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Student Organization Addresses Diverse IssuesFebruary 7, 2006 Tomorrow’s leaders may list the Academics, Diversity and Relationships Equal Success (ADRES) program on their resumes. The multi-cultural group of more than 50 junior and senior high students is less than a year old, but already making impressive plans for community service projects. ADRES evolved in August 2005 from a two-year old district program called Hispanic Olathe Leadership Academy (HOLA). To include a more diverse sampling of youth, ADRES now includes Asian and African students as well as the core group of Hispanics from HOLA. “It’s like a little United Nations,” said Zeny Schmidt, director of Bilingual Student Services. “It’s really great. Students from different backgrounds and cultures enrich each other.”
Schmidt and her assistant, Vickie Goicoechea, facilitate the group’s meetings five times per semester. Representatives from the district’s Youth Services Department helped with training on decision-making, consensus-building, and leadership skills last fall. After two meetings, the students had a plan for ADRES. Their mission statement is “To provide the Olathe student youth an environment where they can develop their leadership skills and emerge as school and community leaders.” Students meet in two groups. One will focus on community service projects and marketing the organization to more students, and the other group will arrange for guest speakers at future meetings. Youth Services is also helping the students prepare for their involvement in Olathe’s Americana Jubilee on June 3. The city event will showcase the multicultural heritage of Olathe with activities, food and entertainment. Members of ADRES plan to teach jubilee visitors about customs around the world. They will provide activities for adults and children ranging from a cultural fashion show to hands-on crafts and origami.
“They are so enthusiastic about it,” Schmidt said. “It’s amazing how they work together.” She is also impressed with the students’ leadership abilities. ADRES members are already talking about meeting during the summer, especially because of the work they need to accomplish before the Americana Jubilee. “ADRES has surpassed what I had hoped for,” Schmidt said. “The goal was to replicate the real world with its diversity, etc. The students sit in groups and respect each other’s comments. The enthusiasm and leadership abilities are unbelievable for as young as they are.” ADRES is one of several district initiatives Schmidt will discuss when she participates in the Heartland Hispanic Education Conference in Colorado, March 9-10. Her presentation, “Raising the Bar: Post High School Education for the Latino Student,” will include programs and classes offered exclusively by the district, and some offered by the district to the City of Olathe and its employees or residents. Applications for the ADRES program can be found on the Bilingual Student Services Web site at http://teachers.olathe.k12.ks.us/~vgoicoecheanlsc/newsletter.html. More information is also available from junior and senior high counselors and the Bilingual Student Services office, (913) 780-7042. (Photo: Members of ADRES talk in groups about future projects and promoting their organization to other students in the district.)
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Students apply once to join the group for a year, or they can join at the beginning of the second semester. Their application includes two letters of recommendation (from a teacher and assistant principal) rating the student’s attendance, dependability, work ethic, respectfulness and cooperativeness. Bus transportation is provided between the student’s school and ADRES meetings at North Lindenwood Support Center.