Not all high schoolers realize there are times they need to listen to their peers for insight.
But that’s just the kind of lesson five sophomores from Morgan Park Academy received at a recent Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership Conference, one that might help them become leaders of tomorrow.
During the volunteer led sessions at Loyola University Chicago, Justin Tyson and his Morgan Park classmates joined dozens of other high schoolers from throughout the area.
In one session they worked on a project where they built a tower from candles and toothpicks.
Participants worked in three groups: one who did the building, one allowed to look at the structure, and a third that focused on communications between the groups.
“I learned that I’m pretty impulsive, said Justin, of Evergreen Park. “I tend to not take into account what other people have to say and try to do things my way before asking for help from others.”
So for the project, Justin found himself first trying to build the tower without input.
“I think I would always try to do it how I thought it was supposed to be built first before I would ask my companions what it was supposed to look like,” said Justin. “Over time, I started to realize I needed to take others’ opinions into consideration when building something.”
Students also learned to place trust in their fellow participants, even those from other schools.
But the idea of cooperating with students from elsewhere wasn’t new to the Morgan Park representatives.
Justin and his classmates have participated in Model United Nations events and volunteer as King Conservation Science Scholars at Brookfield Zoo, explaining the animals to kids.
The conference at Loyola built on those experiences.
“You would collaborate with each other and play these games where you would have to place your trust and faith in each other to succeed,” said Grant Ring, who lives in Chicago’s Beverly community.
In one game, a student wore a blindfold while two others gave instructions on how to complete a puzzle. But they weren’t allowed to touch the puzzle as the blindfolded participant worked the game.
“People have their own individual talents they bring,” Grant said, noting he also learned how to be more open to advice from friends on his video gaming team outside of the conference.
Em Joseph, director of College Counseling for Morgan Park Academy, helped choose students to apply for the conference and said Grant, Justin and other participants brought a lot to the table.
Grant was recently inducted into the National Honor Society and was one of two students recognized as the top thespians in upper school. He also had a leading role in “The 25th Annual Putnam Spelling Bee” and co-starred as the Cowardly Lion in “The Wiz.”
“He puts everything into what he’s doing,” Joseph said.
Justin loves science and hopes to major in biology and minor in computer science in college.
“He is a student I see a lot of potential with,” Joseph said. “He takes guidance well and always tries to get involved to make things better.”
Students were chosen by the academy for the conference based on academics, character and involvement in campus and community activities, as well as leadership potential.
“I think one of the things is it gets students out of their comfort zone in terms of letting them see things they can expand on and where their strengths are,” Joseph said.
Other MPA participants included Annabella Arevalos, Karen Chen and Diego Hermosilla. Varun Paluri, of Frankfort, was also accepted but unable to attend.
Janice Neumann is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
