LEADERSHIP, ETHICS,
ASPIRATIONS & DETERMINATION
(LEAD) CONFERENCE

October 12 & 13, 2024

 

School

A NO-COST LEADERSHIP PROGRAM FOR DESERVING STUDENT DELEGATES

Thank you for your school's interest in the Rotary District 5340 LEAD Conference. We are confident that participation in LEAD will be a valuable experience for your student Delegates.

LEAD will take place at San Diego County Office of Education’s Camp Cuyamaca on the dates shown above. There is no cost to the Delegate, to the Delegate's family, or to the school. All expenses are paid by the Rotarians and Rotary Clubs of Rotary District 5340. Delegates will be transported to and from LEAD on professionally driven busses with current state, federal, and CHP required certifications.

SCHOOL RECOMMENDED TIMELINE (Please try to complete the actions by the date indicated to insure participation by your sponsored student Delegates)

August

  • When school administrators return to school, contact the Rotary Club that sponsored Delegates to LEAD the prior year to advise them of your interest in sending Delegates this year. If your school has not participated before, please contact the LEAD Committee Chair (see below).
  • August 31 deadline – Confirm with your sponsoring Rotary Club that your school will participate in LEAD. Due to camp limitations, not all middle schools in San Diego and Imperial Counties will be able to participate. Our goal is to have Delegates attend from as many different school districts and geographical areas as is feasible. Your early response to your sponsoring Rotary Club will allow another school to participate if your school is unable to send Delegates.
 

September

  • Review the Delegate Selection Criteria (see below).
  • September 11 deadline – Select Delegates (e.g., one boy and one girl, two boys and two girls, etc., depending on how many students your sponsoring Rotary Club authorizes) to represent your school at LEAD, and select two Delegate Alternates (one boy and one girl) in case a selected Delegate is ultimately unable to attend.
  • September 15 deadline – Delegates and Alternates must complete the online Delegate (Student) Application Form and return the completed and signed Application to the school LEAD representative.
  • September 20 deadline – Collect a completed and fully signed Application from each Delegate and from each Alternate; please indicate at the top of the Application if it is a Delegate or an Alternate Application; and give the original, completed Applications to your sponsoring Rotary Club representative.
 

The Rotary Club representative will give the applications to the LEAD Registrar who will contact the students and their parents with detailed LEAD information. If you become aware that a Delegate cannot attend the LEAD Conference, please notify your sponsoring Rotary Club representative so the student can be replaced by an Alternate.

October

  • See LEAD Conference date above.
  • LEAD recognition meeting at your Rotary Club (students, parents, and school representatives are invited – coordinate with your Rotary Club).
 

DELEGATE (Student) SELECTION CRITERIA

Each participating school must select an equal number of boys and girls to attend LEAD as Delegates (e.g., one boy and one girl, two boys and two girls, etc., depending on how many students your sponsoring Rotary Club authorizes) and one boy and one girl to be Alternates in the event a Delegate is unable to attend.

Since LEAD will occur in October, Delegate and Alternate selections must be completed by September 10. Delegates must complete the online application by September 15 and may need assistance if a computer is not available at home. Completed and signed Applications for both Delegates and Alternates must be collected and delivered to your sponsoring Rotary Club by September 20.

Delegates (and Alternates) must exhibit all of these qualifications.

  • The Delegate is in the 8th grade at the time of the LEAD Conference.
  • The Delegate has the ability to collaborate effectively with others (LEAD is not a camp for “troubled” youth).
  • The Delegate exhibits good study habits and is committed to academic success.
 
Delegates (and Alternates) should exhibit some or all of these qualifications.
  • The Delegate participates in school, community, and/or international service activities, exemplifying the Rotary ideal of “Service Above Self.”
  • The Delegate has past and/or current leadership experience.
  • The Delegate has the potential for future leadership responsibilities.
 

The LEAD Committee does not require that a Delegate has achieved academic superiority. A Delegate facing personal or environmental obstacles may work harder for academic achievement than another student “cruising” along at the top of the class. The LEAD Committee is pleased to have Delegates that have overcome challenges and have surpassed academic expectations.

Rotary International information is available at www.Rotary.org and Rotary District 5340 information is available at www.rotary5340.org.