Has your school lost spirit? Are student leaders starting to fight amongst themselves? With six more months to go, has your student council lost its energy? Does any of this sound familiar? These are typical challenges facing schools after homecoming and Christmas vacation.

Many consider the second semester the hardest part of the school year. Students start counting the days before summer vacation, and teachers start counting right along with them. Student leaders become frustrated and burnt-out because the school has "no spirit." This is not the time to give up! It's time to fire-up your student leaders and beat the second semester blues. Here are some ideas to get you started:

1. Celebrate and evaluate the first semester.

Evaluate the work you have done. You can avoid the "what we should have and could have done" discussion that comes at the end of the school year by evaluating NOW in order to improve. Thus, you provide an opportunity for student leaders to make adjustments and end the year on a positive note. Many people fear evaluations because they usually focus on what is not working. Therefore, your next step is to celebrate your successes. Spend time talking about highlights of the first semester, and explore what made those activities successful. Holding a positive meeting to evaluate and celebrate your first semester will help you make improvements during the months to come.

2. Rebuild your team.

Conflicts, disagreements and hurt feelings can result when student leaders work with different personalities. This is a natural part of working together and the leadership experience. You want to insure, that by the end of the year, your students will view the experience as positive -- with a few bumps in the road. You can tackle these "hidden hurts" in a positive and reconciling manner, creating a dynamic learning experience.
Have each student sit one on one with their fellow council members. During this exercise, partners ask three questions:


1. What is the state of our relationship? Obviously, if two people have an issue, it will present itself.
2. What can we do to improve our relationship? This question creates an atmosphere of resolution. Instead of focusing on fixing the blame, they will focus on fixing the problem.
3. What are the benefits of improving our relationship? This is crucial. If they do not see the relevance of an improved relationship, then the leadership team is weakened. This is leadership in action that will save you time and headaches in the future.

3. Provide personal growth opportunities.

How have student leaders improved their skills while being involved in leadership? Can they speak more confidently in front of a group or run a meeting more effectively? At the next regional leadership conference, assign student leaders to specific workshops. Hold them responsible for presenting a "mini-version" of the workshop when they return. Encourage them to do additional research on the subject and then teach their peers the skill. Also, consider inviting a speaker to your leadership class to teach a new skill or send students to a workshop offered by the business community.

4. Set new goals for the second semester.

After experiencing the fall semester, the goals of your cabinet may need to be adjusted. Have students share their goals from the first semester and see if they are still true for the second semester. It is very easy to forget what your original goals for the school year may have been if they were set 6 months ago at summer camp.

5. Create a memorable event.

What are you doing to make this semester unique and inspiring? Start thinking creatively and select programs that leave a lasting legacy. Remember, sponsoring a dance is not an event. It's an activity. Now is the time to go beyond the norm and plan a memorable event! Are you raising $10,000 to pay for an underprivileged child's operation? Are you finding ways to help the homeless in your community? When was the last time your school hosted a regional or state conference? An event is a great way to pull the community and school together. Think big, bigger than what others think is possible, and then enlist everyone's aid to make your event a reality.