Page 1- Initial Letter
Gabriella Ilardi, Link and Reniassance Coordinater, 2020-2021
First off, all I can say is global pandemic. It is so crazy to me to think that more than half of 2020 has been spent dealing with this coronavirus and in quarantine. Now that we are finally trying to continue normal, everyday activities online like school, it is hard to wrap my head around the concept that this is our new reality for this year. If I am being completely honest my initial thoughts on this year was that it was going to, for a lack of better words, suck! Everything online was new to everyone including teachers, staff, parents, and students, which made it extremely difficult for school to feel normal. The main thing I couldn’t wrap my head around for this year was how leadership was even going to do their job? With restrictions on social distancing and physical interaction, how were we going to plan events and still get the student body in the school. After training with Scott Backivotch and attending virtual core camp, my perspective on this year changed immensely, and I discovered how to remain positive during times that are so unprecedented like these. With everyone going on, I would say that my intentions for this COVID-19 year are to keep the student body interested and involved. I believe we have enough creative minds in our wonderful leadership class to do so, when working together. As far as personal, I expect to strengthen my ability to respect the unexpected and be able to work with what you have when you are thrown a curveball. This ability will include skills such as creative thinking, assertiveness, and communication over a virtual platform, which is how most things are done nowadays. My whole theme this year is finding your passion and then fueling your purpose. With a setback like the coronavirus, I think it is important to still stick with your goals and continue to work towards them. It is really easy to forget about them when a new stress comes into your life and distracts you. So with that being said, I hope to keep a positive mindset going into the rest of the year since the beginning was a little tough, and stick with what I love to do despite the circumstances.
Page 2- Favorite Quotes
“Always make a total effort, even when the odds are against you.” - Arnold Palmer
This quote is from one of the first most famous golfers in the United States, Arnold Palmer. It is very close to me because it not only impacts my golf game, but it also impacts my life in general. He says that even when the odds are against you, you need to continue to give your 100% full effort, which I agree with completely because you are not always going to have someone supporting you and when that happens you can not just give up. In golf, or any sport really, there are going to be times when the odds are not in your favor. Whether you are going against tough competition or struggling with your personal game, it is important to have this mindset. You will never reach your full potential if you are not giving your total effort at all times. This quote reminds me to persevere when times are rough and to drown out the negative people in your life, which to me are the “odds against you.”
“Whether you think you can or you can’t you are right.”- Henry Ford
This quote has stuck with me for awhile now ever since my dad told this to me after a golf tournament. I constantly remind myself of it whenever I am playing because your actions are controlled by your mindset. If you have a pessimist mindset then nothing will ever go your way. You have to have confidence in yourself and believe in your capabilities in order to succeed. In golf, it is especially important to have a positive mental game. If you let the bad things get to you then it is going to be very hard to persevere. Even when it gets tough, you have to remember that things will eventually get better, and whether or not you believe they will get better determines that. I am so glad that my dad introduced me to this quote because it has changed my perspective on life, and improved my golf game.
“A person who never made a mistake never tried anything new.” -Albert Einstein
This quote is from Albert Einstein, the genius himself. He was the creator of the idea that mass and energy are interchangeable, e=mc2^. He was very intelligent and I agree with this quote of his 100%. This quote has motivated me to not be afraid to try new things and put yourself out there. Exploring out of your comfort zone opens you up to so many new opportunities in life, whether that includes applying for a new job, trying a different hobby, or even talking to someone you haven’t met before. All of these things help you go above and beyond in life, making you become the best version of yourself. You can very easily make it in life just going through the motions, doing only what you know you can do. However, that is not truly living- taking risks, being brave, and knowing that it is okay to fail. I like to live by the quote because it is very easy to fall into a comfortable spot and never leave it, but I remind myself of this quote and push myself harder.
This quote is from one of the first most famous golfers in the United States, Arnold Palmer. It is very close to me because it not only impacts my golf game, but it also impacts my life in general. He says that even when the odds are against you, you need to continue to give your 100% full effort, which I agree with completely because you are not always going to have someone supporting you and when that happens you can not just give up. In golf, or any sport really, there are going to be times when the odds are not in your favor. Whether you are going against tough competition or struggling with your personal game, it is important to have this mindset. You will never reach your full potential if you are not giving your total effort at all times. This quote reminds me to persevere when times are rough and to drown out the negative people in your life, which to me are the “odds against you.”
“Whether you think you can or you can’t you are right.”- Henry Ford
This quote has stuck with me for awhile now ever since my dad told this to me after a golf tournament. I constantly remind myself of it whenever I am playing because your actions are controlled by your mindset. If you have a pessimist mindset then nothing will ever go your way. You have to have confidence in yourself and believe in your capabilities in order to succeed. In golf, it is especially important to have a positive mental game. If you let the bad things get to you then it is going to be very hard to persevere. Even when it gets tough, you have to remember that things will eventually get better, and whether or not you believe they will get better determines that. I am so glad that my dad introduced me to this quote because it has changed my perspective on life, and improved my golf game.
“A person who never made a mistake never tried anything new.” -Albert Einstein
This quote is from Albert Einstein, the genius himself. He was the creator of the idea that mass and energy are interchangeable, e=mc2^. He was very intelligent and I agree with this quote of his 100%. This quote has motivated me to not be afraid to try new things and put yourself out there. Exploring out of your comfort zone opens you up to so many new opportunities in life, whether that includes applying for a new job, trying a different hobby, or even talking to someone you haven’t met before. All of these things help you go above and beyond in life, making you become the best version of yourself. You can very easily make it in life just going through the motions, doing only what you know you can do. However, that is not truly living- taking risks, being brave, and knowing that it is okay to fail. I like to live by the quote because it is very easy to fall into a comfortable spot and never leave it, but I remind myself of this quote and push myself harder.
Page 3- Quote Reflection
The quote that I represent me and the effort to put forth towards this leadership program this year, is one that I just came across in my journal the other day. The quote, “Character is who you are when no one is looking,” was inspired by Leadership 2016 Alumni, Marissa Regalo. I was first introduced to this quote a long time ago, but it wasn’t until I saw it in my weekly journal that I was reminded of it again. I am glad that I came across this quote again because it rates to this year perfectly, and who I have tried to be. With most of our year online, there was no one truly watching your every action like they are on campus so it could’ve been easy to slack off and not hold yourself accountable. This quote is super important for future leaders because it displays a major part of true leadership in such a short sentence. The simplicity of this quote makes more than capable to remember and carry with you throughout the years. I pushed through the adversities faced during distance learning alone and “in the dark” or “while no one's watching” because that is the kind of person I am deep down. A true leadership should have a good enough character that they do not need the recognition from others for their actions, or are not solely preoccupied with this recognition from a higher figure. They perform their actions for others and not themselves. It is important to self-reflect on these quotes because it is a good way to stay mindful and make sure we are on track and putting in the effort that we want.
Page 4- Goals
This year being a different year, my goals for the leadership class specifically had to be modified much like all of the events leadership plans had to be as well. Going along with my, Self Core Principles of “adapt to change, manage time, and have good communication with my advisor” my two goals connected to leadership this year are to take our setbacks and use then to our advantage through creating new, more creative ideas and to be as accountable in my position as I can, not just a trainee. As we are now doing school through distance learning and everything is done electronically, Renaissance and Link Crew are going to have to come up with different ideas to get the job done. Students will not be at school to sign up for renaissance or receive their awards, and Link Crew will not be able hold events on campus for the student body to socialize with the incoming freshmen and their peers in general. That is why I think that in order to move past these setbacks we are going to have to use the positives that come out of them, like quicker technological strategies of having things done. Other than that, I want to essentially prove myself in my job and show how I can take on this position, even though I did not specifically apply for it. Lydia and I are excited to try and get things going with our jobs through distance learning, and I can’t wait to get back in the classroom and make the program a little more organized as I noticed the system for renaissance wasn’t the most effective during my training last bit.
This year has also changed my perspective on life and made me rethink my goals since anything can happen, like a global pandemic taking away a solid year of my life. For the rest of this year, my main goal is to keep a positive mindset and attitude. Times have been so depressing recently, and it has been very hard to have faith that things will get better, let alone keep a smile on my face. However, focusing on the little things that are positive in my life has helped me, and I know having this goal will also help me hold myself accountable. My other goal for this year is to make a list of all of the colleges I am interested in and email their head golf coaches, to put myself on their radar. Highly competitive college golf teams get filled up fast through recruiting so it is important that I start young so they see me as an option in recruiting when the time comes. This list making requires me to sit down with my coach and go over what needs to be in my email, and what needs to be done to get where I need to be.
As far as long term goals go, some of those have stayed the same. I still want to and have been working towards playing D1 level college golf. I have not completely fallen in love with a school yet, however playing at Duke University has been my dream since I went to North Carolina last summer. Any school that I can get a scholarship at would be one of my first options though, but at the end of the day golf is my passion, and I want to pursue it as much as I can for as long as I can. I know it may seem simple, but another long term goal I have in my life is to be happy with whatever path I chose to take down the road. Whether I fall in love with a man and want to spend the rest of my life with him so I choose to start a family young. Or, I fall in love with a career and want to pursue that, making a difference in the world. I overall want to be happy with whatever I choose. I do not want to live with no regrets (or the least amount I can have) and indecision. By trusting my gut, I will ultimately end up on the right path.
This year has also changed my perspective on life and made me rethink my goals since anything can happen, like a global pandemic taking away a solid year of my life. For the rest of this year, my main goal is to keep a positive mindset and attitude. Times have been so depressing recently, and it has been very hard to have faith that things will get better, let alone keep a smile on my face. However, focusing on the little things that are positive in my life has helped me, and I know having this goal will also help me hold myself accountable. My other goal for this year is to make a list of all of the colleges I am interested in and email their head golf coaches, to put myself on their radar. Highly competitive college golf teams get filled up fast through recruiting so it is important that I start young so they see me as an option in recruiting when the time comes. This list making requires me to sit down with my coach and go over what needs to be in my email, and what needs to be done to get where I need to be.
As far as long term goals go, some of those have stayed the same. I still want to and have been working towards playing D1 level college golf. I have not completely fallen in love with a school yet, however playing at Duke University has been my dream since I went to North Carolina last summer. Any school that I can get a scholarship at would be one of my first options though, but at the end of the day golf is my passion, and I want to pursue it as much as I can for as long as I can. I know it may seem simple, but another long term goal I have in my life is to be happy with whatever path I chose to take down the road. Whether I fall in love with a man and want to spend the rest of my life with him so I choose to start a family young. Or, I fall in love with a career and want to pursue that, making a difference in the world. I overall want to be happy with whatever I choose. I do not want to live with no regrets (or the least amount I can have) and indecision. By trusting my gut, I will ultimately end up on the right path.
Page 5- Goals Reflections
Take our setbacks and use them to our advantage through creating new, more creative ideas-
I feel like I have made strides towards this goal immensely, and I have created new ideas with my link crew & renaissance team. With covid, renaissance was tough to find a solution to but once we got back in school in-person, we were finally able to hand out the stars and pins for Block R. Our idea for using the google form instead of paper copying was a new technological advancement we tried this year. This idea made our program more organized, and I think it ran much more smoothly. As far as Link Crew goes, another idea that I came up with for this spring semester was the admiration video, which has been new this year. We have been utilizing our social media platform more, pushing out our events and fun student body activities out more.
Be as accountable in my position as I can, not just a trainee-
This year I wanted to branch out of my trainee position, and make sure that I wasn’t relying on Lydia so much. With covid it was definitely different, and we had to shift or focus more on the future year than so much this year. I feel like I have come far in my position, and now feel very comfortable on my job requirements along with now having the confidence to be an authority figure since I have two trainees for next year.
Make a list of all of the colleges I am interested in and email their head golf coaches, to put myself on their radar-
This goal has been a little complicated with covid since there have not been any college golf camps to go to and get the information I need. However, I was able to meet with Cal Poly’s old recruiting coach which is where I got most of my information from this year. This was a good idea to reach out to her because I was able to find out where I need to be spending my time for my future goals. As far as for this goal, I haven’t sent out my letter, but I will be doing so by the end of the dead period this summer which is June 21st. I have followed all of the colleges I am interested in sending letters to on their social media, and planned future trips to tour colleges.
Playing D1 level college golf-
I have been working really hard on my golf game, and we have had a very busy tournament schedule which is exactly what I wanted to do this year. This year was supposed to be a learning experience year, filled with mental struggles, competition, and overall physical growth. From the development of a workout schedule to transferring coaches, I have learned so much about myself over the past year. And, as much as the progress wasn’t as visual all of the time, I am proud of the strides that were made and determination I had to keep working hard even when time got tough.
Be happy with whatever path I chose to take down the road-
This goal was a big one for me, and all of the little things that I have done this year have added up to this goal slowly but surely. This is one of my biggest goals in life, and I just discovered after going through my Mock Interview Process my future career in life needs to be something that I am gladly going to everyday. Talking with my professional individual, I have learned there are so many paths down the road that allow you to not be stuck in the superficial blue collar, cubical type job. This has made me realize that work can be fun in the future, and I think my biggest stride towards this goal has been going through this interview process.
I feel like I have made strides towards this goal immensely, and I have created new ideas with my link crew & renaissance team. With covid, renaissance was tough to find a solution to but once we got back in school in-person, we were finally able to hand out the stars and pins for Block R. Our idea for using the google form instead of paper copying was a new technological advancement we tried this year. This idea made our program more organized, and I think it ran much more smoothly. As far as Link Crew goes, another idea that I came up with for this spring semester was the admiration video, which has been new this year. We have been utilizing our social media platform more, pushing out our events and fun student body activities out more.
Be as accountable in my position as I can, not just a trainee-
This year I wanted to branch out of my trainee position, and make sure that I wasn’t relying on Lydia so much. With covid it was definitely different, and we had to shift or focus more on the future year than so much this year. I feel like I have come far in my position, and now feel very comfortable on my job requirements along with now having the confidence to be an authority figure since I have two trainees for next year.
Make a list of all of the colleges I am interested in and email their head golf coaches, to put myself on their radar-
This goal has been a little complicated with covid since there have not been any college golf camps to go to and get the information I need. However, I was able to meet with Cal Poly’s old recruiting coach which is where I got most of my information from this year. This was a good idea to reach out to her because I was able to find out where I need to be spending my time for my future goals. As far as for this goal, I haven’t sent out my letter, but I will be doing so by the end of the dead period this summer which is June 21st. I have followed all of the colleges I am interested in sending letters to on their social media, and planned future trips to tour colleges.
Playing D1 level college golf-
I have been working really hard on my golf game, and we have had a very busy tournament schedule which is exactly what I wanted to do this year. This year was supposed to be a learning experience year, filled with mental struggles, competition, and overall physical growth. From the development of a workout schedule to transferring coaches, I have learned so much about myself over the past year. And, as much as the progress wasn’t as visual all of the time, I am proud of the strides that were made and determination I had to keep working hard even when time got tough.
Be happy with whatever path I chose to take down the road-
This goal was a big one for me, and all of the little things that I have done this year have added up to this goal slowly but surely. This is one of my biggest goals in life, and I just discovered after going through my Mock Interview Process my future career in life needs to be something that I am gladly going to everyday. Talking with my professional individual, I have learned there are so many paths down the road that allow you to not be stuck in the superficial blue collar, cubical type job. This has made me realize that work can be fun in the future, and I think my biggest stride towards this goal has been going through this interview process.
Page 6 and 7- People Magazine Cover and Article
Gabbi Ilardi is currently a sophomore at Ripon High School, attending her 10th year of school in the Ripon Unified School District. She is a two sport athlete with a 4.0 grade average and is involved in the leadership program at her high school. It is her second year in the program, and this year she received the position of Link Crew and Renaissance Coordinator. She loves being involved in her school’s events, and growing up with her brother being a part of Ripon High’s leadership program, she was very eager to join once she became a highschooler. Last year she did not get the chance to join any club due to conflict in scheduling, however, this year she is excited to look at the clubs on her campus in more detail and potentially create one of her own. With this year being completely different than any others in Gabbi’s life so far, she has been able to focus on certain things in more detail and figure out what is truly important to her. Due to the coronavirus, Gabbi spent about 3 months in true quarantine where she did a lot of facetiming with her friends, binge watching TV, and most importantly making music playlists. Gabbi loves music immensely and over quarantine she widened her musical horizons, meaning she started listening to different music genres. She says, “I think music is extremely relaxing, and I almost used it as a way to cope with all of the stress created from COVID-19. Through making playlists, I am able to discover new music while still combining it with music I am already familiar with to create a mixture of amazing songs that I can later listen to to relieve my stress.” Once Gabbi was semi out of quarantine, she spent her time with a small group of friends making some of her fondest memories. She claims that she struggled in previous years with trying to fit in with the crowd that was considered “popular” or “cool” and when she found these friends this year, she realized what it meant to have people that actually care about you in your life and value your friendship. She is extremely grateful for these people in her life.
Other than her school and social life, Gabbi spends most of her time on the golf course, her “second home.” She has been playing golf off and on since she was 8 years old, and first started playing competitively when she was 11. Ever since then golf has been her everything. She works with her coach/mentor, Shelley O'Keefe, who has been with her since the beginning. Gabbi states, “I don’t know where I’d be in golf without Shelley. She pushes me to be a better golfer and is as serious about my goals with golf as I am. I have gotten so many opportunities in tournaments, camps, and with other coaches because of her and I couldn’t thank her enough.” Her goal for the future regarding golf is to play on a D1 golf team in college, preferably at Duke University. With her work ethic she thinks she can reach that level by her senior year, however she will continue to push herself regardless. When Gabbi’s not practicing at the golf course, she is teaching 7-9 year olds the fundamentals of golf. She helps her coach out with practices for her beginners class, by organizing the games and running class when Shelley is gone. Gabbi really enjoys this work because it not only helps strengthen her leadership skills, but it helps her develop her coaching ability. It is one thing to be able to play golf, but to tell someone else what they are doing wrong and knowing how to fix it is another. Through helping out with these classes, Gabbi has experience for future job references and opportunities.
Only being 15 years old, Gabbi is still indecisive about what she wants to do with her life. She has multiple ideas and career paths that interest her, but for as of right now she is trying to experience as much as she can for as long as she can before she has to make any decisions. She believes that life is too short to have it all planned out before you even reach 16 years of age. She says, “Since teenagers' brains are still developing, they have not experienced enough in their life to know exactly what they want to do with it. Teenage years should be filled with friends and laughter, cherishing our youth, rather than stress and anxiety, fretting over our future that is to come.” With that thought, she has been trying to enjoy the moment and show her appreciation towards her loved ones. She has been doing what she loves and blocking out anyone who has a negative impact on her life. Especially in times like these, Gabbi thinks it is important to keep this mindset as a teenager since the future is so unpredictable. I would have never thought in a million years that a global pandemic would have infected our world during my sophomore year of high school. This just goes to show you life is short, sweet, and unpredictable just like a rollercoaster. Gabbi's last words to me were to “enjoy the ride while it lasts and scream a little, for you never know what’s along the way.”
Other than her school and social life, Gabbi spends most of her time on the golf course, her “second home.” She has been playing golf off and on since she was 8 years old, and first started playing competitively when she was 11. Ever since then golf has been her everything. She works with her coach/mentor, Shelley O'Keefe, who has been with her since the beginning. Gabbi states, “I don’t know where I’d be in golf without Shelley. She pushes me to be a better golfer and is as serious about my goals with golf as I am. I have gotten so many opportunities in tournaments, camps, and with other coaches because of her and I couldn’t thank her enough.” Her goal for the future regarding golf is to play on a D1 golf team in college, preferably at Duke University. With her work ethic she thinks she can reach that level by her senior year, however she will continue to push herself regardless. When Gabbi’s not practicing at the golf course, she is teaching 7-9 year olds the fundamentals of golf. She helps her coach out with practices for her beginners class, by organizing the games and running class when Shelley is gone. Gabbi really enjoys this work because it not only helps strengthen her leadership skills, but it helps her develop her coaching ability. It is one thing to be able to play golf, but to tell someone else what they are doing wrong and knowing how to fix it is another. Through helping out with these classes, Gabbi has experience for future job references and opportunities.
Only being 15 years old, Gabbi is still indecisive about what she wants to do with her life. She has multiple ideas and career paths that interest her, but for as of right now she is trying to experience as much as she can for as long as she can before she has to make any decisions. She believes that life is too short to have it all planned out before you even reach 16 years of age. She says, “Since teenagers' brains are still developing, they have not experienced enough in their life to know exactly what they want to do with it. Teenage years should be filled with friends and laughter, cherishing our youth, rather than stress and anxiety, fretting over our future that is to come.” With that thought, she has been trying to enjoy the moment and show her appreciation towards her loved ones. She has been doing what she loves and blocking out anyone who has a negative impact on her life. Especially in times like these, Gabbi thinks it is important to keep this mindset as a teenager since the future is so unpredictable. I would have never thought in a million years that a global pandemic would have infected our world during my sophomore year of high school. This just goes to show you life is short, sweet, and unpredictable just like a rollercoaster. Gabbi's last words to me were to “enjoy the ride while it lasts and scream a little, for you never know what’s along the way.”
Page 8- FALL FEST
Page 9- The Role Model
Someone who has made an impact on me in my life is my brother, Nico. He is one of the hardest working people I know, and I aspire to be like that. Other than his work ethic, he is outgoing and is not afraid to be himself at all times. I look up to him for that characteristic because he does not care about what other people think. He set an example for the others at his school by being involved in sports, leadership, and the music program. He was dedicated to all of his sports and work, juggling all of them to maintain a 4.3 GPA all highschool. All of the time he put in to achieve his successes and get where he is at now is admirable. Even though I do not bring it up a lot, I am extremely proud of my brother and what he has done so far in life. He has made me want to work harder in school, sports, and overall be a better person. He is confident and strong. He leads the pack when no one is around and believes in the time he puts in. I hope to one day believe in myself like him and walk into a room knowing I am meant to be there.
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Page 10- Inner Animal
With my personality, I feel like my inner animal is a fox. I have grown since last year and changed, so I think that this animal represents me better than an owl did. Fox's are very quick animals who think fast with they're decisions. When it comes to food and shelter they are clever about where to find and when to attack. I relate myself to this character trait because I am quick and clever with my thinking. Sometimes it can come off as sarcastic, but in certain situations that humor lightens the mood. Fox's are also curious animals. Whenever I am playing golf, I always see them roaming around the course as if they are looking for something. With their bright eyes, they are aware of their surroundings and look for new opportunities. I am always trying to be creative and find new ways to do things, which comes along with curiosity. When someone tries something new I pay attention to their idea and the result of it to see if it is good enough to try again. Another trait that I share with a fox is being passionate, which is a typical canine quality. I am passionate about my sports, school, and family and friends.
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Page 11- The Season of Giving
For my final this year, I chose to participate in the Giving Tree event that FFA does with the Interfaith Ministries in Ripon. I chose this last year as well because I feel that during this season there is always more to give to those who are in need. However, this year especially, I wanted to help out since we have unfortunately been stuck in a global pandemic and it has affected some people more than others. With the protocols we have to follow many people have become unemployed, which has affected their normal source of income. My dad has fortunately been able to continue working since he can do most of his job from his home office. Since I was not affected that much financially I wanted to help some who have still enjoyed Christmas and the gifts it brings.
In order to participate in this event, I had to first get my tag at Tractor Supply in Ripon. This tag has a child’s age, gender, and what they want/need for Christmas this year. I normally select a tag that has a gift that I could relate to so I could do a better job finding something that they will like. After selecting my tag, there is a letter and number at the top which I then email Morty so she can email Mrs. Morino, who runs the event for FFA. This year I chose a 13 year old girl who asked for clothes for her gift. I wanted to get her something warm since it is winter time, so I went to Target in Manteca where I found one knit sweater and another cozy, soft long sleeve. I tried to keep the designs and colors minimal so whatever her style is she will hopefully still like. After that I turned in the gift unwrapped with the tag on top back to the same store in the box underneath the tree I got it from.
This year the final had a different emotional impact on me then it normally does. Everything that has either been postponed or cancelled this year has been so depressing, and looking back in March when we were quarantined for 2 weeks, I would’ve never thought that would have an affect on Christmas. Now, it being December, it is hard to believe that there is a high chance that I will not be able to come together with my family this year. I can not imagine what other people might be going through if one of their elder family members or any of their family members tested positive for the virus. So this year I did not just feel for the children in need, but I felt for their family members and everyone who is a part of this huge chain reaction. The store I bought my gift from most likely dealt with a challenge during this pandemic and the employees working there. They also played a part in my want to give this year, along with the children who I think deserve to have as much as a wonderful Christmas as I do.
I think that this assignment was extremely valuable this year because it acted as a reality check for the more fortunate people during this pandemic. Even though many events had to get cancelled this year and it has been far from normal, there is still much that could have been worse. At the end of the day, this year did say the least ‘suck’ however I got extremely lucky with my family situation, and I am very grateful. I was bummed out in the beginning of the pandemic and aggravated with all of the precautions, and I still am now. However, now I am at least aware of what other people are going through and have sympathy for them. This assignment opened my eyes, allowing me to understand who’s in greater need than myself.
In order to participate in this event, I had to first get my tag at Tractor Supply in Ripon. This tag has a child’s age, gender, and what they want/need for Christmas this year. I normally select a tag that has a gift that I could relate to so I could do a better job finding something that they will like. After selecting my tag, there is a letter and number at the top which I then email Morty so she can email Mrs. Morino, who runs the event for FFA. This year I chose a 13 year old girl who asked for clothes for her gift. I wanted to get her something warm since it is winter time, so I went to Target in Manteca where I found one knit sweater and another cozy, soft long sleeve. I tried to keep the designs and colors minimal so whatever her style is she will hopefully still like. After that I turned in the gift unwrapped with the tag on top back to the same store in the box underneath the tree I got it from.
This year the final had a different emotional impact on me then it normally does. Everything that has either been postponed or cancelled this year has been so depressing, and looking back in March when we were quarantined for 2 weeks, I would’ve never thought that would have an affect on Christmas. Now, it being December, it is hard to believe that there is a high chance that I will not be able to come together with my family this year. I can not imagine what other people might be going through if one of their elder family members or any of their family members tested positive for the virus. So this year I did not just feel for the children in need, but I felt for their family members and everyone who is a part of this huge chain reaction. The store I bought my gift from most likely dealt with a challenge during this pandemic and the employees working there. They also played a part in my want to give this year, along with the children who I think deserve to have as much as a wonderful Christmas as I do.
I think that this assignment was extremely valuable this year because it acted as a reality check for the more fortunate people during this pandemic. Even though many events had to get cancelled this year and it has been far from normal, there is still much that could have been worse. At the end of the day, this year did say the least ‘suck’ however I got extremely lucky with my family situation, and I am very grateful. I was bummed out in the beginning of the pandemic and aggravated with all of the precautions, and I still am now. However, now I am at least aware of what other people are going through and have sympathy for them. This assignment opened my eyes, allowing me to understand who’s in greater need than myself.
Page 12- Best Things About Me
These few pictures are some of my closest friends. They play a huge role in my life, and have helped shape me into the person I am today. I struggled for the longest time with finding a solid group of people that genuinely care about me and our friendship, and now that I have found some, I like to say that they are one of the best things about me. They pick me up when I am down, keep me in check, and show me how to be a more compassionate person. They notice my faults and I notice theirs, so we help each other become better people, but most importantly we care so much about each other. They make me laugh, smile, and I couldn't ask for a better group of people.
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Golf is one of the most important things in my life. This sport represents me because it is what I spend most of my time doing. I put my heart and soul into my golf game, and I enjoy doing it. Through ups and downs, I have stuck with this sport and pushed myself to limits I didn't know I could reach. This is why I think it is one of the best things about me. Golf allows me to display my work ethic, through my success in the sport. One of my favorite quotes is, "Hard work beat talent when talent doesn't work hard.” Golf is a sport where you have to constantly work at to improve your distance, short game, and mentality.
This may seem silly, but I have a very strong connection with my cat. She is probably one of the favorite pets I have ever had, and we actually did not plan on having her. We rescued her from one of our rental properties, essentially skin and bone. She was very shy at first due to her past experience living on the streets, but after a while she became very comfortable with my family, me especially. Every minute I am at home she is in my room either laying on my bed or on me. No matter how I am lying, she always has to be right next to me or on me in some way. I feel like we have a connection so I'm not sure if it is possible. Either way, my cat is one of the best things about me because she is something I love and cherish dearly.
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Page 13- What I Like Best About Being A Member of Leadership
Through a pandemic this question may seem hard to answer, however I have still enjoyed this program even during the worst times. This year we made it work as a family, and that is what probably meant the most to me about leadership. The fact that no matter what Morty and the class made it work, is truly amazing. We went to many training sessions to learn about online/virtual events and dealt with the cards given to us. This year has taught me how to be creative and keep a positive attitude so I can preserve through the challenges that life throws at me. Covid-19 has not been easy to say the least and has lasted much longer than we all expected, but leadership has helped me get through it. All of my classmates were super supportive this year, and as a family we checked up on each other to make sure no one was alone during this depressing time of isolation. I enjoyed being a part of this family, especially this year because it made me come up with new ways to comfort people on a virtual platform instead of in person. Overall being a member in this class this year has been very eye opening. We had never dealt with something like this in the past, so it was surprising and a little scary to have to completely modify all of our events. However, we are extremely innovative, and I am glad I got to contribute to this. This year would've been boring for the student body if leadership had not come up with modified events, which is also one of the reasons why I liked being a member of leadership this year. Even though we couldn't be totally evolved like normal, we still found ways to make changes at our school.
Page 14- Homecoming Gallery
Page 15- What I love to do...
My hobby for the past few years now has been golf. I spend most of my time golfing, and I put my pride and joy into every tournament I play in. This hobby has brought me so many great opportunities, and I wouldn’t trade the experiences I’ve gained for the world. I love golf because of the fact that I am able to travel across the state (sometimes even the country), and meet new people along the way. I have bonded with other golfers through our love for the sport, and created some of the closest bonds I have to this day. Another main reason why I love this sport is because all of my family members play. We get to play altogether quite a bit, and the “friendly” competition between my brother and I always gets me riled up. My mental state has grown so much from this sport, and I now positively have a better, more mature outlook on life. I have grown as a person from this sport, and I am grateful that I will be able to continue on with my hobby for the rest of my life. |
Page 16- Letter to Parents/Guardians
Dear mom and dad,
This is your second letter now, but I still feel like I don’t tell you guys enough. You guys are my support system, my everything, and of course my role models. I look up to you guys so much in life, and I am proud to be your daughter. Looking back at my childhood years, I am so glad I was raised the way I was because of my morals and the main part of what makes me me. Without the constant love and support from you guys, I would have been too afraid to try new things or branch out from my comfort zone. All I want in life is to make you two proud, even though you guys constantly remind me how proud you already are. You guys have put so much time, money, and effort into me and my goals, and there is no way I’d be able to accomplish them without you. As my role models, I hope you know that you have to continue to amaze me because we Ilardi’s set our standards pretty high. All I’m saying is I like to brag about my parents just as much as you like to brag about your kids, so basically I’m expecting another couples tourney win… Anyways, love you guys more and you know!
- Your daughter, Gabriella Ilardi
This is your second letter now, but I still feel like I don’t tell you guys enough. You guys are my support system, my everything, and of course my role models. I look up to you guys so much in life, and I am proud to be your daughter. Looking back at my childhood years, I am so glad I was raised the way I was because of my morals and the main part of what makes me me. Without the constant love and support from you guys, I would have been too afraid to try new things or branch out from my comfort zone. All I want in life is to make you two proud, even though you guys constantly remind me how proud you already are. You guys have put so much time, money, and effort into me and my goals, and there is no way I’d be able to accomplish them without you. As my role models, I hope you know that you have to continue to amaze me because we Ilardi’s set our standards pretty high. All I’m saying is I like to brag about my parents just as much as you like to brag about your kids, so basically I’m expecting another couples tourney win… Anyways, love you guys more and you know!
- Your daughter, Gabriella Ilardi
Page 17- The Letter
Dear future Link Crew/ Renaissance Coordinator,
Welcome to your new commissioner position and congratulations on making it into the program! Whether you have been in the program before, or if this is your first time I hope you are excited for what the year will bring for you. This position is a little different than your regular class position, so be aware of your expectations and job requirements. There are many details in this position so make sure you do not mix up both of the jobs. You will have to juggle back and forth between both Link Crew and Renaissance so keep in the loop with your advisor. Some advice for Link Crew would be to ask for opinions on shirt designs with other members outside of leadership because you want to try and be inclusive. Other than that Link Crew is a fun program, and fairly self explanatory so you'll be fine. As far as Renaissance goes there is quite a bit of advice I have for you. The key to running a smooth renaissance program is organization, and I can not stress this enough. You are dealing with close to 1000 students when handing out rewards, and it gets very chaotic, very fast. From stars to gold cards to block R’s, there are multiple awards to hand out, and these supplies can get misplaced easily. First, you are going to need either a binder or some big folder to hold everything. You can either organize this in alphabetical order or by grade, I personally would do by grade and then alphabetically from there. This makes life easier when you are handing out awards, and if someone forgets to pick their stuff up then they can easily go find it in Morty’s office. Keep a master list of all of the students who signed up, and stay in touch with Morty in case students are emailing her about their awards. It is extremely important to publicize renaissance events since not that many students fully understand the concept of it. Normally they forget about their awards after they sign up at the beginning of the year, so post it on multiple accounts to get the word out. Another way to publicize would be to email said students in a mass email just to double check with them. One of the worst things in the position is getting stuck with a bunch of leftover awards that you have to hand out during class time, so stay avoid this at all costs!! I hope these little tips and tricks helped you because they would’ve been nice to know my first time around. Remember to not stress yourself out too much, and have fun with it!
Sincerely,
Gabbi Ilardi
Link Crew/Renaissance Coordinator 2020-2021
Welcome to your new commissioner position and congratulations on making it into the program! Whether you have been in the program before, or if this is your first time I hope you are excited for what the year will bring for you. This position is a little different than your regular class position, so be aware of your expectations and job requirements. There are many details in this position so make sure you do not mix up both of the jobs. You will have to juggle back and forth between both Link Crew and Renaissance so keep in the loop with your advisor. Some advice for Link Crew would be to ask for opinions on shirt designs with other members outside of leadership because you want to try and be inclusive. Other than that Link Crew is a fun program, and fairly self explanatory so you'll be fine. As far as Renaissance goes there is quite a bit of advice I have for you. The key to running a smooth renaissance program is organization, and I can not stress this enough. You are dealing with close to 1000 students when handing out rewards, and it gets very chaotic, very fast. From stars to gold cards to block R’s, there are multiple awards to hand out, and these supplies can get misplaced easily. First, you are going to need either a binder or some big folder to hold everything. You can either organize this in alphabetical order or by grade, I personally would do by grade and then alphabetically from there. This makes life easier when you are handing out awards, and if someone forgets to pick their stuff up then they can easily go find it in Morty’s office. Keep a master list of all of the students who signed up, and stay in touch with Morty in case students are emailing her about their awards. It is extremely important to publicize renaissance events since not that many students fully understand the concept of it. Normally they forget about their awards after they sign up at the beginning of the year, so post it on multiple accounts to get the word out. Another way to publicize would be to email said students in a mass email just to double check with them. One of the worst things in the position is getting stuck with a bunch of leftover awards that you have to hand out during class time, so stay avoid this at all costs!! I hope these little tips and tricks helped you because they would’ve been nice to know my first time around. Remember to not stress yourself out too much, and have fun with it!
Sincerely,
Gabbi Ilardi
Link Crew/Renaissance Coordinator 2020-2021
Page 18- Do's and Don'ts List
-Do’s: Create google form for renaissance sign ups instead of paper
-Do’s: Order enough renaissance supplies (pins and R’s) before signs ups
-Do’s: Have check-ins with advisor to make sure there is no lack of communication or misplaced renaissance orders
-Do’s: Make nametags for Link Crew leaders to wear during freshmen events
-Do’s: Order extra Link Crew t-shirt sizes for extra staff members or in case of a size mistake
-Do’s: Make social media posts for said event at least two days in advance to make student body aware of the upcoming event (then post again on day of)
-Don’ts: Hand out renaissance supplies for all grades in one area (Assign days to certain grades so it is less chaotic, and easier to get everyone their supplies)
-Don’ts: Turn in purchase past the deadline or later than a week in advance (you need time to get it sign by all of the advisors)
-Don’t: Assume that the student body know everything about the program (renaissance can be a confusing subject so make sure to give detailed description about the requirements + rewards)
-Don’t: Disclude yourself or ignore from your other members in the program, especially trainees (ask for help when needed)
-Do’s: Order enough renaissance supplies (pins and R’s) before signs ups
-Do’s: Have check-ins with advisor to make sure there is no lack of communication or misplaced renaissance orders
-Do’s: Make nametags for Link Crew leaders to wear during freshmen events
-Do’s: Order extra Link Crew t-shirt sizes for extra staff members or in case of a size mistake
-Do’s: Make social media posts for said event at least two days in advance to make student body aware of the upcoming event (then post again on day of)
-Don’ts: Hand out renaissance supplies for all grades in one area (Assign days to certain grades so it is less chaotic, and easier to get everyone their supplies)
-Don’ts: Turn in purchase past the deadline or later than a week in advance (you need time to get it sign by all of the advisors)
-Don’t: Assume that the student body know everything about the program (renaissance can be a confusing subject so make sure to give detailed description about the requirements + rewards)
-Don’t: Disclude yourself or ignore from your other members in the program, especially trainees (ask for help when needed)
Page 19- The Professional
Despite the struggles of giving the leadership program an actual purpose this year with covid, Mrs. Mortensen was able to give us the opportunity to hone our professional skills once again. Leadership is so much more than event planning at Ripon High, and I am grateful for this. All year long, we focused a significant amount of our time learning new skills for our future in the professional world.
One of the main professional development projects we do every year are the Mock Interviews, where we get interviewed by a professional in a potential future career. We started preparing ourselves for the Mock interview process at the end of the year by creating our Cover letters and Resumes. With the combination of an information packet and the tips from our well experienced teacher, we are able to create clean, organized documents to present to our interviewer. We learned the difference between a skill-based resume and chronological resumes, and the correct time to use either. The actual interview process is probably the most informational part altogether, and it is extremely helpful. Other than the knowledge they provide about the career, talking with the professional is beneficial for your future because they get to give you tips on how you present yourself during the interview. During my interview this year I learned that it is ok to not be afraid to discuss your hobbies with the interviewer so they know that you have a good balance between work and personal life (you can also include these on your resume). There were so many things I learned from this interview that it would be too long to type, but overall I am grateful for this opportunity.
Another main professional development project we do is our public speaking. It is extremely important to be able to speak clearly and calmly in front of a crowd or authority figure because that is how people judge you. If you are not able to speak up in front of people, then how can you ever share your ideas? As a leader is it extremely important to have this skill because you are supposed to be the one who speaks out. With a lot of practice in this area you begin to gain confidence, and this is why we focus so much on this topic in leadership. People make their first impressions of how you present yourself (professional dress) and how you talk (calmness and clarity). We are graded on both of these factors along with body language and speed of our sentences. This type of grading allows for us to work on what we struggle with, and use it to help better the next time we are speaking in front of a group of people.
One of the main professional development projects we do every year are the Mock Interviews, where we get interviewed by a professional in a potential future career. We started preparing ourselves for the Mock interview process at the end of the year by creating our Cover letters and Resumes. With the combination of an information packet and the tips from our well experienced teacher, we are able to create clean, organized documents to present to our interviewer. We learned the difference between a skill-based resume and chronological resumes, and the correct time to use either. The actual interview process is probably the most informational part altogether, and it is extremely helpful. Other than the knowledge they provide about the career, talking with the professional is beneficial for your future because they get to give you tips on how you present yourself during the interview. During my interview this year I learned that it is ok to not be afraid to discuss your hobbies with the interviewer so they know that you have a good balance between work and personal life (you can also include these on your resume). There were so many things I learned from this interview that it would be too long to type, but overall I am grateful for this opportunity.
Another main professional development project we do is our public speaking. It is extremely important to be able to speak clearly and calmly in front of a crowd or authority figure because that is how people judge you. If you are not able to speak up in front of people, then how can you ever share your ideas? As a leader is it extremely important to have this skill because you are supposed to be the one who speaks out. With a lot of practice in this area you begin to gain confidence, and this is why we focus so much on this topic in leadership. People make their first impressions of how you present yourself (professional dress) and how you talk (calmness and clarity). We are graded on both of these factors along with body language and speed of our sentences. This type of grading allows for us to work on what we struggle with, and use it to help better the next time we are speaking in front of a group of people.
Page 20- Change
This year has been different than most, and leadership was probably one of the best things for me along the way. Everything seemed pointless, and I had absolutely no motivation to do anything but with my leadership family we were able to push through. Starting in a brand new position and getting sent to distance learning was very aggravating because I knew I wasn’t going to get trained like a normal year. I had to make the most with my position based off of our circumstances, and it definitely wasn't easy. I think what we struggled with the most was finding a way to be creative with our program. We pushed off renaissance/link crew for a long time and didn’t really approach it until the end of the year. I understand it wasn’t one of our biggest concerns during covid, but I think it could’ve been a good thing to keep the student body motivated and give them something to work towards. There were a few other commissioner positions that didn’t get to experience leadership when we were planning events like fall fest throughout the year. It was hard for them to stay motivated as well because they weren’t doing anything in their job position. A change for this (if we ever get stuck in a global pandemic again) would be to be more creative in times of trouble. I think the students are more capable of planning and organizing things than our elders think. We are in this program for a reason, and we need to be able to do things on our own sometimes. I think we can do a better job of distributing certain responsibilities to the students in the program and our advisor. Sometimes I personally feel like we stress out the head advisor too much and she is already such a busy lady, so we should consider changing how much is assigned to the students in the program. An example of this would be to have the students send important emails to businesses or staff members, just to take off a few things from her checklist. I think that giving us more control over our positions would help us take more responsibility and pride in the work we do and give us more preparation for the future. We are all working towards the same greater purpose; giving the student body an enjoyable highschool experience. Through events and activities, we do such a good job about reaching that goal at RHS, but sometimes we can all help each other out.
Page 21- The Ideal Leader
The ideal leader stayed the same this year regardless of our circumstances with covid. We still had the same expectations on distance learning, and we were almost expected to be more than just the ideal leader because we were doing everything on our own. There was no longer a motive to do things for others to take notice because we were stuck at home. However, the ideal leader has true character and does things out of the kindness of their heart. This year tested our morals and made us stronger leaders. On top of that, in this program we value time management, professionalism, vulnerability, communication skills, and respectfulness. We are the face of the leadership program at the RHS, and most of the time the events we put on are the face of the student body. How we act as a class and our reputations are extremely important, and we have to take pride in those things. We are expected to respect our staff members and other students, especially Morty when she is talking. Leadership should be one of your highest priorities, but your grades come first and maintaining a solid GPA is also important. We are a family in leadership so we are expected to help each other out when needed. You will not be leaving a dance or event early without having cleaned everything up because we are a team. We are also expected to be hard working and diligent individuals who set examples for others to follow. Leadership is so much more than making posters, and in this program you are held to another standard (so be prepared)!
Page 22- YOU
~ grounded ~