PT Family Halloween Event, October 28 2024.
Before the actual event, our group decided to meet up and plan what to do and how this event should go. The point person for this event, Jerome, created a business plan or planning template for everyone to follow and stay on task which was very helpful and manageable. We discussed during the leadership meetings and we had three separate meetings on Friday, Monday, and Wednesday during ESS at the start of October but unfortunately I couldn’t make it to the Wednesday meeting because I had rehearsal for musical theatre during ESS but the group members did inform me on what I missed and what I needed to complete. After all three meetings, we used teams as our main form of communication.
During this event, my role was to greet everyone and explain the events along with my other group member Brendon, as well as managing the older kid activities. The members arrived at 5:30 PM at the foyer to set up decorations, goodie bags, games, and the activities and most of the members wore festive accessories. The kids and parents were arriving at Pinetree and the team set up some games for the kids such as bean bag toss, Uno, colouring, a shooting game which was very popular among the kids, the games went on for fifteen minutes. To start of the event, our first activity was called ‘Freeze dance’. We played three rounds and both the younger and older kids seem to enjoy this activity. Afterwards, members were separated into younger and older groups. Each group had different activities planned. For the older kids, we started off with musical chairs in A106, the classroom was decorated for Halloween. There was a tie between two kids so they were both declared the winners. As prizes, we handed out glow sticks to everyone. Our second activity was a scavenger hunt. The kids had to find tiny colourful ducks hidden around A105 and the child with the most ducks found wins and the kids got to keep a few ducks. Most of us thought the event would be over at 7:30 PM but there was spare time so the members agreed that the kids can play another round of musical chairs. After both groups were done with all the activities, there was a photo session with Vy, as Timmy the Wolf! Most kids and their parents took pictures with Timmy the Wolf but some kids were scared of Timmy, so some of the members, including me, tried to comfort the kids and try to distract them by playing rock paper scissors with them or hand out extra prizes. Then to finish off the event, Timmy handed out goody bags as the kids showed off their costumes for the costume parade, while the group members cheered and applauded the kids. I contributed in cleaning up and putting supplies away. Overall, the event was a success.
Curricular competencies, Theme 2: Self-Awareness and Personal Leadership
Alignment with course goals:
•Developing a set of Leadership Skills: One of my course goals is to develop more leadership skills and also improve my leadership skills more by regularly assessing personal strengths and weaknesses in leadership, creating more specific, measurable goals for improvement in areas such as collaboration and teamwork, and seeking constructive feedback from peers and mentors to identify areas for growth. I was able to ask my peers for feedback and ideas and I was able to practice working with different members with planning and set up.
• Utilizing Different Leadership Styles to Complete Tasks: I wanted to adapt leadership styles based on situations and team engagement by involving other members. During the event, I encouraged and motivated other team members and during the second round of musical chairs, I suggested that we should sing for the kids and parents and also involve ourselves in the game to make it more enjoyable for the kids.
• Being a Visible and Confident Leader within the School/Community: I decided to take an active role in greeting families and manage activities to improve speech and I actively participated in team discussions and decision making processes. For example, we didn’t know what activity to plan for the younger kids so I suggested colouring.
•Taking on Increasingly Demanding Leadership Roles: I volunteered for responsibilities that required planning and execution, demonstrating readiness for increasingly challenging tasks.
•Effective decision making skills: I applied a structured approach to decision making, considering feedback from team members and participants and I reflected on the outcomes of our activities to inform future planning and improve event execution.
•Actions Taken:
Greeting attendees- Welcomed families and explained the event flow. Managing activities- Oversaw older kids games ensuring they were fun and engaging.                                                                Providing comfort- Helped ease fears of kids during the photo session with Timmy the Wolf and I assisted Vy while she was in the costume, helping her navigate and interact with others.
Evidence: (Before, during, and after event)
Specific example #1: Successfully facilitated the ‘Freeze Dance’Â activity, engaging both groups
Specific example #2: Managed the scavenger hunt, ensuring all kids participated and had fun and also provided help if kids were confused.
Specific example #3: Assisted in clean up and taking apart games, demonstrating responsibility and teamwork.
Overall, the PT family Halloween event was a major success. It provided me with invaluable opportunities to develop my leadership skills, foster community engagement, and enhance my self awareness. Through this experience, I learned the importance of collaboration, adaptability, and inclusivity in effective leadership.
Pictures!
