Morenci, Lenawee Christian students attend leadership and personal growth conference

ADRIAN — High school students from Morenci Area Schools and Lenawee Christian School were among those in attendance for a leadership and personal growth seminar held earlier in October in Adrian.

The students, along with business professionals and guests from throughout Lenawee County, watched and participated in the Live2Lead seminar that was hosted live in Atlanta by the John Maxwell Company and was locally broadcast in Adrian by Bill Kenyon, speaker, trainer, coach. The simulcast was aired at the Christian Family Centre, 1800 W. U.S. 223. Attendees were treated to a continental breakfast, lunch and a post-lunch program.

Rebecca Cox, Colbie Ekins, Wyatt Berger and Lauren Harsh were the four students from Morenci who heard from renowned speakers and were provided with insight, practical tools and inspiration to further cultivate their leadership skills. Representing Lenawee Christian at the event were Mahren Schmidt, Grace Steinke, Emma Reatherford, Aiden McEldowney, Jack Stamats, Jaxon Salenbien, Joel Lange, Ben Latocki and Landon Chadek.

The conference, held annually during the fall, featured leadership experts including John Maxwell, Kendra Scott, Ryan Leak and Marcus Buckingham, all of whom are authors and discussed opportunities for business, professional and internal growth.

The Morenci students were nominated to attend the seminar by their teachers, a news release from Morenci Area Schools said, because of their “consistent display of leadership abilities, unwavering commitment to learning and daily embodiment of Morenci High School’s PBIS (Positive Behavior Interventions and Support) values of respect, resilience, responsibility and excellence.”

Funding from D&P Communications and other sources toward the Adrian broadcast of the seminar allowed the Lenawee Christian students to participate, Kenyon told The Daily Telegram.

Throughout the event, attendees received hands-on strategies that promised to not only enrich their academic journeys but also empower them to excel in their future careers.

“This experience stands as a testament to the enduring impact of investing in the development of our emerging leaders,” Morenci Superintendent Jennifer Ellis said, while adding the district is committed to empowering its students through education that extends beyond the classroom.

“I love having students there,” Kenyon said. “With students having a good experience this will be a good tool for me to promote this."

Kenyon has partnered with Maxwell and his Live2Lead programming for more than five years. As a partner in the leadership seminar, he has access to the entire production that was held Oct. 6. He can use it for promotional purposes through the end of February 2024 as a private rebroadcast for schools and other organizations. Realtors and businesses also benefit from the content, he said.

As a Maxwell certified coach, teacher and speaker, Kenyon can offer workshops, seminars and keynote speaking and coaching, aiding in a person’s personal and professional growth.

Those who are interested in obtaining a private rebroadcast of the seminar can call Kenyon at 517-403-1762. People also can head to Kenyon’s website, billkenyon.com, where the program can be rented for a five-day period at a cost of $75.

Berger, a junior at Morenci, said he took a lot away from the event, noting he found himself using some of the teachings he learned to be a better person for himself and for others.

“I am super excited to see where these skills will take me in my future,” he said. “I view high school as a way to build skills and prepare myself for the workforce, so this experience is exactly what I was looking for.”

Harsh, a senior, said one of the takeaways she had from the conference is that it is OK and necessary to fail sometimes. Her favorite speaker at the event was Leak, she said.

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“Failure creates more chances for you to succeed and also allows you to learn from your mistakes,” she said.

Ekens is a freshman at Morenci High School and said she also was impacted the most by Leak, a speaker and executive coach who is also a Wall Street Journal best-selling author.

“He had a certain way of grabbing your attention and keeping a steady hand on it. He connected with me not only because he knows how to speak to a younger generation, but also because of his idea that you can't just go through the motions of life, you need to make them mean something,” she said. “This affected my growth simply by putting the thought in my mind that it could be me one day up on that stage.”

This article originally appeared on The Daily Telegram: Morenci, Lenawee Christian students attend Live2Lead conference