Thursday, March 3, 2011

Mo Cheeks National Anthem video - a GREAT example of character!

Bringing the power of Google to your school and your activities program

We heard from so many amazing people so far today, but one that stood out was Jaime Casap.  He is the "Google Educational Evangelist," and is working to help schools harness the power of Google applications to help kids learn and get involved.  You can find out more about Google for Education here:

And you can follow Jaime on Twitter here:  http://twitter.com/jcasap

By using Twitter Fast Follow, you could start following Jaime right now using any cell phone.  Simply send the words follow jcasap to 40404.  To stop receiving Fast Follow messages from Twitter, simply text STOP to 40404.

I am running for CADA Vice President

My name is Janet Roberts, and I am running for Vice President for the California Association of Directors of Activities (CADA) in 2011.  CADA's mission is to "promote and support leadership development and student activities."  It is my mission to spread this word through the idea of Reach Out.  Here are the three ways we "Reach Out" in CADA:

  • We Reach Out to the students on our schools to connect them to student activities.  We understand that a school activities program sets the school climate and culture, and kids who are involved and enjoy school outside the classroom are more likely to be successful in the classroom.
  • We Reach Out to student leaders across the state of California and beyond.  CADA and CASL host programs throughout the school year to train student leaders, giving them the motivation and confidence they need to lead, as well as the tools to put on successful student activities.
  • We Reach Out to each other as educational professionals involved with student activities.  From ASB Directors to account clerks, administrators to cheer coaches, class advisers to yearbook advisers, we Reach Out to each other to provide friendship, new ideas, and support, at a time when we as educators need each other the most.
Please join me as we Reach Out to everyone in the CADA community, and join me at the CADA State Convention, March 2-5, 2011, at the Town and Country Resort in San Diego, CA.  For registration information, please visit http://www.cada1.org, and check this blog each week for new activity ideas!

My qualifications


This is who I am . . .

Teacher – 32 years
Activities Director – 20 years
Renaissance Teacher – 15 years
Spiritleader Advisor – 12 years
Class Advisor – 12 years
Link Crew Leader – 2 years
WASC Coordinator
California PTSA Award Winner
4 year - CADA State Board member
CADA Area E Coordinator – 4 years
CADA Area E Council Member- 15 years
CADA Camp Staff Member- 12 years
Member of the Alliance For Student Activities

Presenter
- (NAWD) National Association of Workshop Directors
- CADA State Convention
- CADA Area A, D, E, F and G Student Leadership Conferences
- CADA Area E and F – New Advisor’s Conference

Conference Coordinator
- CADA Area E Student Leadership Conference
- CADA Area E STARS (Students Targeted at Reaching Success) Conference
- CADA Area E and F New Advisor’s Conference

Awards
Area E – Award Winner
CADA/CASL Outstanding High School Award past four years
Students served on CASL State Board

I will use my lifetime of experiences to Reach Out to the members of CADA, and in turn help them to reach out their school communities, as your next CADA Vice President.

Vote Janet Roberts for CADA Vice President
CADA State Convention 2011 – San Diego, CA

Michael Josephson's "What Will Matter" - closing to Wednesday's keynote

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This was the final part of Michael Josephson's presentation this evening at the 2011 CADA Convention.  ". . . Living a life that matters doesn't happen by accident.  It's not a matter of circumstance but of choice.  Choose to live a life that matters."  The entire piece is here on the Character Counts website:

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Using Twitter Fast Follow to Reach Out back at your school

Twitter Fast Follow is a great way to Reach Out to students and families back at your school.  How do teens communicate most?  Via text message!  Now you can use Twitter to send text messages to your student body!  They DON'T need a Twitter account and they DON'T need a smartphone (iPhone, Blackberry, Android, etc); all they need is a cell phone that can send and receive text messages.  Check out more information here:

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Great article featuring Janet and Reach Out


Educator, author, and leadership coach Guy E. White features JR on the power of "Reach Out" in his most recent online article.  Check it out here:
http://www.guyelvinwhite.com/?p=432

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

"Reaching Out" With Our Hearts

Our Chino Hills ASB 2010-2011 theme is "With Our Hearts." Our goal this year has been to "Reach Out" to the students on our campus with our hearts.  This is "Love and Kindness Week."  One of our activities included making a class color heart for every student in the school with their name on it.  Today after school we taped up all the hearts in our lunch area.  We are so excited for the student reactions when hey see that there are people on campus that care about them.  What are you doing on your campus to "Reach Out"?


Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Bringing together student leaders

Today Chino Hills High School ASB was able to “Reach Out” to seven middle schools in our area as we hosted a CASL Leadership Development Day.  So many wonderful leadership skills were shared.  It was such an amazing experience for the Chino Hills ASB students to get trained and then lead the middle school students in all kinds of activities.  If you are interested in either hosting or bringing your student leaders to a CASL Leadership Development Day, please visit the CADA website at http://www.cada1.org and click on "Leadership Development Days."

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Reaching Out from NYC!

I'm with Kelsi right now as she meets with grad schools in New York.  The snow is beautiful here in Central Park!  Glad I have my CADA sweatshirt to keep me warm. :-)

Monday, January 31, 2011

Teen Truth Live Road Show



I was very excited to be a part of our new CADA/CASL Teen Truth Live Road Show. It is a collaborative drive to reduce bullying and improve school culture.  The Road Show made its first stop in Orange County on January 25.
There were close to 200 of us in attendance. It’s an avenue to empower local leaders one community at a time. Uniting our community is so important.  By sharing our resources and working together we can reach some amazing goals. “Reaching Out” and connecting with each other helps to create this unity of kindness. Listening to the voices of our students was emphasized.  It’s so easy to be nice . . . to just “Reach Out” and say hello. Communities need to be connected.  It’s time for us to “Reach Out” and make a difference.
Teen Truth started the event with an amazing video. A panel of local community leaders then shared ideas and answered questions. CADA President elect Paul Chylinski shared the new CADA website full of lesson plans for activity directors to use to improve school culture. For more information, log onto http://www.cada1.org and click on the "School Safety Roadshow" link.
It was an outstanding first stop. I’m very excited to jump in my vehicle and drive this road show to my district.  Don’t miss hearing all about at the CADA Convention in March!

Thursday, January 27, 2011

We're going to CASL! How about you?

This week my ASB students were so excited because they started turning in their registrations to the CASL Conference. This year's theme is "CASL Goes Camping - Leaving Our Campuses Better Than We Found Them."  I'm so excited that CADA and CASL have developed this amazing conference that help my students learn to "Reach Out" in so many ways.  The high school conference is in San Jose, April 2-4, 2011. The middle school conference is March 31 - April 2.  We will get to hear inspiration from Scott Greenberg and Tyler Durman.  I know my students are especially looking forward to hearing from Rachel's Challenge.  The program made such an impact our campus three years ago.  There are so many wonderful things at the CASL Convention including the Area Meetings, Meet the Pros and the Service Learning Project.  Chino Hills High School is going.  Is your school?

Sunday, January 23, 2011

Working with the Alliance for Student Activities

I’ve had the most wonderful weekend in Arizona with the Alliance of Student Activities. I got the opportunity to meet with a group of people “on fire” about the importance of offering leadership opportunities to students. The group included activities directors, principals, professional speakers, college professors and teachers “Reaching Out” and sharing ideas.

With budget cuts happening nationwide, we need statistics that can demonstrate the power of student activities to administrators and board members.  This weekend in Phoenix, Alliance members from across the country worked together on a program to train teachers to share these statistics with their districts.  I was proud to represent California during these meetings.  Many of the programs we developed will be showcased for the first time in December 2011 for NAWD at the National Conference on Student Activities in Salt Lake City.  I am so excited to bring these outstanding ideas back home to California!

Saturday, January 22, 2011

The role of an activities director


I'm currently in Arizona for the 2011 Activity Advisor Seminar being put on by the Alliance for Student Activities.  Mike Smith helped create the Alliance, and I was honored when he asked to interview me on the role of the activities director.  The Alliance is an amazing national organization committed to promoting the value of student activities.  You can check them out, and see my interview here:

Reaching Out to new students in Magnolia, Texas

Lip dubs are the latest craze, and a fun way to unite your student body.  Here is a welcome-to-school lip dub from Magnolia High School in Magnolia, TX, that warmed my heart.  Imagine coming to school here as a new student.  This is the type of energy and enthusiasm we create in student activities!

Thursday, January 20, 2011

Special birthday message from the students of Chino Hills HS

Last month for my birthday, my students surprised me with a video that brought tears to my eyes.  They know all about my Reach Out mission, and so they made this just for for me.  Enjoy!

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Reach Out by asking questions

There is a story about a woman who had the privilege of dining with two different British Prime Ministers within the span of a couple weeks, David Lloyd George and Benjamin Disraeli.  After these two remarkable opportunities, a friend asked her what it was like to dine with such great and powerful men.  She responded, "After sitting next to Lord George I concluded he was the most important person in the world. After sitting next to Disraeli I concluded I was the most important person in the world."
What are you doing at your school to help every student feel important?  Here is a quick video you can share with your student leaders on how we can Reach Out to those kids on our campus who need us most.  It's wonderful for us to be interesting, but it's far more significant to be interested.

Sunday, January 16, 2011

Minute to Win It Activity Ideas



I was watching the NBC show "Minute to Win It" and got inspired by some of the games.  Here is a list of Minute to Win It games you can play at your school.  Enjoy!