Unforgettable memories were made at the New Hampshire Association of Student Councils (NHASC) 2024 Waterville Valley Conference. This two-day event is a “leadership conference to help students grow their leadership skills and make improvements to their schools’ student councils” says Ms. McKinnon, Goffstown High School’s Student Council advisor. She described Waterville through the advisor perspective, sharing that advisors have a similar opportunity to explore and talk with other student council advisors.

This year, seven students from Goffstown’s Student Council attended this conference. Adele Yergeau, one of the seven, said her experience was amazing and she was out of her comfort zone the entire time. She was able to make connections with many rapid-fire activities that required getting to know someone in less than five minutes. Throughout the conference, Adele learned “how to use specific skills to see other perspectives.” Not only did Adele get the chance to meet new people, but she was also able to bond with people in her council.

One of the many activities offered was Judson Laipply’s “Evolution of Dance” presentation. Dance is a form of expression that connects people together. Judson Laipply, a national speaker, shares his most viral moment with student council members from all over the state. Judson talked about the difficulties he faced and how he overcame them to gain the success he has now. His speech and instruction served to inspire students in their own journey.

Judson’s “Evolution of Dance,” a six-minute performance, reaching over 313 million views on YouTube, was shortened and taught to a couple hundred students in only one hour. The room was blazing, with each person dancing to their fullest. Learning the dance in such a short period was an experience like no other, connecting each of the student council members with one another.

The theme at Waterville this year was “Take an Oath to Personal Growth” where students were pushed outside their comfort zone, and learned many skills to help them grow as a leader. There were three student-led workshops that focused on certain aspects of personal growth. An escape room based on problem-solving, a Jenga debate that required taking risks, and a back-to-back origami challenge that showed the importance of communication.

In addition, there was a panel where schools split off and answered questions about their councils. A representative from each school shared with the panel what their council does giving council members ideas to take back to their own schools.

Adele expresses Waterville was “overall a great experience for someone who is hoping to understand other views and be a better leader.”