How refreshing the North can be!

The past 2 days in Northern Michigan (both the Northern LP and the Central UP) have been rocked with the student leadership bug. Forget H1N1, this bug is more contagious than any flu, and it seems to be spreading into even the smallest of schools!

It's hard. It's hard being in high school. It's hard teaching and advising. And--for at least the near future it seems to be getting harder! Unemployment, budgets, harder requirements, increasing competition, the list of things to worry about in Michigan schools seems to grow by the day!

But shouldn't this also be our biggest opportunity?

Things are happening in our state.

In the MASSP office, each hour we receive news of some new legislation regarding budget crunches, program elimination, layoffs, and overall mood-deterring subjects. Here in student leadership, this is a call to action!

When I explain to others what MASC/MAHS does, in short my favorite answer is "building leaders for Michigan and beyond," and that is truly what I believe to be our mission. When Michigan is facing tough times, who are we going to look to? YOU--the students that will lead our state and the educators that are equipping them wit the tools.

The year is in full swing! I LOVE passing by local high schools and seeing the football team practice, the band blaring, the student council poster-ing, and the overall vibe of campus life alive! It sounds corny, but I think about each of our member schools across the state engaging in the same things--and I am so excited to start to get to see the fruit of your labor as the fall progresses.

If your student group is doing something awesome--I want to know about it! I love talking about our member school accomplishments to the many people who need to hear optimism about the future of Michigan. Drop me a quick line at todd@mascmahs.org and show me what you are up to.