EHS senior Simran Chhetri attended the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Student Leadership Summit this past summer. We caught up with Simran for a Q&A to find out more about her trip.
Question: Tell us about the NFHS Student Leadership Summit. What is it, and what made you interested in attending?
Answer: The NFHS Student Leadership Summit is a four-day conference typically held in Indianapolis, where the NFHS headquarters are located. It brings together students from across the country, as well as Canada and Honduras, to discuss important issues affecting education-based athletics and performing arts while developing their leadership skills. Over the course of the four days, we participated in a series of sessions and heard from several speakers. We also spent two days giving back to the community. The first day was with Special Olympics Indiana, where we played basketball, bocce, and cornhole with the athletes. The second day, we helped the local recreation department clean and maintain several parks. Groups were tasked with painting tables, mulching, weeding, or cutting and treating honeysuckle, which was an invasive species in the park. The goal of the summit is to help students understand the influence they have in their schools and communities and how they can use that influence to create positive change.
Funny story—I actually accidentally applied for the summit. I thought I was applying for the VPA Student Athlete Leadership Team (SALT). I filled out the first application, which was actually for the conference, and a couple of days later one of my friends sent me the correct application for VPA SALT. I filled out that application thinking I had forgotten to submit it the first time around. I only found out that I had applied for the conference once I received the email saying I had been selected. However, once I was accepted, I did some research on what the program was about and was pretty grateful for my silly mistake. I realized that through the sessions and speakers, I would have an opportunity to strengthen my leadership skills. What drew me in the most was the fact that the summit brought together students from all over, giving me the chance to learn how different schools around the country operate and to hear from students with different perspectives.
Q: You were one of only a handful of students from Vermont selected to attend. What did that opportunity mean to you?
A: Being one of only four students selected to attend, I was honored to represent Essex High School and the state of Vermont as a whole. Being selected came with a great sense of responsibility. It also reminded me how important it is to become a better leader, especially as I head into my senior year. It definitely pushed me outside my comfort zone. I’m a pretty talkative person and enjoy socializing, but some of the students there were incredibly outgoing, which intimidated me a little. To me, the opportunity was a chance to grow. Being surrounded by so many passionate student leaders reminded me that leadership is about making a positive impact, no matter where you’re from. It motivated me to become a better leader and to help others.
Q: What were some of the biggest lessons or takeaways from the conference?
A: I feel like there wasn’t really just one big takeaway. Over the course of four days, many things stuck with me. The most important thing I learned during our sessions was that being a good leader means being willing and able to listen to others before making decisions. What helped me understand this the most was our drumming session. I had to listen to the rhythm everyone else was creating while contributing my own beat in a way that fit with theirs. Our opening speaker, Molly Kennedy, shared her motto, “Flip Your 20,” which means changing your perspective from “Why me?” to “Watch me” when it comes to doing hard things. That really stuck with me because it reminded me that I have the opportunity to do hard things, which a lot of people around the world don’t get the chance to do. Working with Special Olympics taught me that some of the most meaningful leadership comes from building relationships and making people feel included and valued. Working with the recreation department showed me that a little goes a long way. Just a few hours of teamwork made such a visible impact and reinforced the importance of giving back to your community. Lastly, our closing speaker, Westly Morris, told us about the challenges he faced growing up and how he was able to persevere to get where he is today. His message showed me the importance of the decisions we make and how just one wrong decision can steer you down the wrong path. The way he spoke and delivered his message was very motivating, and it really pushed me to start thinking more intentionally about the decisions I make in my day-to-day life.
Q: Are there any ideas or initiatives you hope to bring back to Essex High School this year as a result of what you learned?
A: One idea I’d really like to bring back is creating official appreciation weeks at Essex High School. At the summit, we talked a lot about the importance of recognizing the people who make our schools and communities successful, even if they’re not always in the spotlight. I’d love to see us have dedicated appreciation weeks for groups like our custodians, cafeteria staff, bus drivers, administrative assistants, teachers, and other school employees. Additionally, Vermont doesn’t currently have cornhole as a Special Olympics sport, and I would love to help bring it to our state. I believe it would provide another opportunity for athletes to compete, connect, and be involved. After all, who doesn’t enjoy a game of cornhole?