High School Students Attend Leadership Conference In Muskogee

Hundreds of high school students got to learn more about leadership, mental health, and how to get involved with their communities at a conference in Muskogee Wednesday.

The students said this is all part of revamping the leadership program at Muskogee High School. The goal was to get students more excited about coming to school.

McKenzie Brown, a student at Muskogee High School, helped organize the conference. She said helping put it together pushed her out of her comfort zone.

"Normally, I'm not the one who does that,” said Brown. “I'm very much so the kind of person who sits in the background and just follows, so it was kind of cool being able to switch positions."

The students got to learn about different ways to interact with those who have different backgrounds and life experiences, and how to help others work on their mental health.

"We are the next CEOs, the next representatives, the next senators,” said Claire Rosso, one of the students in the leadership class at Muskogee High School. “And it's important for us to learn from each other."

The students said it's crucial to give kids chances to be leaders and set a good example, starting when they're young.

“Once in middle school, even in elementary school, get involved,” said Micah Stafford, who was one of the Muskogee High School students who organized the event. “That's where student life comes in. It influences their academic success, it influences their professional life."

Their administrators said it’s important to do whatever they can to keep kids on the right path.

"Everyone's a leader in some way,” said Sheril Menefee, the Assistant Principal of Student Life for Muskogee High School. “Our hope is they're leading the right way, and so the sooner we empower them to do that and give them the tools to do that and the skills to do that."

Brown hopes the other students at the conference will learn anyone can be a leader, no matter who you are or where you come from.

"You don't have to be loud and outspoken and at this big school to be a leader,” said Brown. “You can be from a smaller school like Oktaha and you can kind of keep to yourself and be able to lead people and do some really cool things."

Kids from six school districts, including Checotah, Oktaha, Okmulgee, Porter, and Eufaula were at the conference.