CUL DE SAC:----The United Student Government Front (USGF), an umbrella organization established to bring all high school student bodies together, successfully hosted its third Parliamentary Procedures workshop on December 10, 2015.
More than two dozen students, drawn from Sundial School, Leaning Unlimited, St. Dominic High, and both campuses of St. Maarten Academy (academic and PSVE), met at Academy’s academic campus to learn how to become more efficient leaders in their individual school settings.
Prior of the start of the workshop, members of the various Student Government Associations (SGAs) were able to meet their counterparts, network and share ideas.
The workshop, sponsored by Windward Islands Bank (WIB) and Domino’s Pizza, was conducted by veteran Toastmasters, Distinguished Toastmaster (DTM) John Hodge and DTM Sinatra Rouse.
Rouse opened the session by asking a series of fun and civic-minded questions that allowed participants to win tokens. Thereafter, the two Toastmasters gave practical tips on how best the students can conduct successful meetings at their respective schools.
Using Robert’s Rule of Order, Rouse and Hodge explained the importance of having an agenda for meetings and taking minutes. The duties of each board member, too, were explained, as well as the types of motions, the correct procedures when laying a motion on the table, debating and voting on a motion, types of motions and time management.
Students were later grouped and asked to use what they had learned in a role play setting. Ideas and new motions were laid on the table for debate and students within the groups had to vote. Later they presented their findings.
Each student was presented with a certificate of participation and encouraged to employ the tips learned that day when they return to school in January to conduct their own SGA meetings.
The workshop was one of two activities planned by USGF for the academic year 2015-16. The second event, the annual Interscholastic Board Games competition, will take place on January 22, 2016 at Milton Peters College.
USGF was established in 2007 as a method of bringing together the student bodies of the various high schools on the island. The initial idea was for all high school student representatives to meet at least four times each academic year to, among other things, receive training in parliamentary procedures and bond with each other. If a school does not have a student body, USGF invites that school to send student representatives to its meetings, where it can provide a support base.
Over the years, these sessions allowed students to get a sense of what it takes to be good citizens and leaders in their own right, as well as share ideas on how they can make their learning environment fun. Over time, students overcame nervousness when speaking before an audience and learned to organize and present ideas logically and convincingly, among other things.
USGF thanks both WIB and Domino’s Pizza for their support