We had our annual Junior Coach Leadership Conference on Saturday, April 8 at Howell K-8. Twenty partner schools from both our Playworks Coach and TeamUp services were represented at this conference. The theme of the day was a spin on the Kid President video, “What are you doing to do to make the world more awesome?”
The theme fully embraced what our coaches and youth leaders are doing in their school communities each and every day. There was a total of 315 youth leaders in the Junior Coach Leadership Program this school year. Junior Coaches help to create a safe space on the playground, are leaders at recess and throughout the school day, and are positive role models benefiting their community with their kindness and playful being.
Every Junior Coach showed up to make the day awesome! The conference was made up of fun games, group activities, and reflection. It was a culminating event to celebrate the Junior Coach Leadership Program 2016-2017. Students from different elementary schools across the Denver Metro area participated in team-building activities. The gum drop challenge was an activity where students had to work together in order to create a standing structure of gumdrops and toothpicks. Groups of three strategized to create the most unique, tallest, and the strongest structures. Students then went to make life maps. Students in the life mapping activity shared their experiences and planned future goals.
All Junior Coaches went into the day with a prepared speech that they all shared during the public speaking activity. We heard from students like Amelia and Sammy, who both want to be contributing members to their community in the future. The day ended with a group photo and piecing the Playworks logo puzzle together. Each school received one piece of the puzzle to decorate as it was a finishing touch for all the pieces to come together. All Junior Coaches are reminded that they are a part of a large movement of play.
Each and every Playworks coach and Junior Coach at the conference are doing something to make the world more awesome.
