Summer reading and writing programs and Why they should be a thing….

So we’re hosting the Summer Sass Writing Contest, and in a mere few weeks we  will be launching our End of Summer Online Writing program where readers, writers, and sharers will be able to connect, write, read and win.  Students and adults participate by submitting writing, giving feedback, and finding inspiration and motivation within their own lives to communicate through writing, reading, speaking, and sharing.

Why is this a thing?

I’ve heard a number of comments about students and what they do or don’t do over the summer.  “They’re not interested in doing SCHOOL stuff over the summer! They won’t want to participate in this thing! Who would want to write for fun?”

Good thing this A) IS fun and B) isn’t “school stuff”.

This is life stuff! This is the stuff that motivates, excites, and encourages learning to happen from the very moment someone wakes up in the morning.  This is teaching an entire series of important lessons, everything from friendly competition to grammar skills, to when to quit and start over!

When I was a kid, my mom and my grandparents and my aunts and cousins used to take turns taking me to the library multiple days a week during the summer.  From a young age, I could find books on my own and would spend hours laying on the floor of my local public library.  When it was time to go home, I would grab my books, run up to the check out area, and “purchase” my books, being sure to carefully insert the receipt of my rentals into the front cover of the  top book in my stack before gently placing them in my “book bag”, which was a tote that I was given to haul around my wares.

Once I got them home, I would open my newly purchased notebook (I got a new notebook every summer) and start writing about what I had read.  Sometimes they were fan-fiction style stories, other times they were the perspective of a character, other times they were full fledged research papers stocked with the various facts and information I’d found while reading.

I was a busy body of a kid, who desperately needed something to keep my brain going.  I needed something to do, and this reading, writing, venture to the library, talk to everyone I could about it thing was exactly what I needed.

I know what you’re  thinking.  “This girl is a freak.” …You may be right.

But aren’t we all?

Don’t we all “geek out” over something?

Don’t we all need to fall in love with an idea, or a subject, or something we do and then communicate and share that with other people?

I suspect there is, and the beauty of summer programs like ours is: you can geek out over your thing with other people who geek out over their thing and then you can all share things to geek out about together! Another huge benefit: it’s open to a wide variety of ages! There’s not an excuse not to do it!

Stay tuned and follow our blog here to get involved.  Anywhere in the world with internet access has the ability to participate, and our online program is available to ages 10 and older.  I look forward to “geeking” out with all of you!

WANTED: Marketing & Advertising Intern for Leaders After Hours/The Leader.

Are you interested in working in the fast paced world of marketing & advertising? Have you considered a career in office administration or management? Do you have an interest in working in a community outreach setting? Are you looking for a great way to boost your resume and network with other professionals and local businesses?
Consider applying for the Marketing & Advertising Internship at The Leader/Leaders After Hours!
Marketing And Advertising Intern functions:
• Social Media Management of Facebook & Twitter accounts
• Blog content curator
• Webinar and Project Based Learning series development
• Community outreach events planning, organization
• Marketing & recruitment planning for Leaders After Hours
• Departmental shadowing of multi-media specialists of The Leader
• Print and Digital media training and job experience
• Networking events
In order to complete this internship, all potential candidates must have:
• Reliable transportation to and from The Leader, 34 West Pulteney Street, Corning, NY

Applicants must be ages 18 and older and have completed a minimum of 30 credit hours prior to their internship. Individuals with majors of Education, Marketing, Advertising, Business or Writing preferred.

Flexible scheduling available. Must complete a minimum of 10 hours per week, per term. Some opportunities for remote work hours. Internship will be an unpaid educational experience.

Interested in learning more or applying? Contact Megan Cole, Educational Coordinator by phone at 607-936-4651 ext. 339 or by email at mcole@the-leader.com

Marketing and Advertising Intern Fall 2015

WANTED: Community Education Intern for Leaders After Hours/The Leader.

Are you interested in working in the field of education? Have you considered a career in educational administration or management? Do you have an interest in working in a community outreach setting? Are you looking for a great way to boost your resume and network with other educators and local school districts?

Consider applying for the Community Education Internship at The Leader/Leaders After Hours!

Community Education Intern functions:
• Social Media Management of Facebook & Twitter accounts
• Blog content curator
• Curriculum planning
• Reading & editing of student works
• Webinar and Project Based Learning series development
• Community outreach events planning, organization
• Student data management and recruitment
In order to complete this internship, all potential candidates must have:
• Valid NYS clearances/background checks to work in the schools with students
• Reliable transportation to and from The Leader, 34 West Pulteney Street, Corning, NY

Applicants must be ages 18 and older and have completed a minimum of 30 credit hours prior to their internship. Individuals with majors of Education and/or Educational Science preferred.

Flexible scheduling available. Must complete a minimum of 10 hours per week, per term or semester Some opportunities for remote work hours. Internship will be an unpaid educational experience.

Interested in learning more or applying? Contact Megan Cole, Educational Coordinator by phone at 607-936-4651 ext. 339 or by email at mcole@the-leader.com

Community Education Intern Fall 2015.

Be an Adult Volunteer with our Leaders After Hours Program!

Are you smart? Are you generous? Are you interesting? Do you like to write? To read? Do you enjoy sharing your knowledge with others? Do you like to talk?

Get involved as an adult volunteer with Leaders After Hours!

We have a wide variety of volunteer positions open for the summer months and next school year, ranging from working directly with students in workshops, to reading and editing student works, to guest speaking events, and even helping with logistics, strategic business planning, budgeting, etc.

Want to get involved remotely? We are always looking for blog contributors, social media assistance, marketing planners, etc. Volunteers can be involved all year long, or only for a short amount of time, or even just as guest speakers at one workshop.  We are happy to include community members at any level of commitment!

Our volunteers receive a professional letter of thanks as well as cool opportunities for professional development, personal growth, and fun prizes and thank you gifts throughout the year! There are even opportunities to be published writers, editors,  and artists as volunteers for our program.

Our students range from grades 6-12 in various schools throughout the community and we have a number of volunteers who assist us with any number of tasks and workshops throughout the year.  If you have any work or educational experience, you can be a volunteer for our program.

If you are an adult who has completed high school, and you are interested in volunteering or getting involved in the Leaders After Hours program, contact Megan Cole, Educational Coordinator, at 607-936-4651 ext. 339 or by email at mcole@the-leader.com.

Utilizing your best technological, communication resource: people.

Emails, social media, memos, text messages…even post it notes are great tools and resources for communicating with the people you serve and your employees.

But we have to face reality: our tools are only as good as the people who use them.

As professionals, it can be frustrating to communicate with others who may not share our love of a particular tool or resource.  If you’re someone who loves the sight of their own handwriting, or enjoys the scratch of pen on paper, email may make you uncomfortable.  If you’re someone who struggles to spell, or who’s hands shake when they write, post its may not feel like the greatest resource you have.

Ultimately, in today’s world, it is important to keep in mind that with an abundance of resources come an abundance of new issues and responsibilities. The best communicators I know are individuals who can “bridge the gap” when communicating with others, whatever that gap may be.

A great example of this is Facebook users.  A recent study shows that the fastest growing group on Facebook is ages 55 and older.  Why? Because their children and grandchildren are on Facebook! Facebook and social media are how younger generations connect, and in order to bridge the gap in their communication, ages fifty-five and older are reaching out online.

So what can we do to communicate? What resources do we have to connect our communication? How do we utilize our best resource?

Recognize that the best resource for communicating with people, is people.

In order to best utilize our resources, we have to remember that our first and most important resource is the people we work with. Without people, the tools don’t work at all. Without people, no technological resource in the world would make a difference.

Professional communication is difficult, there’s no denying it. But keeping in mind that by communicating first and foremost with the people involved, in whatever method is the most effective and efficient, is a very good place to start.

-Megan Cole, Educational Coordinator

Twitter is for the…pigs? The Wolf? Professional Communication Writing Activity Pt. 2. Clara, Intern

How do we communicate professionally on social media? This was the challenge presented to our summer interns, Clara and Alex.  The following post is an edited and reimagined version of Clara’s imagination of what would have happened if the events of the Three Little Pigs had been Tweeted by the involved parties. 

Between remembering to hashtag for the sake of searching, and trying to stay within the 140 character minimums, Twitter can be challenging for the most experienced professional communicators.  In today’s world, so much of our news is delivered via tweet, so understanding the way to communicate in that manner is more important than ever before! 

I challenge you not to laugh as you check out these Twitter handles and hashtags.  This edit is even more professional (and just as funny!) as the previous version of this post. Great job Clara! -Megan, Educational Coordinator.

Professional Tweets of The Three Little Pigs. By Clara, Intern.

“Construction time at my straw house! See more lifestyle articles at the-leader.com! #extrememakeoverhomeedition #dreamhouse” @francisbacon

“@francisbacon should come by and feature my #stickhouse. Only used recycled sticks! Be sure to check out my blog, #greenliving! #earthtweet” @swinenot

“#hurricane15 is upon us. Approaching the Southern Tier within the week. See more on your local weather report. #brickhouseseason” @baconator

“@francisbacon #hurricane15 #ManiacalLaughter #huffandpuff #blowthehousedown” @Werewolf_London

“@Werewolf_London breaks and enters my straw house. Suspected of attempted murder. More on 11:00 news. #bacon #isthistheend #blowthehousedown” @francisbacon

“@francisbacon seeks refuge from @Werewolf_London and #hurricane15 in  my #stickhouse! Hope he’ll appreciate #greenliving! #SaveFrancisBacon” @swinenot

“@swinenot I wouldn’t be so focused on #hurricane15 if I were you! #bacongoeswitheverything #huffandpuff #blowthehousedown” @Werewolf_London

“@swinenot’s house brutally swept away by @Werewolf_London.  Watch out for the article on these events at the-leader.com! #hurricanewerewolf” @francisbacon

“Later today, see whether or not @Werewolf_London’s #huffandpuff will cause change in your weather for the week.” @baconator

“New post on #greenliving about what it’s like to live in a house that doesn’t recycle! @baconator @francisbacon #hurricanewerewolf” @swinenot

“#hurricanewerewolf might prevent @baconator from getting you weather! #huffandpuff #blowthehousedown” @Werewolf_London

“#brickhouseseason applies to attacks by @Werewolf_London. If you live in the Southern Tier, make sure you are in a stable structure!” @baconator

“#hurricane15 has swept away @Werewolf_London.  More details to follow.” @francisbacon

Writing Activity: Professional Tweets of Fictional Characters. Clara, Intern.

How do we communicate professionally on social media? This was the challenge presented to our summer interns, Clara and Alex.  The following post is Clara’s imagination of what would have happened if the events of the Three Little Pigs had been Tweeted by the involved parties. 

Between remembering to hashtag for the sake of searching, and trying to stay within the 140 character minimums, Twitter can be challenging for the most experienced professional communicators.  In today’s world, so much of our news is delivered via tweet, so understanding the way to communicate in that manner is more important than ever before! 

I challenge you not to laugh as you check out these Twitter handles and hashtags.  Great job Clara! -Megan, Educational Coordinator.

“Construction time! I’m going to have the best straw house ever!  Take that @swinenot and @baconator! #extrememakeoverhomeedition #dreamhouse” @_snoop_pigg_

“@_snoop_pigg_ Your straw house will collapse at the sight of my #stickhouse.  Only used trees that already fell! #HGTVDreamHome #earthtweet” @swinenot

“@swinenot @_snoop_pigg_  #hurricane15 is upon us, and you’re building houses out of sticks and straw?! My #brickhouse will survive anything!” @baconator

“Just passing by @_snoop_pigg_‘s house.  Maybe I’ll stop by and…have a snack! #ManiacalLaughter #huffandpuff #blowingthehousedown” @Werewolf_London

“OMG MY HOUSE HAS BEEN DESTROYED! @Werewolf_London is coming to eat me! #bacon #isthistheend #blowthehousedown” @_snoop_pigg_

“Just took @_snoop_pigg_ into my #stickhouse!  Hope he’ll appreciate #greenliving! Get lost, @Werewolf_London! #SaveSnoopPigg #luckytohavehim” @swinenot
“@swinenot If you wanted me to get lost, you wouldn’t have told me where to find you! #bacongoeswitheverything #huffandpuff #blowthehousedown” @Werewolf_London

Final Thoughts…by Alex, 2015 Intern.

This post was initially created on June 26, 2016 at the completion of the Summer Shadow Internship experience.

As this internship comes to an end, I am looking back reflecting on this experience. I feel as though I have gained a lot of new skills from this program and have a better appreciation for what The Leader does and papers in general. My voice has grown exponentially in my writing and also in the way I interact with others.

I think that the experience with more writing workshops (college essay especially), resume writing, and the trip to Canandaigua were extremely beneficial. Also, I think that just being in the office setting and getting to interact with the people of the various departments and learning what they do every day was a huge eye opener and was also very enjoyable.

One thing I think would be a good thing to add for future internships would  be more interacting or collaboration with some of the staff or maybe being able to see a sales experience with a customer.  Another beneficial activity, especially for being a high school senior, would be scholarship workshops and finding and then applying to scholarships while being surrounded by writing professionals.

Overall I feel as though this has been a great experience and a good end to my and THE first year of Leaders After Hours. This group has greatly impacted my life and has given me opportunities to better my writing and my future. I hope that Leaders After Hours will continue for years to come so that others can gain the same knowledge and grow as writers like I have.

Alex’s Final Project-Check this out!

Project Based Learning-Alex

Congratulations Alex! I was so impressed with the amount of research and consideration Alex had in the completion of his project.  Alex utilized Google Hangouts as a way for various individuals to communicate amongst our staff and with the public, and even as a way for Leaders After Hours to expand into other districts for the coming school year.  This solution also builds on the Google technology much of our staff is already accustomed to using. Great job Alex!

Clara’s Final Project-Check this out!

Project Based Learning-Clara

I was so impressed with Clara’s presentation skills and her solution to our office’s further communication needs.  Clara really took the time to research her app (Slack) and consider how it could assist us in being more productive and better organized at work.  I really think Slack would be a great way to create meaningful conversations between employees and departments and could be a great way to get everyone “on board” with Social Media.  Great work Clara!