Leadership February Event- Valentines Day 

Friday, February 14th, 2025

Event Participation:  

For the February event, I was part of the Valentine’s Day event. Originally, I wanted to be part of the actual event, but I decided to volunteer for the decorations team because it was a role I hadn’t done much before. Also since one of my goals for this semester was to try different roles that I hadn’t done, I thought this was a good opportunity.  

Our first meeting was on January 29th, where we discussed the overall plan for the event and specific roles. We also planned what supplies we would need such as poster paper, scissors, glue and mini heart balloons. As part of the decoration team, we were responsible for making the decorations as well as decorating the board. Our team first met on Tuesday, February 4th, during lunch, where we started by cutting out shapes and drawing decoration for the board. We also made a bunch of hearts and planned how they would be placed on the board.  

On the Wednesday meeting after school on February 5th, we continued decorating and brainstorming more ideas. We added the hearts and additional designs such as heart balloons and cupids to the board and worked on cutting more shapes to make the board more colorful and inviting. In addition, during our lunch meeting the next day on February 6th, we made heart chains and continued to cut out more decorations and brainstorm what else we could do. On Tuesday, February 11th, we had our final meeting for decoration, where we put the finishing touches on the decorations. I traced and cut the letters for the V-Day sign, making sure everything was ready. Finally, during the leadership meeting on February 12th, we did some last-minute touches, such as cutting a few more small designs and adding them to the board.  

 Before the event started, I made sure to tell my friends about the photo booth and how it was free to encourage them to go to it. During the event itself, when I saw people walking towards the foyer, I also made sure to mention the photo booth to them. After the event, we had a reflection meeting on February 26th, where we discussed how everything went. I think the Photo Booth was very successful especially when I saw it at lunch as everyone looked like they were having fun and the overall atmosphere looked energetic and welcoming. However, I feel like it could have been advertised a bit better since a lot of my friends didn’t even know about it until I told them, and a lot of my teammates were saying how people were confused as to if it was free or not. Some of my teammates also suggested that we could have had better control of the line by having a table to block off which way you can leave after taking the photo. Overall, I think the event was very successful. It was nice to see all of our decorations come together in the end, and all my friends who did go to the photo booth said it was really fun.  

 

Curricular Competency: Theme 5: Demonstrate and Develop Individual Accountability While Working in a Team  

Public Speaking/Communication:  

One of my goals is to get more comfortable with public speaking and communication. As part of the Valentine’s Day event, it was my responsibility to help promote the photo booth and share it when I saw people walking towards the foyer at lunch. This gave me a chance to practice communicating effectively and confidently. Also, while working with my team on decorations, I was able to communicate and share my ideas with others.  

Collaboration:  

I want to improve my ability to collaborate and listen to others’ ideas. While working with my team on the decorations, I took responsibility by making sure I completed my tasks and then collaborated with others to get their feedback. It was my responsibility to work together with my classmates to design the board as a team. Also, during the reflection, I recognized that it was my responsibility to share my ideas, and I was able to listen to my teammates’ suggestions and build off of them. 

Teamwork:  

I took responsibility for my decoration tasks and worked with my teammates to make sure everyone’s input was heard. This ties into my goal of ensuring that everyone feels heard and valued, especially those who might be hesitant to speak up. I contributed to the team’s success by not only sharing my ideas but also supporting others and making sure the work was balanced. This shows my accountability as a good teammate.  

Adaptability:  

I want to become more adaptable and learn how to go with the flow and adjust easily to change. By stepping out of my comfort zone and joining the decorations team, something I hadn’t done much before this, I show that I can adapt to new roles and take responsibility for the tasks and responsibilities that come with them. Furthermore, when we didn’t have certain supplies for decorations, I adapted quickly and came up with solutions.  

 

Actions Taken  

Before the Event:  

One of my goals for Semester 2 was to take on different roles within events and become more comfortable doing things I wouldn’t normally do. To hold myself accountable for this goal, I volunteered to be part of the decorations team, even though I usually participate in the actual event during lunch or after school. This decision pushed me out of my comfort zone and allowed me to gain experience in a new role.  From the very first meeting on January 29th, I held myself accountable by fully engaging in the planning process and sharing my ideas. I ensured that I completed my assigned tasks on time and came to every meeting well-prepared. Whether it was cutting out heart shapes, drawing decorations, or deciding on the board’s placement, I remained committed to my role and took responsibility for doing my fair share.  In addition, I recognized that accountability isn’t just about completing tasks, it’s about ensuring they are done well. Therefore, when I struggled with making heart chains, I took responsibility by asking for help instead of continuing on my own and making mistakes. Also while working on the decorations when I had different opinions than my teammates, I made sure to work on communication with them and work together. I understood that my role was not just about what I wanted but about the overall success of the event.  

 

During the Event:  

On the day of the event, I continued to take responsibility for my role but also recognized that my contributions go beyond just decorations. I realized that I had a responsibility to help make sure the Photo Booth was successful ad well. To do this, I made sure to spread the word about it, telling my friends and encouraging others to participate. This demonstrated my accountability for the event as a whole, rather than just my assigned task. By stepping up in this way, I showed my commitment to making the event as successful as possible and making sure all parts of it were successful, not just the decorations.  

 

After the Event:  

After the event, I continued to demonstrate accountability by reflecting on what went well and what could be improved for the future. During our post-event leadership meeting on February 26th, I actively contributed to the discussion by sharing my thoughts and listening to feedback from others.  I recognized that while the photo booth was very successful and the atmosphere was fun and positive, there could have been more marketing, as many people didn’t realize it was free or didn’t know about it. I also took accountability for my role, acknowledging that I could have done more to promote the booth beforehand. Furthermore, I reflected on ways the decorations could have been improved, such as decorating the foyer as well.  

  

Evidence:  

Example 1 (Before):  

• Example: During the decoration meeting, I was supposed to be making the heart chain, but I didn’t understand how to do it, so I asked someone for help.  
• Explanation: This demonstrates how I took accountability and realized that I needed help. Instead of trying to complete the task on my own and making mistakes, I recognized that asking for help was necessary for improving the overall success of the event. By getting help, this ensured that the heart chains were done correctly, and I was taking responsibility for my share of the work.  

 

Example 2 (Before):  

• Example: When decorating the board, I worked with my other teammates to pick placements for decorations, even if I disagreed with them.  
• Explanation: This example shows how I demonstrated accountability by recognizing my responsibility to collaborate and communicate effectively with my team. Even though I disagreed with certain placements, I realized that it was important to respect the team’s overall decision. This made sure the event was successful, and I was accountable for my role in making the overall decorations.  

 

Example 3 (During):  

• Example: I walked around the event, spreading the word about the photo booth, and encouraging people to participate.  
• Explanation: This shows my dedication to my responsibilities during the event. I didn’t just stick to my assigned decoration tasks but also took on the responsibility of promoting the photo booth, ensuring that people knew about it. This shows that I am taking accountability for my responsibilities as part of the overall event, not just the decorations and helping the event as a whole be successful.

 

Example 4 (After):  

• Example: In the reflection meeting, I shared feedback on what I thought went well and what we could improve on for future events, such as marketing, which I think could have been a bit better. I also listened to any specific feedback for the decorations and reflected on what I could have done better 
• Explanation: This demonstrates my ability to reflect on my role in the event and take accountability for areas where I could improve. During the reflection meeting, I shared my thoughts on how we could improve as I recognized that, being part of the team, I was responsible for the event’s overall success. Furthermore, I acknowledged my role in the decorations and took accountability for areas where I could have contributed more, such as better planning and more communication as well as going beyond the role and decorating the foyer as well. 

 

Photos: 

Making the decorations

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Decorating the board