines need to be meet and if these deadlines are possible. Project planning will help show what needs to be done and who will get them done and by when.

-Candace Walker

Wednesday Meeting with the Beautification Committee

The Beautification meeting is Wednesday at 4:00 pm at the Chamber. Please don't be late. We will talk to them about what we are thinking for our project. I think that they will be open to suggestions, but we must be open to what they already have planned. I will be in a meeting with the Chamber Board and will be down for the Beautification meeting as soon as it is over. Please email me at ashley@atchisonautos.com if you have any questions.

Thanks!!! Ashley

Project Planning

What is the most important aspect of project planning?

Weekly Posts

Last week's post was about what kind of teams have you been on and how is helped you be a better leader?
Over the years I have been on many different teams, weather it be sports or school clubs.
In high school I was on the golf team, even though golf is an individual sport we were still a team and we supported each other, on and off the course! As a team, we helped each other out with golf skills such a putting (which I really needed help with the most) but we also helped each other when it came to school work. We were always there for each other. I feel that this helped me be a better leader because I knew that I would always have someone backing me up.

In college, I join the SIFE (students in free enterprise) my sophomore year. I joined to get more involved with the school and business programs. I am still currently in SIFE, because as a team we are "helping out one community at a time." In SIFE we are teaching others, weather it be elementary students or the elder, about simple business principles. Being part of this team has helped me become a better leader, because I am more confident in myself and by being part of this club I feel that I have started a great networking pool, which will hopefully become useful in the near future.

This week's posting-

I believe that if you have a goal about anything and you are serious about it, that makes you passionate which will eventually help you accomplish your goal. I believe that you can do anything you set your mind to! As a team, if one person is passionate about a goal and they are willing to show others why, then hopefully the others will become passionate about it as well. Accomplishing a goal is all about communication within the team as well making sure that all deadlines are meet on time!! There are so teams where you might not have the right people to accomplish the goals therefore you will need to find others to help out!! For a team to be successful I believe that everyone must have at least one MAIN common goal, communication and passion for what they are doing and passion for the reasons that they are doing it!! It's all about the teamwork and the team players!!

-Candace Walker

RECYCLING CENTER

I talked to Judy Payton, the director of the Recycling Center and it is open on every Saturday from 9:30 - 12:00. I explained our class project to her and asked about the possibility of having the center open on a Saturday afternoon, she said it would be better if it was in the morning, but did offer to run the center for the event from 10 - 2. She is going to send me a flyer covering items that are acceptable/unacceptable, I hope to have it in time to bring to class tonight.

Tires for Mulch

One of the fabulous women in our class thought of bringing in a company to turn used tires into mulch this Earth Day. This is a great idea. I priced how much they sell the stuff for, it runs about 15$ a square foot.
Here is a great article about using tires for mulch: http://toolmonger.com/2008/08/27/permanent-mulch-from-recycled-tires/

Here is the web-site of the company who makes the mulch. http://www.internationalmulch.com/ .

I see the benefits in the rubber mulch immediately. Every year my family orders a truck load of mulch to be dumped in our drive way, and every year we painstakingly spread it again and again spending more and more money as the wood chips shrink and decay. The minute that people invest in this mulch it starts paying for itsself!

I hope that we will be able to do something at our trash bash to incorporate the rubber mulch.

--
Emma Sawin

Weekly Post

Last weeks question was about what kind of teams you have been on and how has it helped you and made you a better leader?
I have been on many athletic teams in my life and school groups, but I think the one that has been most helpful for me has been Student Government here at BC. Over the past few years I have been on SG and that experience has helped me to become a better leader and has taught me how to lead a group efficiently and get things done. In college we all have very different schedules and agendas, by working with the others in my class we have to be flexible and get things done in a timely manner. Someone has to take the lead and get the ball rolling and I think I have learned how to get conversations started and moving.

This week we talk about tribes and the importance of building a coalition with your fellow members. Within a group it is vital that we all have the same ending goal and are able to work together to get there. If someone is not in line with everyone else it is going to bring the whole group down. The whole group needs to be open to everyone's ideas and work out the pros and cons of each. Building a strong team is important so that the team can really get to know one another and play off each others strengths and weaknesses.

Motivate-Connect-Leaverage

Author Seth Godin believes that a leader can help increase the effectiveness of the tribe and its members by transforming the shared interest into a passionate goal, provide tools to allow members to tighten their communications, and leverage the tribe to allow it to grown and gain new members. What do you think he means by this and how important is this concept to the ability to build a coalition.

Recycling

I read an interesting article in the Kansas City Star this morning. This explains how the current economic situation is affecting recycling. It doesn't talk about old computers and hardware like we discussed doing for our project in class but I am sure it will have an affect on that so we might want to research this a little.

http://www.kansascity.com/105/story/1024537.html

-Reed

Lucca Leadership North America

I hope those of you who were interested in the Lucca Leadership Weekend March 6-8th have finished filling out your applications. Please bring them to class on Wednesday. The Lucca Leadership weekend is such a great opportunity to take your leadership to the next level. Take a look at the Lucca Leadership website. I think you will like what you see.

http://www.luccaleadership.org/

-Anthony J. Martinez

Biography (Reed Berger)

My name is Reed Berger and I work in a family business in Atchison. I am the 4th generation working in our Leather and Textiles Company. We manufacture products such as knife sheaths and cotton aprons and also distribute leather raw material to companies that manufacture western goods, jean labels, and dog collars. We just finished up our 100th year in business in 2008.

I was born in Atchison and have lived here my entire life. Up until a few months after I graduated Kansas State in December of 2006, I lived with my parents in the same house since I was 1 year old. It is just up the street from my Grandparents house so I was very fortunate to be able to see my entire family on a daily basis growing up. I graduated from Atchison High School in 2002 and I have watched Atchison change over the years with community projects like the riverfront project, mall projects, and new schools being built.

I feel that Atchison is a very unique community that has much going for it. We have a strong support base of active community leaders who spend both time and money to improve the town for everybody that lives here. I look forward to working with everybody in this class to learn how other people perceive Atchison and how we can continue to improve the town to benefit everybody that lives here, including students.

A Nice Stroll through Downtown

It was an incredibly beautiful day today...around 60 degrees and sunny without a cloud in the sky. Winter, eh? Anyways, I had a couple of errands to run around town and figured I'd stay out for a while and walk around and enjoy the weather.

As I was walking around downtown, I found a lot of really cool things about Atchison I'd never seen or experienced before. First, one of the reasons for my journey, I needed to get a zipper fixed on a coat so I found the only tailor in town, a nice little Asian lady named "Chubby." Who knew? And she said she'd fix my jacket for twenty five bucks, a far cry from the forty I was going to be charged back at home in St. Louis!

After visiting Chubby, I 'took a stroll.' While I was walking, I really noticed how beautiful the downtown area is and how underused it seems to be. The thoughts of apartment housing and a vibrant night life came to mind...I think we could actually make downtown Atchison into something much more special than it already is. No immediate ideas right now, just seeing visions of grandeur.

So I stopped in to Ball Brothers, a nice little old time drug store with a restaurant. Who would have guessed that I could get a delicious Cookies n' Cream milkshake and a Cheese Tenderloin sandwich for a little over five bucks?!? The ladies working were so cordial and I had a blast "shootin the breeze" with them. I soon made my way to the local library to pick up some tax forms, but also ended up getting a library card and renting a couple of documentaries. Free movie rentals! Just think of all the money I've spent renting movies from netflix and Movie Gallery when I could have been getting them for free at the library!

Anyways, I greatly enjoyed Atchison today and was proud to say that I'm a member of the community and wanted to share a little bit of my day with everyone. Hopefully this finds you all doing well and enjoying the beautiful weather. Have a wonderful day!

---Justin

Chamber After Hours Tonight

Good Afternoon Everyone,

The Chamber After Hours is tonight from 5-7 at the Chamber. The Chamber is were we met our first night of class. After Hours is a chance for all the Chamber members to get together and catch up. Tonight a special invitation went out to all alumni of Leadership Atchison and our current class. Hope to see you all there!

Ashley

Bio and Atchison (Mick Hundley)

My name is Mick Hundley and I am the Development Director at Maur Hill - Mount Academy. I just finished my second year on the job, and it has been a very rewarding experience. I focus on fundraising for my high school by developing relationships with our alumni. I travel all over the country for work, and have met so many great people.
I was born and raised in Atchison, Ks. I graduated from Maur Hill Prep in 2002 and from the University of Missouri-Columbia in December 2006. After graduating from Mizzou, I was fortunate to be offered a job at my alma mater. It was a no-brainer for me to return back to my roots in Atchison. This is a great community, and I feel that my leadership qualities will continue to develop and broaden while I become an active member of the community.
Atchison is a very active town. Activities/events are constantly taking place in town. It is nice to see that happening. Atchison is also a place of opportunity in my opinion. There are good jobs in town, and extra-curricular opportunites to partake in. That is why I wanted to come back to Atchison. Involvement is the key. Leadership is very imprortant to me and I know this class will have an impact on me.

Teams

In our next class we will be discussing teams and how important they are in accomplishing tasks. What teams are you been on? What did you accomplish? What kind of impact did they have on your life?

The greatest team that I have been a part of was working with the Center for Civic Leadership. I learned a lot about leadership and what it takes to get things done. The biggest lesson was how to lead from within. No one was going to pull your weight, it was entirely up to you. We accomplished a lot and it was vary rewarding to be a part of a team that knew how to get things done.

The Inauguration and USA Service

Last week I had the opportunity to attend the inauguration of our 44th President, Barack H. Obama with some fellow BC students. It was truly an exciting occasion that I was fortunate to be at. I had never seen so many people in my life. There had to be close to 2 million people at the event. We had to wake up at 3 AM, just to get a decent spot. I wouldn't recommend standing in the cold for a whole day. Come to think of it, I don't think anyone there liked being in the cold all day. But the nearly two million in attendance saw something great, the peaceful transfer of power in democracy. What people saw, the inauguration of Obama as President, was possible because of a well managed grass roots campaign. That campaign relied upon a strong aspect of connectivity, mainly through the net. It also relied upon a huge network of volunteers around the country.

Fortunately the expertise of the Obama campaign is continuing into his presidency. It is continuing in a way that goes beyond the different political views of those in this great country and puts an emphasis on service. President Obama has introduced a grass roots effort to better the communities that we live in. I encourage each of you to check out USA Service at http://usaservice.org/content/home/. It is truly an amazing tool that enables people to host and find different community events around this country. This is a great leadership tool.

-Anthony J. Martinez

Weekly Post

I am looking forward to class tonight to work on choosing our class project!
I hope that we are able to find something that is somewhat interesting to everyone
and something that we will be able to see through from start to finish. I would like to
choose a project that will be around for years to come so that we can see Atchison and the
community grow and know that we have done something to give back to a place that
has given each of us something.

Atchison & Bio

This picture is a view of Atchison from historic Jackson Park. It presents a view of a town that is more scenic and more historical than other Kansas towns. This is one of my favorite views of the city.

Here we see the heart of Atchison from main street. In the distance you can see MGP. This is a view that so many BC students are used to seeing, as it is on the way to Wal-Mart.

To me, Atchison is a small Kansas town that goes beyond the common stereotypes of small town America. It is a very industrial town, but there are business aspects as well. People from around the world admire the quality of some of the large, stately, historic homes in this community.


I am originally from Topeka and am a senior majoring in International Business and plan on graduating this semester. I am blessed to have a great family back in Topeka. Community involvement has always been important to me throughout my life. In high school, I was involved in many different clubs and organizations. I was fortunate enough to be a member and President of the Topeka Youth Council, which acted as the mayor's youth advisory council. We advocated our agenda to the mayor and city council. As a member of the Topeka Youth Council, I was a founding member of the Topeka Shawnee County Youth Court. I was able to work my way up to being a judge.

While at Benedictine, I have been fortunate enough to be involved in many different organizations. I am the treasurer of the Young Democrats, Chairman of the Thomas M. Hoenig Student International Business Council (SIBC), and Vice President of the Hispanic American Leadership Organization (HALO). I am also a member of the Jimmy Martinez Chapter of the GI Forum and am on the team of Lucca Leadership North America (LLNA).

Perhaps my most significant involvement has been in the SIBC. I recently finished my term as President of the council, which exists to promote "Peace through Commerce". The organization works to do what is essentially international business consulting. It works to give students leadership opportunities that truly make a difference in the world, specifically with the aim of enhancing the capabilities of businesses that have socially responsible goals, particularly in the third world.

To me, leadership is a hard thing to define by words. I have traveled around the world to grasp what leadership is yet every time that I am asked what leadership is, I use different words to describe just what leadership is. I feel that to me leadership is many things. Leadership is awareness. Leadership is being patient. Leadership is being ethical. Leadership is knowing what to do in a given situation. Leadership is being humble. Leadership is knowing my own weaknesses. Leadership is empowering others to lead.

I am taking this class because I really do want to offer my skills and knowledge to the community. I also take this class with the knowledge that learning is a continual quest. I am aware of my own weaknesses and want to utilize this class as a means of improving my own capabilities to better lead.

-Anthony J. Martinez

What makes the Steelers Great?

Here is a great story about the leadership of the STEELERS owner Dan Rooney.
Is there any doubt who will win on Sunday? Go Steelers!

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/27/sports/football/27rooney.html?_r=1

When you get right down to it any town or city is the sum of it's people. These shown here, my children are only a fraction of what makes Atchison, Atchison. Every generation has a unique responsibility to only make the community we live a better place today, but a better place for the generation following. Those ideas have to be instilled in our children or we end up in a dead end as a community. There is so much potential in Atchison. Not only as a community but also as a beacon, to say this is how we should be living. For those how don't know me I'm Chris Sandlin shipping lead at Atchison by BIC. I've lived in Atchison for nine years now and have started becoming more active in the community.

Service Project

At our next class we are going to be deciding what our community service project should be for the semster. I have done a few service projects in my day. They are the kind of projects that can be great if they are done with passion and simplicity. Sometime projects are over thought and turn out to be such a monumentaly task that it never gets accomplished. Try to think about the greater good and what the community could really benefit from. I believe that this class will do something GREAT!

My name is Keith Jaloma. I have been working at BC for ten years and currently have two children attending the college. I have a third child at Butler and have three younger children. "Blessed beyond what I deserve" is how I describe my life.

My children are my most valuable asset. They should learn from me and my leadership abilities, time spent developing those skills and putting that skill to use.

There is a balance between quality time with the family and giving to the community. I have found the most successful people I know are involved in community service as a leader outside of their families.

Leadership is doing.

Atchison, KS

These pictures are maybe the two main things that you can do in atchison. Wal-Mart is one of the main places many college kids at least go here more than once a week sometimes even twice in the same day. The Royal Theatre is where you can go watch movies even though they only have two screens so if you don't want to go to Kansas and pay 10 dollars or more you can wait until the movie you want to see and only pay 6 dollars to get in.

My name is Allison Hallesy I'm a senior in college and my major is Business Adminstrtion with a concetraion in Human Resource mangament. What I hope to get out of this class is a better understanding of being a good leader and to learn more on how to become a better leader.

Their Atchison- Not Ours

Note: I apologize in advance for not including any pictures in this. I'm hoping that by substituting a few thousand words' worth of articles, I can paint a clearer picture of Atchison for you.

Atchison is a small Kansas town, population ~11,000 and slowly declining. It has a median income of 35,000 dollars per household. It has an average population distribution. It’s a small, quiet, conservative town where people will learn your name and use it, and where people will turn out in large numbers to preserve the name of Division Street, a relic of the segregation era. It is a town dominated by its Wal-Marts and chain restaurants.

In other words, it is just like any other town in Kansas. It is unremarkable. Oh, there’s history if you dig deep enough. The town has its heroes, some beautiful architecture, even a few major tourist traps. I hear we have a pretty nice College somewhere around here.

But here’s the thing- that’s not Atchison. Atchison isn’t the BC students or the business leaders or the Chamber of Commerce. We live and move in a different world from the majority of people in this small town, and we’d do well to remember that.

The real Atchison community is defined by a quiet struggle to survive, day in and day out. It’s no jungle out there, but it isn’t exactly middle management either. Whole generations have grown up with inadequate education, low-paying jobs, and little insurance. The social safety net no longer exists for most. People work two or more minimum wage jobs at a time, always one hospital emergency away from absolute poverty.

It’s a town with a drug problem. It’s a town with rising crime rates. It’s not a town full of crazed rednecks- just ill-educated, stressed, hard working people who want their children to have more than they did. It’s a town with rising unemployment and shuttered businesses.

In other words it’s a town just like any other town in Kansas.

These are hard things to think about, let alone address. But we cannot avoid them. In our positions, we do not often see these problems and sometimes neither do the people who experience them, because they’re so commonplace as to be unremarkable. But they are remarkable problems, and they need remarkable leadership to correct.

We in this class are in a unique place. By virtue of our degrees and our experience, maybe by birth, maybe by hard work , we may have little or no contact with this world. But due to those very same circumstances, these are inevitably the people we will be placed in charge of no matter what we wind up doing.

If we truly wish to lead- or even if we find ourselves in that position by coincidence- it is our responsibility to understand the challenges facing those we guide. We must focus on solving their problems, not simply our own, if we truly wish to become community leaders.

My Bio and My Atchison

Good day to you, my name is Justin Manion and I'm a junior at Benedictine College. I'm a business major with concentrations in Entrepreneurship, Management, and Marketing and a minor in Music. I'm originally from St. Louis, Missouri and have enjoyed my time in Atchison. I've obviously spent most of my time on Benedictine's campus, but I've also held jobs all around the area. From being a waiter at Berg's at Pineview to working at Raven Rock Miniature Golf Course to rentals and lift attendant at Snow Creek to waiter at Cedar Ridge to being a General Maintenance and Repair Technician at the Atchison Juvenile Correctional Facility to teaching guitar lessons to running my own recording studio, I've been fortunate to meet many wonderful people and to call this place home.

The photo to the left is a picture taken from "Abbey Land," a section of land owned by the Abbey which lies north of the college's campus. This is an area where students can explore and spend time relaxing in nature, a place where my friends and I have had some memorable experiences. As well, the Missouri River can be seen in this picture.

Continuing with the trend of the Missouri River, I've spent quite a bit of time on and around the river fishing. My favorite type of fishing is catfishing, and as you can see in the picture to the right, I've had a decent amount of luck. This is certainly one of my favorite parts of Atchison, the close proximity to such great catfishing holes! In this picture you can also see the Amelia Earhart Bridge, the most used portal in and out of our beloved Atchison!

My final picture describing my Atchison experience is a picture of Durell Anthony, a graduate of Benedictine and an Atchison native, in my recording studio. I greatly enjoy music, especially the production aspect of it, so I decided to start my own studio where I can teach myself to produce and record music in a somewhat professional manner. I've spent quite a considerable amount of time in the room you see to the left, a practice room in Bishop Fink Hall where the portable studio makes its home. If you'd like to get a taste of some of the music that has been recorded in this studio, visit www.myspace.com/glorybluemusic (my former band) or www.myspace.com/durellanthony (a good friend of mine who can seriously sing).

Thank you for following this blog and for reading my portion. I believe this class and project of Leadership Atchison 2009 is really going to be a great thing...let's make something great happen!

---Justin Manion

My Atchison

I am Candace Walker. I am currently a senior at Benedictine College, majoring in Business Administration with an emphasis in Marketing and Entrepreneurship. I am currently involved in SIFE at BC. After graduation, I am hoping to continue my education by getting another degree in Fashion Merchandising and Design. With these degrees I hope one day to have my own "Fashion" Personal Shopper Store/Service. I grew up in Overland Park, Kansas and went to high school at Blue Valley Northwest, where I was involved with FBLA and on the golf team.

To the left is a picture of Flyers, which is located on the Missouri River. Flyers is a small bar and grill open to everyone. Dining at Flyers is just amazing because you have the beautiful view of the river. I believe that Flyers is a part of Atchison, because there are quite a few entrepreneur shops and restaurants in Atchison. For being such a small town, I think that that is amazing.

To the right is a picture of the Amelia Earhart Bridge. This is part of Atchison because first of all it is one of the ways to get into Atchison, but it also has so much more meaning. I don't know the complete history about it. The bridge represents Amelia Earhart, since she was born and raised here. On top of the bridge is a "searchlight" hoping that one day they will find Amelia Earhart and bring her home. Atchison has so many great stories to tell and has so much history, that a lot of Benedictine Students and maybe even the citizens of Atchison don't know about.

GREAT BOOK -- TRIBES by Seth Godin

I am reading a GREAT book on Leadership called TRIBES by Seth Godin. We will talk more about it on Wed. January 28th! You can find out more and access some neat Leadership resources here:
http://www.sethgodin.com
http://www.squidoo.com/tribebuilding

See you all tomorrow!

My Atchison

This is a view of Main Street on the 6th Street Bridge. As the name implies, this is the main route through Atchinson. There are many stores, restaurants, and banks that line the street. I feel like this is a major part of Atchinson and that it should be kept that way.

This is a view from the cemetery on the northwest side of town. It shows the residential area of Atchinson and in the distance is the industrial area. This shows the small town atmosphere that is the identity of Atchinson. I come from a town a little smaller than Atchinson so I love the small town feel and the close-knit community that accompanies a small town.

Peter Malkori Speaker

Peter Malkori came to speak to the Atchison and Benedictine communities this past Sunday evening in anticipation of Martin Luther King Jr. day and the inauguration of America's first black President. Through Peter's big smile and thick accent, all that attended learned much.

Peter began life in Kenya, Africa. He gave his life for journalism, freedom of speech and the betterment of his community. Peter was arrested eight times for fictitious accusations of crime for which he spent ten months in prison. After leaving prison through the help of the government, Peter was granted political asylum. Immediatly after leaving prison, h continued to offer his life for social harmony, one of the many things he has done was testify in court in favor of human rights.
The main point of Peters talk was that no matter what race, or what continent, all people should strive for universal justice. After his talk peter took questions from the audience. One of the questions pertained to Barack Obama and if he would unify the many ethnic origins that are in America. Peter stated that Barack Obama is proof that the African American community can rise in the American society and unify more and more. Peter also states during the question time that he believes that American journalism is more focused on the celebrities then on the world news.
I couldn't agree more with that statement. The talk was a wonderful testement to Africans everywhere and I hope that more people from the Atchison community will attend more of the wonderful and enlightening speakers that are brought to Benedictine through our many resources.

My Atchison

Bio

My name is Emma Lou and I am a freshman at Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas. I am originally from Papillion, Nebraska. When I first came to Atchison, seeing all of the cornfields were comforting to me as they reminded me of home. Little did I know that after only one semester I would fall in love with this little town and call it home.

I am studying Business with a concentration in entrepreneurship. I was home schooled for high school and graduated a year early. During high school I participated in many things, some of which include horseback riding including western and english disciplines, jumping and barrel racing. I also volunteered much of my time at my home parish, planning things for the pro-life movement.

My Atchison

The picture to the left is of the Missouri river. I chose to write about the river because it is close to my heart being a Benedictine student. The "lookout" which overlooks the river, is frequented by students and guests for picnics, a place to go to clear your mind, romantic chats on the bench and the occasional proposal. The river is beautiful but also dangerous. A freshman named John Paul Forge who attended Benedictine College was killed this past semester after finals week. He fell off of the bridge after getting out of the vehicle to inspect damage after being in a car accident. An oncoming vehicle spun out of control and was going to hit him so he jumped out of the way and fell into the icy cold water of the Missouri. Without going into the full details of the accident, I will say that the river is obviously dangerous and the accident I described was not the only one of it's kind. Another thing that contributes to these accidents is the poor conditions of the bridges that accompany the river.

To the left is the local Amelia Earhardt bridge, which in my opinion is too narrow, in poor condition and a hazard to the local community. The bridge has been in poor repair for years and is in need of major repairs. My hope is that Benedictine students and the Atchison community can fix this hazard and eye sore as a community and team.

To the right is one of the prides of Atchison, it's beautiful historic homes that have been lovingly restored and kept. The house is on the national historical registry and, in my opinion is one of the things that makes Atchison a nice community to live in.

My Atchison...

My name is Lydia Buechler and I am a senior at Benedictine College. At Benedictine I am studying Business Administration with an emphasis in management and my second major is Spanish. I live off-campus in Atchison and really love living in the town. I am originally from Omaha, NE and went to Duchesne Academy high school. I am the second oldest of my parents 8 children. I am planning a wedding that is to take place on November 7 of this year to Jorge Cruz who also attended Benedictine, but graduated 2 years ago. After I graduate I just want to get a job!

I am hoping to learn a lot from the community members that are in our class. I am hoping that as I go into my leadership roles after college and I am able to take things that I have learned from this class with me and use it. Implying what I learn from others and how to better the community not only personally, but also see how businesses can get involved as well.

Leadership to me is being able to lead and follow. A good leader is someone who can guide a group and a situation, but also is someone who can be apart of the group and follow that main leader.


The first picture I have is of the Amelia Earhart bridge. That bridge lead me to Benedictine and Atchison and the first time I crossed it I thought that this place was not going to be for me. Such a small town and in the middle of nowhere. Now when I cross that bridge it tells me that I am home.






My next picture may be cliche, but Benedictine really is what Atchison is to me. It is the place I have spent the past four years of my life and a place I have come to know and love and call home. Benedictine is a great part of Atchison and really adds a special element to the town.

Remeber Bring your pictures on Wednesday Evening!

Remember to bring your pictures of our community to class on Wednesday evening! Post them if you can to.

My View of Atchison

Remember the first time you visited Atchison? What was the first impression that it left on you? For me it was a unexpected move to a town that I had never heard of in my life and I was a little hesitant to step outside my comfort zone. I must admit that at surface value Atchison didn't seem like somewhere I wanted to live, but now that I am involved in the community I realize that Atchison is exactly what I needed. The more involved I have become the more I want other people to "believe in Atchison". It is time for people to come back to community meetings and friday night basketball games. It is time to know your neighbors and appreciate the community you live in. It's time to join the "townies" and the college. It starts here with this class.

My first picture is an ariel view of the downtown area that needs it's community to survive. The second picture is an icon of Atchison, Amelia Earhart. Wonderful people have graced this town with their wisdom and contributions.

I am set up and ready to go blogging. I enjoyed meeting everyone last night and look forward to seeing some pics get posted. Have a great day.

Background on Atchison. Sources!

Atchison has many faces. One way to understand Atchison is by using statistics and demographics. A great source for this kind of data is City-Data.com http://www.city-data.com/county/Atchison_County-KS.html.

Another is through the history of Atchison. Three good starting points for finding out more about Atchison's history are:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atchison,_Kansas
http://www.kansastowns.us/atchison.html
http://skyways.lib.ks.us/counties/AT/

And of course, there are the Chamber of Commerce and the County & City Government www sites:
http://www.cityofatchison.com/
http://www.atchisoncountyks.org/
http://www.atchisonkansas.net/

One of my favorite pictures and places is the bank of the mighty mo near between Flyers and the River house!

My Bio

My name is George Bazin and I am currently a freshman at Benedictine College. I've been involved in many leadership activities throughout my youth and hope to continue that trend as I grow older. A few things about me: I play football at Benedictine, I am an Eagle Scout, and I wish to become a prominent leader in both my home and college communities. I hope to build connections through this class and hope to bond the Benedictine and Atchinson communities over the course of this semester. Lastly, I believe leadership is not only the ability to lead, but the ability and willingness to follow when needed.

Community Leadership

"When leadership programs begin to believe that they can stregthen and transform their communitites, when it becomes part of their mission and they act out of this belief, powerful things happen in a community."

WELCOME!!!!

Welcome to the Leadership Atchison Group Blog for the class of 2009!