Page 1 - The Initial Letter
Coming into my final year at Ripon High School, I don't really know how I feel. On one hand, I'm so excited to finally be a senior and get to experience it. However, at the same time, it seems like I missed out on so much. The end of my sophomore year, along with half of my junior year, was all online. So many rallies, dances, and other events were cancelled, so it doesn't feel like I am actually a senior. Even with all of the uncertainty surrounding this school year, I am still trying to stay as positive and optimistic as possible. There is so much to look forward to, such as Homecoming, dances, sports, and of course, graduation. Starting college applications has been stressful, but it makes me feel excited for my future. In terms of the leadership class, this is the most confident I’ve felt about a group of people. Just from my experience at Core Camp. I can tell that this class can accomplish great things. We all grew so close as a class, just from those three days at camp. Now that we can return to an (almost) normal year, we have the chance to put on amazing events for the campus to enjoy, which is so exciting to think about. However, you never know what can happen in terms of COVID, so that worry has stuck in the back of my head. We can plan everything perfectly, just for the virus to shut us down. It’s scary to think about, but I have no control over it, so it’s best to not worry. The best thing I can do is to put 100% effort into making this year as great as possible, and to guide the new members of the class towards a successful future. Overall, I have so many worries, but at the same time, so many things to be happy and optimistic about, which makes me confused at times. Senior year will be eventful for sure, but it’s up to me to determine the outcome.
Page 2 - Part I: Favorite Quotes
“I’ve missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. 26 times I’ve been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.” - Michael Jordan
I really like this quote because it is representative of how even those who are seen as the best will fail numerous times. Michael Jordan is considered by many to be the greatest basketball player of all time, but that doesn’t mean that he is perfect. His failures are why he is so successful in the end, since they brought him a chance for improvement and reflection on his career. This way of thinking applies to my life as well. I have experienced a lot of failure in my lifetime, and although it has always been hard for me to accept it, I have grown as a person from these mistakes.
“Success is a state of mind. If you want success - start thinking of yourself as a success.” - Dr. Joyce Brother
This is a great quote because it focuses hard on the way that people view themselves and the importance of practicing self-love. Oftentimes, we will focus on the negatives instead of the positives, and create a perception of ourselves that is one of failure. In my life, for instance, I will often only think about that one mistake I made in the basketball game, disregarding everything else that I did good. Being successful starts with having the right mindset and mentality, which is why I think this is such a meaningful quote.
“There is nothing permanent except change.” - Heraclitus
This quote is meaningful to me because change and reaching adulthood has always been a difficult concept for me to accept. I still cling on to memories and things from my childhood, hoping that they will stick with me; however, it’s inevitable that we will all grow up and lead much different lives than what we had before. I know deep down that I won’t talk to many of my current friends ever again after high school, but that’s something that makes me sad, and something that I am unwilling to accept a lot of the time. However, change will always happen, and that is the only thing that can be counted on. We simply need to accept it and make the most out of our lives, wherever they may lead us.
I really like this quote because it is representative of how even those who are seen as the best will fail numerous times. Michael Jordan is considered by many to be the greatest basketball player of all time, but that doesn’t mean that he is perfect. His failures are why he is so successful in the end, since they brought him a chance for improvement and reflection on his career. This way of thinking applies to my life as well. I have experienced a lot of failure in my lifetime, and although it has always been hard for me to accept it, I have grown as a person from these mistakes.
“Success is a state of mind. If you want success - start thinking of yourself as a success.” - Dr. Joyce Brother
This is a great quote because it focuses hard on the way that people view themselves and the importance of practicing self-love. Oftentimes, we will focus on the negatives instead of the positives, and create a perception of ourselves that is one of failure. In my life, for instance, I will often only think about that one mistake I made in the basketball game, disregarding everything else that I did good. Being successful starts with having the right mindset and mentality, which is why I think this is such a meaningful quote.
“There is nothing permanent except change.” - Heraclitus
This quote is meaningful to me because change and reaching adulthood has always been a difficult concept for me to accept. I still cling on to memories and things from my childhood, hoping that they will stick with me; however, it’s inevitable that we will all grow up and lead much different lives than what we had before. I know deep down that I won’t talk to many of my current friends ever again after high school, but that’s something that makes me sad, and something that I am unwilling to accept a lot of the time. However, change will always happen, and that is the only thing that can be counted on. We simply need to accept it and make the most out of our lives, wherever they may lead us.
Page 3 - Part II: Quote
“Leadership is not about titles, positions, or flowcharts. It is about one life influencing another” -John Maxwell
Upon discovering this quote, I could tell that it was a good representation of my time in leadership and how I define myself as a leader. Whenever somebody asks me about what my experience in this program has been like, I never think about the different positions I have had and what those represent, or the awards that we have won. Although those things are cool and are representations of our hard work, they do not define who we are as leaders. What defines me is the impact that I have tried to make, and continue to make on others. I have worked to influence people through being a strong example of self-discipline, determination, and the drive to succeed. I have also encouraged others to do what they love, not what other people want for them. In terms of my specific job position, I have made my impact not through my name, but through what I have done with the opportunity I was given. Creating and executing events such as Powderpuff, Winterfest, the Blanket Drive, Talent Show, and Gallery of the Arts and seeing the impact that it has made on those participating is what helped me define myself as a leader, and see where my influence can reach. It is so incredibly important for people to use self-reflection alongside group reflection to better understand where they stand in the present, and where they could possibly be in the future. Through daily mindfulness in my journal, debriefs with my team, and write-ups in my portfolio, I have worked to reflect as much as possible on myself, the job I have been doing, and how I can improve in the future.
Upon discovering this quote, I could tell that it was a good representation of my time in leadership and how I define myself as a leader. Whenever somebody asks me about what my experience in this program has been like, I never think about the different positions I have had and what those represent, or the awards that we have won. Although those things are cool and are representations of our hard work, they do not define who we are as leaders. What defines me is the impact that I have tried to make, and continue to make on others. I have worked to influence people through being a strong example of self-discipline, determination, and the drive to succeed. I have also encouraged others to do what they love, not what other people want for them. In terms of my specific job position, I have made my impact not through my name, but through what I have done with the opportunity I was given. Creating and executing events such as Powderpuff, Winterfest, the Blanket Drive, Talent Show, and Gallery of the Arts and seeing the impact that it has made on those participating is what helped me define myself as a leader, and see where my influence can reach. It is so incredibly important for people to use self-reflection alongside group reflection to better understand where they stand in the present, and where they could possibly be in the future. Through daily mindfulness in my journal, debriefs with my team, and write-ups in my portfolio, I have worked to reflect as much as possible on myself, the job I have been doing, and how I can improve in the future.
Page 4 - Part I: Goals
Leadership Goals
To get through the entire year doing all of the events we set out to do, and to successfully carry out the events that I am in charge of. This year, we are back in school for what will hopefully be an entire year, and the class has an entire calendar of events ready to happen. I hope that, even with challenges, we can make everything happen to the best of our ability. Personally, I want to successfully have Homecoming, Winterfest, Senior activities, and a Love Ripon Project in my own job position.
To make meaningful relationships with people that I hadn’t been close with prior to this school year. This is my final year at Ripon High School, so it is important to me that I make it count. I have made so many amazing connections over these past 3 years, but there are still so many people that I want to get to know more.
Short Term Goals
To graduate university with a degree in Engineering. After a lot of research and thinking, I finally have a pretty clear idea of what I want to major in and eventually do with my life. Engineering makes the most sense for me, and it is the thing that I know I would find the most enjoyment in. Thus, I want to be able to graduate with an engineering degree, hopefully either mechanical or aerospace engineering.
To figure out where I want to live in my 20s. I’ve always been torn between staying in California after college and living close to my family, or moving across the country to states like Tennessee or Florida. I feel drawn to the atmospheres of other places, but at the same time, I value family so much that it will be hard for me to make a choice. So, I want to settle down at some point in my 20s or even early 30s.
Long Term Goals
To keep up with my health throughout my entire life. I know that many people will begin to lose focus on self-care as they age, especially regarding their physical health. I want to stay mindful of what my body needs in order to stay active and happy in general, even as I grow older.
To live a low-stress life. Currently, I am doing things in my life that, while beneficial and things that I enjoy, can cause high levels of stress from time to time. I want to reach a point in my life where I can look back on what I accomplished and finally be able to simply relax. This will only come through hard work, because without discipline and a motivated self I will not be able to reach a place where I can fully settle down and not worry about things as much.
To get through the entire year doing all of the events we set out to do, and to successfully carry out the events that I am in charge of. This year, we are back in school for what will hopefully be an entire year, and the class has an entire calendar of events ready to happen. I hope that, even with challenges, we can make everything happen to the best of our ability. Personally, I want to successfully have Homecoming, Winterfest, Senior activities, and a Love Ripon Project in my own job position.
To make meaningful relationships with people that I hadn’t been close with prior to this school year. This is my final year at Ripon High School, so it is important to me that I make it count. I have made so many amazing connections over these past 3 years, but there are still so many people that I want to get to know more.
Short Term Goals
To graduate university with a degree in Engineering. After a lot of research and thinking, I finally have a pretty clear idea of what I want to major in and eventually do with my life. Engineering makes the most sense for me, and it is the thing that I know I would find the most enjoyment in. Thus, I want to be able to graduate with an engineering degree, hopefully either mechanical or aerospace engineering.
To figure out where I want to live in my 20s. I’ve always been torn between staying in California after college and living close to my family, or moving across the country to states like Tennessee or Florida. I feel drawn to the atmospheres of other places, but at the same time, I value family so much that it will be hard for me to make a choice. So, I want to settle down at some point in my 20s or even early 30s.
Long Term Goals
To keep up with my health throughout my entire life. I know that many people will begin to lose focus on self-care as they age, especially regarding their physical health. I want to stay mindful of what my body needs in order to stay active and happy in general, even as I grow older.
To live a low-stress life. Currently, I am doing things in my life that, while beneficial and things that I enjoy, can cause high levels of stress from time to time. I want to reach a point in my life where I can look back on what I accomplished and finally be able to simply relax. This will only come through hard work, because without discipline and a motivated self I will not be able to reach a place where I can fully settle down and not worry about things as much.
Page 5 - Part II: Goals
Leadership Goals
To get through the entire year doing all of the events we set out to do, and to successfully carry out the events that I am in charge of. I feel confident that as a class, and as an individual leader, everything that was planned for this year was able to be accomplished successfully. This is in part to most COVID restrictions being lifted, but also because of the determination of myself to finish off my senior year in Leadership strongly. Everything from Homecoming, Winterfest, and the Back to School Dance, to Gallery of the Arts, the Blanket Drive, and Senior activities were either successfully executed or in progress to be executed. Overall, this was a monumental year for Leadership to be able to do all that we did in one of the most mentally draining and challenging years I personally have ever experienced.
To make meaningful relationships with people that I hadn’t been close with prior to this school year. This is a goal that I am especially happy that I was able to accomplish. I feel like this year especially, I was able to create so many new connections that I will continue to cherish even after I graduate, and I am so excited about this.
Short Term Goals
To graduate university with a degree in Engineering. I have 100% made strides in this goal of mine. I got accepted into some amazing colleges, and I plan on committing to Stanford soon. Everyone at Stanford comes in Undeclared, but I plan on declaring a major in engineering during my first or second year there.
To figure out where I want to live in my 20s. This is a goal that I did not expect I would make many strides towards, and this suspicion was definitely correct. While I will most likely be in California for 4 more years in college, whether I want to stay or leave is still up in the air. I am hopeful that this question in my life gets answered sooner than later.
Long Term Goals
To keep up with my health throughout my entire life. Through continuing to work hard in basketball and track, I have definitely stayed physically healthy and active this school year. I know that this will translate into college and beyond, because when I’m not doing physical activities I always tend to feel lethargic, bored, and unmotivated.
To live a low-stress life. Through the year that I’ve had and the school that I plan to attend, this probably isn’t a goal that I will fully accomplish until I’m much much older. Yes, I have been very stressed this year, and will be stressed in the future, but I would rather be busy and stressed than do nothing and live stress-free. The rewards from working hard outweigh the stress that comes with it.
Page 6 - Part 1: People Magazine Cover
Page 7 - Part II: People Magazine Article
Anthony Sausedo is currently a senior at Ripon High School with big goals in mind. Having been a member of Student Government and Leadership for every year of his high school career, he feels like he is ready to take on the world. Coming into this school year, Anthony felt exited, saying "I am so ready to finally have a full year of in-person learning after the pandemic of last year." However, he also mentioned the other emotions he was feeling, particularly one of sadness. It is his last year of high school, after all, and his life will never be the same once he walks that stage at graduation. Anthony's goals for this school year mostly revolve around his personal happiness and the memories that he makes. "I want this year to be memorable," he stated in an interview. "High school has flown by, and I want to make the most of the time that I have left." Outside of simply having fun, Anthony also has goals concerning his position as Senior Class Vice President. Since it is his first year as a class officer, he wants to do a great job for the senior class and make a positive impact on the school. Also, it being his 4th year of leadership, he wants to act as a role model for the newer students in the program. Looking towards his future, Anthony has his eyes set on attending Duke University as a mechanical engineer. However, he knows that nothing is guaranteed, especially not something so academically competitive like Duke is. Because of this, he also has many other options that he is excited about as well.
Page 8 - Role Model
My role model is my grandpa. He is someone that, no matter what, will always be there to put a smile on my face and brighten my day. He has always been so hardworking in both his career and within his family. While my grandma was still alive, she was always adamant about hosting all of our birthday and holiday celebrations within the family, and doing the little things that were always so appreciated, such as giving my cousins and I personal gift boxes and keeping traditions going. Now that it is just my grandpa, he has had a hard time carrying my grandma’s legacy, but has done a tremendous job keeping the family together, which is so inspiring. Nobody else is as genuinely nice and caring as my grandpa is. He never asks for anything in return, or to be praised, but simply does things out of the good in his heart. I strive to hold these same values and morals as him, which is why he is my role model. When I eventually get a family of my own, I want to raise my kids the way that he has raised both my mom, along with myself.
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Page 9 - Inner Animal
My inner animal is a wolf. Like wolves, I value intelligence, acting on instinct, and the social connections that are significant to me. Wolves feel great connections to their families and friends, but still yearn for freedom and living in the great outdoors. I feel connected to all of these things; I absolutely would do anything for the people that I love, but at the same time, I find myself often dreaming about exploring the world on my own and living new experiences. This is part of the reason why I want to also attend an out-of-state college, to experience something unique and different than what I am used to. Another significant quality of wolves is curiosity. They are not afraid to follow something interesting to them. I have, in the past, been scared to try new things, but the only reason I’m in Leadership is because I got the guts to apply in 8th grade. I was curious about the program, and took advantage of that curiosity and was able to be a part of this class. Many times during high school, I’ve felt either bored with what was going on or disconnected from things. Wolves value freedom more than pretty much anything, and I also desire to live life the way that I want to, not the way that society intends for me to live.
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Page 10 - The Best Things About Me
Page 11 - The Impact of Sound & Words
Vienna by Billy Joel
Slow down, you crazy child
You're so ambitious for a juvenile
But then if you're so smart, well, tell me
Why are you still so afraid? Mm
Where's the fire, what's the hurry about?
You'd better cool it off before you burn it out
You've got so much to do
And only so many hours in a day
But you know that when the truth is told
That you can get what you want or you can just get old
You're gonna kick off before you even get halfway through, ooh
When will you realize Vienna waits for you?
Slow down, you're doin' fine
You can't be everything you wanna be before your time
Although it's so romantic on the borderline
Tonight, tonight
Too bad, but it's the life you lead
You're so ahead of yourself that you forgot what you need
Though you can see when you're wrong
You know, you can't always see when you're right, you're right
You've got your passion, you've got your pride
But don't you know that only fools are satisfied?
Dream on, but don't imagine they'll all come true, ooh
When will you realize Vienna waits for you?
Slow down, you crazy child
And take the phone off the hook and disappear for awhile
It's alright, you can afford to lose a day or two, ooh
When will you realize Vienna waits for you?
And you know that when the truth is told
That you can get what you want or you can just get old
You're gonna kick off before you even get halfway through, ooh
Why don't you realize Vienna waits for you?
When will you realize Vienna waits for you?
When I first heard this song, I immediately felt a connection to it. Vienna speaks of someone who is ambitious, adventurous, and wants to succeed in life. However, as the song reiterates, it’s also important to slow down and enjoy life to its fullest. I’ve tried to balance both as I have been focusing on college applications, basketball, leadership and my AP classes for the past few months. I understand the value of doing all these things, but it is also important for me to realize that taking a step back is okay. Vienna is such an influential song in my life because its lyrics are similar to a wake up call and they remind me of myself. It feels like my time in high school has flown by, and I am now essentially halfway done with my senior year. I will always treat life like an exciting adventure to explore and conquer, but from the influence of Billy Joel’s Vienna, I will strive to live every day in the present moment and live for my own happiness as well.
Slow down, you crazy child
You're so ambitious for a juvenile
But then if you're so smart, well, tell me
Why are you still so afraid? Mm
Where's the fire, what's the hurry about?
You'd better cool it off before you burn it out
You've got so much to do
And only so many hours in a day
But you know that when the truth is told
That you can get what you want or you can just get old
You're gonna kick off before you even get halfway through, ooh
When will you realize Vienna waits for you?
Slow down, you're doin' fine
You can't be everything you wanna be before your time
Although it's so romantic on the borderline
Tonight, tonight
Too bad, but it's the life you lead
You're so ahead of yourself that you forgot what you need
Though you can see when you're wrong
You know, you can't always see when you're right, you're right
You've got your passion, you've got your pride
But don't you know that only fools are satisfied?
Dream on, but don't imagine they'll all come true, ooh
When will you realize Vienna waits for you?
Slow down, you crazy child
And take the phone off the hook and disappear for awhile
It's alright, you can afford to lose a day or two, ooh
When will you realize Vienna waits for you?
And you know that when the truth is told
That you can get what you want or you can just get old
You're gonna kick off before you even get halfway through, ooh
Why don't you realize Vienna waits for you?
When will you realize Vienna waits for you?
When I first heard this song, I immediately felt a connection to it. Vienna speaks of someone who is ambitious, adventurous, and wants to succeed in life. However, as the song reiterates, it’s also important to slow down and enjoy life to its fullest. I’ve tried to balance both as I have been focusing on college applications, basketball, leadership and my AP classes for the past few months. I understand the value of doing all these things, but it is also important for me to realize that taking a step back is okay. Vienna is such an influential song in my life because its lyrics are similar to a wake up call and they remind me of myself. It feels like my time in high school has flown by, and I am now essentially halfway done with my senior year. I will always treat life like an exciting adventure to explore and conquer, but from the influence of Billy Joel’s Vienna, I will strive to live every day in the present moment and live for my own happiness as well.
Page 12 - Homecoming Activities Photo Gallery
Page 13 - What I Like Best About Being a Member of Leadership
There have been so many memorable moments in this program during the 2021-2022 school year, one of them being the entirety of Homecoming. This was such a fun event, namely because it was our first “real” one since 2019. Spending long days with the senior class working on decorations and the lip-sync was tiring, but also led to some fun and memorable moments, like trying to do a complicated lift with Abby several times and eventually giving up with it. The Seniors also took first place in the competition, which made all the work we put into it so much more rewarding. My second memorable moment in this class was our Leadership Secret Santa, happening on the last day of the first semester. After a rough stretch of conflict and stress within the program, it was nice to be able to have a relaxing day where we validated and praised each other and gave amazing gifts. It reinforced the value of having good and positive relationships within the program, and now this second semester has felt much more positive as a result. My last favorite memory from this year was Core Camp. Even though we weren’t able to actually go to Santa Cruz and be there with the other schools, it was still super beneficial in terms of preparing us for the school year and formulating connections within the program. Playing the various team-building games was so much fun, especially when David and I stole everybody’s money in “Win as Much as You Can.”
Page 14 - A Reflection of a Peer in Leadership
I would like to praise Derek for all that he has done this year within and outside of his job description. Not only has he done great with all the various videos and rallies that he has been responsible for, but he’s also mentored Gideon at the same time, which is hard to juggle. Technology is one of the most demanding jobs in the program, even if it doesn’t seem that way on the surface. It’s truly an all-year commitment with no true breaks, and Derek has worked extensively to be successful. He’s also been very helpful to the Senior Officers with all of our events, especially Homecoming and Winterfest. He’s recently been super helpful in the past couple weeks, helping us out late at night with making finishing touches on our Winterfest decorations. Derek has also been subject to a lot of criticism and has been berated more than anyone else in the class, and even though many people view it as a joke or don’t really mean it, saying those things can still make an impact. However, he’s ignored the negativity and really done a great job in everything he does. I think Derek deserves to be praised more for his efforts in this program.
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Page 15 - RHS Pride Photo Gallery
Page 18 - What I Love to Do
Something that I have loved to do recently is to go on hikes. I began to hike more frequently coming into high school, and I’ve had so many awesome experiences doing it. Some of my favorite places to hike are Yosemite, Pinecrest, and Lake Tahoe. This last August, I hiked to the top of Yosemite Falls, which was about a 10 mile hike covering 5,000 feet in elevation, combined going up and down. Doing challenging hikes like this one enables me to not only get better at it, but also to feel more accomplished once I reach my goal. Some other hikes I have done are hiking to Cleo’s Bath near Pinecrest lake and hiking to the top of Pinnacle Mountain in Little Rock. Hiking is a great way to stay in shape and truly appreciate the nature around me. Due to the fact that I play multiple sports, having great stamina is key to being successful in those activities. I love exploring and going on adventures, so hiking has been a great way to do just that. I hope in the future to hike to the top of Half Dome, which is one of the most challenging and rewarding hikes in the country.
Page 19 - Letter to Parents
Dear Mom and Dad,
As I approach the end of my high school career, it is important for me to reflect on everyone who has helped me reach where I am today. I have had so many amazing friends and teachers who have guided me towards a successful future, but you have truly made the biggest impact on my personal growth throughout my 17 years on Earth. Because of the impact that you have made on me, I feel much more confident in myself and I have gained stronger values and morals. You have taught me respect, kindness, responsibility, accountability, and self-discipline, and I could not be more grateful for that fact. Through all of my various sporting events and other out-of-school activities, you have always been there to support me in all of my endeavors. Even though I often lash out due to my own personal stress, you don’t yell excessively at me, but I probably deserve it to be honest. I am so thankful to be given such great examples to follow and to look up to. So many people have neglectful parents and are forced to grow up on their own without any guidance, but I am lucky enough to be granted two parents that both are invested in my life and want me to succeed. Even as I move to the next stage of my life when I go to college, your impact on me will never waver.
Love, Anthony
As I approach the end of my high school career, it is important for me to reflect on everyone who has helped me reach where I am today. I have had so many amazing friends and teachers who have guided me towards a successful future, but you have truly made the biggest impact on my personal growth throughout my 17 years on Earth. Because of the impact that you have made on me, I feel much more confident in myself and I have gained stronger values and morals. You have taught me respect, kindness, responsibility, accountability, and self-discipline, and I could not be more grateful for that fact. Through all of my various sporting events and other out-of-school activities, you have always been there to support me in all of my endeavors. Even though I often lash out due to my own personal stress, you don’t yell excessively at me, but I probably deserve it to be honest. I am so thankful to be given such great examples to follow and to look up to. So many people have neglectful parents and are forced to grow up on their own without any guidance, but I am lucky enough to be granted two parents that both are invested in my life and want me to succeed. Even as I move to the next stage of my life when I go to college, your impact on me will never waver.
Love, Anthony
Page 20 - Your True Legacy
Dear Gracie,
I am so proud of you for being elected to be next year’s Senior Class Vice President! I know from your hard work, compassion, and commitment to this program, you will do a splendid job and truly make an impact at Ripon High School. Through writing this letter to you, I hope to provide some of my wisdom gained from my own experience as Senior VP. To start off, I really want to emphasize the importance of two main things: communication, and time management. Communication is going to be something that consistently needs to be strong, especially with your fellow officers. There were a few moments during this year where I did not communicate well enough with my officer team, and it caused tension and confusion because we did not know who was in charge of what. In order to maintain a trustworthy relationship between you and your officers, it is super important to constantly communicate effectively. In terms of time management, being a Senior Officer means you will be busy year-round, but the brunt of your workload will come during the end of the school year, with all of the senior events, such as College Reveal Night, the Disneyland trip, and Grateful Graduate. These events are important to the senior class, so being able to manage your time well and not procrastinate until the end will ensure that these activities are successful and well received by your class. Again, I am so proud of how far you have come, and I have full confidence in your future success as Senior Class Vice President!
-Anthony Sausedo
I am so proud of you for being elected to be next year’s Senior Class Vice President! I know from your hard work, compassion, and commitment to this program, you will do a splendid job and truly make an impact at Ripon High School. Through writing this letter to you, I hope to provide some of my wisdom gained from my own experience as Senior VP. To start off, I really want to emphasize the importance of two main things: communication, and time management. Communication is going to be something that consistently needs to be strong, especially with your fellow officers. There were a few moments during this year where I did not communicate well enough with my officer team, and it caused tension and confusion because we did not know who was in charge of what. In order to maintain a trustworthy relationship between you and your officers, it is super important to constantly communicate effectively. In terms of time management, being a Senior Officer means you will be busy year-round, but the brunt of your workload will come during the end of the school year, with all of the senior events, such as College Reveal Night, the Disneyland trip, and Grateful Graduate. These events are important to the senior class, so being able to manage your time well and not procrastinate until the end will ensure that these activities are successful and well received by your class. Again, I am so proud of how far you have come, and I have full confidence in your future success as Senior Class Vice President!
-Anthony Sausedo
Page 21 - Do's and Don'ts List
DO: Start preparations for Senior events (College Reveal, Grad Nite, Baccalaureate, Senior Gift) early. These events are more time consuming than they may seem and all happen very close to each other.
DO: Encourage participation from the Senior class. Remember that we are responsible for many of the Senior events that are so important to the student body and create so many memories for them.
DO: Lend a helping hand to the younger students in Leadership. As Seniors, we are the ones with the most maturity and experience, and thus must use that to help new members of the program.
DON’T: Expect this year to come easy since we don’t plan an actual dance. Senior Officers are consistently busy year-round, with the brunt of our work coming at the end of the year, and thus we can not slack off or anticipate little work.
DON’T: Let Senioritis take hold of you. It’s a lot more dangerous than it may seem, and may cause a lot of disappointment among the Senior class when they don’t get the Senior activities in the way they had previously expected due to a lack of effort.
DON’T: Put all of the work on one person. Senior officers are a team, and although we all have our own specific things we are responsible for, we still have things we must collaborate on and work with each other on to be successful.
DO: Encourage participation from the Senior class. Remember that we are responsible for many of the Senior events that are so important to the student body and create so many memories for them.
DO: Lend a helping hand to the younger students in Leadership. As Seniors, we are the ones with the most maturity and experience, and thus must use that to help new members of the program.
DON’T: Expect this year to come easy since we don’t plan an actual dance. Senior Officers are consistently busy year-round, with the brunt of our work coming at the end of the year, and thus we can not slack off or anticipate little work.
DON’T: Let Senioritis take hold of you. It’s a lot more dangerous than it may seem, and may cause a lot of disappointment among the Senior class when they don’t get the Senior activities in the way they had previously expected due to a lack of effort.
DON’T: Put all of the work on one person. Senior officers are a team, and although we all have our own specific things we are responsible for, we still have things we must collaborate on and work with each other on to be successful.
Page 22 - The Contact List
Mrs. Rodriguez - Ripon High School
[email protected]
301 N Acacia Ave, Ripon, CA 95366
Stockton Shelter for the Homeless
(209) 465-3612
411 S Harrison St, Stockton, CA 95366
Andy Strickland - Ripon Unified School District
[email protected]
304 N Acacia Ave, Ripon, CA 95366
[email protected]
301 N Acacia Ave, Ripon, CA 95366
Stockton Shelter for the Homeless
(209) 465-3612
411 S Harrison St, Stockton, CA 95366
Andy Strickland - Ripon Unified School District
[email protected]
304 N Acacia Ave, Ripon, CA 95366
Page 24 - The Professional
Two important aspects of professional learning that were emphasized this school year in Leadership are conducting interviews and organizing meetings along with how to prepare for a public speech. For the first aspect, I had some experience with this as I was on the interview panel for next year’s Leadership interviews. When doing this, it is super important to ensure that the person you are interviewing clearly understands what you are asking of them and feels comfortable to be themselves. Being intimidating can help weed out those who are not prepared, but it also can cause people to say things that are not reflective of who they are. For preparing for a public speech, it entails multiple different steps that all combine together to form a successful presentation. These steps include, but are not limited to, research, multiple rough drafts, memorization, practice, and professional dress. By practicing all of these things through our random public speeches in January and multiple debrief sessions in ASB formal meetings, I have drastically improved in this area alongside all of my peers in this program.
Page 25 - Change
This school year within the ASB Leadership program has had a range of ups and downs, awesome moments and moments of great distress, but it has overall been a great year in my opinion. To start, a time of frustration occurred when we were working on Winterfest. Before this event, the senior class had not had any sort of issues with each other, even during Homecoming. However, due to the increased workload of everyone, some people did not show up to meetings when we were decorating things for the competition. Looking back, I now realize that everyone had valid reasons for not being there, but at the moment, I felt like there was a lack of commitment to this event, on everyone's part. A time of lacking efficiency occurred when the Vice Presidents were creating the Blanket Drive. I think that this stemmed in part from the fact that this was a completely new event that we had little to no direction on, and essentially had to improvise for almost everything. When we started we were very disorganized, but we ended up pulling it together and having a successful fundraiser. As a class, I think the main problem that occurred was a time of great stress and conflict within the members of the program that reached a peak near the end of the first semester. Everyone was conflicting with each other and with themselves, and we ended up having a full-on class discussion about addressing these problems and how to fix them. I think that having this was super beneficial and has helped this second semester be much better. One change I would suggest in the future is to have more focus on keeping the work ethic, collaboration, communication, etc at a high level throughout the entire year. I feel like every year that I have been in this program, so many people (including myself) run out of steam by the end of the year or experience moments where motivation is extremely lacking. I think it’s super important to maintain this energy year-long to ensure that each and every activity and event we do is done with our best effort.
Page 26 - The Ideal Leader
To me, the ideal leader is something that is going to be different for everyone. Our leadership class consists of so many unique people that operate in dramatically different ways, yet we are all leaders in my eyes. Some are outspoken, confident, and savor the moments where they get to go out there and stand in front of a crowd, while others are content with working behind the scenes but still making equally valuable contributions. However, even with all of these differences, there are still some qualities that all leaders must possess to be successful in this program. One of these is consistently meeting deadlines and completing work to the best of their potential. Our purpose in ASB Leadership is to serve the student body and give back to our community, and making these events successful can only be done when leaders are diligent and motivated to get something done. Regarding daily class activity, respect for those in front of the class is very integral to an ideal leader. There are times when it’s appropriate to talk and joke around, and times when it is not, and being able to recognize this is very important. Lastly, ideal leaders have to leave a strong impression on the student body, whether that’s being kind to everyone or setting a good example of following the rules and not doing punishable things. What we do, everyone else follows. Students in leadership possess a large sphere of influence, and thus must be careful and mindful when outside of the classroom as to not do things that could leave a bad impression on the student body.
Page 27 - You
Fearless