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DIAA held their 15th Annual Student Leadership Conference
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Tommie Neubauer (302-857-3365)
Dover, DE (August 8, 2018) – The Delaware Interscholastic Athletic Association [DIAA] held their 15th Annual Student Leadership Conference at the Virden Center in Lewes this past weekend. Twenty-five student-athletes from twenty-two different member schools participated in the three-day event. The adult leaders were; Jeff Ransom, Friends, Linda Ogden, Tower Hill, Theresa Repole, Newark Charter, Ed Smith, Newark and Tommie Neubauer, DIAA. Former DIAA Staff member Terre Taylor help plan much of the event before leaving DIAA.
The Staff completely reworked this year’s Agenda to focus on more student-led activities. Five of the students attended the NFHS Student Leadership Summit in Indianapolis last month and this group formed the student-leadership team. Those students were; Amelia Christensen, Concord, Jane Lyons, Ursuline, Caden Dickerson, Seaford, Jack Faust, Sussex Academy and Grace Sekscinski, Milford. This team chose the theme Brave for the weekend activities. Student and adult led breakout sessions were focused on Being Brave, We are Brave, Only the Brave and Home of the Brave. The sessions covered the topics of leadership, team captaincy, sportsmanship, fitness and perseverance. There were daily fitness sessions emphasizing agility and yoga-based exercises. This years’ service project was a Saturday afternoon visit to Camp Barnes where the students paired with Special Olympic athletes in a series of physical challenges, sporting games and craft activities.
Mr. Neubauer who was attending his 12th Conference stated that, “this was easily the best group of students that I have ever worked with at the Conference.” And perhaps the best endorsement of how meaningful the Conference was came from Newark Charter student Emma Ueltzhoffer who said, “this Conference completely exceeded all of my expectations.” The full list of students and their school. Jessica Crawford, Caesar Rodney, Colleen Sheridan, Caravel, Amelia Christensen, Concord, Julie Kulesza, Conrad, Maddie Kuennen, DMA, David Nichols, Glasgow, Kris Thompson, Lake Forest, Elya Niblett, Laurel, Nadiyah Fisher, Middletown, Grace Sekscinski, Milford, Ayanna Obey, Mt Pleasant, Emma Ueltzhoffer and Nathan Jones, Newark Charter, Cameron Smith, Sanford, Ayanna Cannon and Caden Dickerson, Seaford, Connor Rock, St. Elizabeths, Jack Faust, Sussex Academy, Grace Wenzel, Tower Hill, Caroline Taylor and Jane Lyons, Ursuline, Madison Johnson, Wilmington Christian, Craig Lyttletown, Friends, Kyle Hensley, Woodbridge.
