GT 4th/5th Leadership Conference

Eighty fourth and fifth graders were invited to the three-day WSD Elementary Gifted and Talented (GT) Leadership Conference held on October 5th, 10th, and 15th. The GT Leadership Conference is designed to bring together some of our most talented fourth and fifth grade leaders from across the district for three days of enrichment leadership training. The sessions were held at the Boys and Girls Club of Wausau.

The students engaged in various leadership activities involving problem solving, risk taking, decision making, planning, communicating, conflict resolution, and time management. Students were also visited by guest speakers and visited local community mentors.

One of the Leadership Conference's annual goals is to introduce students to local role models who discuss the ways in which they have gained and applied leadership skills. Mark Macdonald, owner of the of the Woodchucks organization, provided a tour of Athletic Park and spoke to the 4th grade leaders about his own leadership journey and educational background. Lastly, Wausau East’s Resource Officer Nick Stetzer and his new therapy retriever, Timber, were also in attendance- even therapy dogs can be leaders!

Wausau West and Wausau East High Schools came to interact with the 5th grade students and inspire them with their own personal stories of middle and high school leadership opportunities. They also provided encouragement to our young leaders to get involved in clubs and activities as they progress through middle and high school. All of these high school leaders attended the conference back when they were in 5th grade! Wausau West and East students in attendance were: Emilio Velasquaz, Brianda Chavez-Pintor, Griffin Lange, Kendall McKee, Sadie Steinbach, Mya Rice, Nora Keele, Bennett Matteson, Josie Draeger, Tyler Foster, Zach Frangiskakis, Natalie Doering, and Amelia Zastrow.

Fifth grade students attended the “Mentor Morning” session of the Leadership Conference. Students, in small groups, visited local leaders at their places of business for the morning where they learned first hand about leadership skills in the real world. Upon their return, the students presented and shared what they learned in the mentor /job shadow experience through IPAD photos and videos.

Brad Hanson- WAOW News Director, Melissa Weller- 3M, Rachel Hausman and Emily Fritz Wesenick - Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum, Henry Yach- Yach’s Body and Custom, Elinor Mittlestat-State College of Beauty Culture, Rose DeHut and Robin Vargas - Marathon County Public Library, Sheriff Chad Billeb- Marathon County Sheriff’s Department, Kallista Steinke- Clay Corner Studio, Tim Plevak and Hewote Pershern- Festival Foods, Hannah Reyes- Kreger's Bakery and Diana White and Cale Bushman -WSD Longfellow Administration

Students appreciated all our many volunteers’ willingness to share their experiences with the Wausau School District’s students during their busy work and school schedules. We also thank all of the associates at the workplaces of the mentors who welcomed students and spoke with them at the job sites.

Teachers for the Fourth Grade Conference were Mrs. Sheri Fochs (4th Grade Teacher, Grant) and Mrs. Stacy Lucht (4th Grade Teacher, Grant). Teachers for the Fifth Grade Conference were Mr. Matt Adams (GT Teacher- WSD), and Mrs. Cheryl Borta (GT Teacher-WSD and GT Leadership Coordinator). Additional help from Elizabeth Channel, GT Coordinator, and Kris Peterson, GT Secretary was much appreciated.

By state mandate, each school district in Wisconsin is required to identify students with high leadership ability as part of their Gifted and Talented program, and to provide “systematic and continuous” programming that will enable these students to develop leadership abilities to their full potential. Classroom teachers in grades 3-5 completed observation checklists to identify students with high leadership potential. Students from each elementary school who met the criteria for GT Leadership Conference were invited to attend.