Future Leaders of Nation Could Be on Display at NFHS Student Leadership Summit
Dr. Karissa L. Niehoff, NFHS Chief Executive Officer
While a very small percentage of the almost eight million participants in high school sports will eventually play professionally, the majority will use those skills, knowledge, values and other intangibles learned through these education-based programs to land career-defining jobs.
When it comes to hiring people to fill key decision-making jobs, companies look to individuals who participated in sports or performing arts in high school. Surveys have shown that more than 90 percent of CEOs of Fortune 500 companies played high school sports.
Clearly, human resource directors are drawn to individuals who were involved in high school activity programs because participation keeps students physically and mentally healthy, teach important relationship and leadership skills, encourage determination and completion of tasks, and provide opportunities for learning to work as a team.
The Drive Group, a national recruiting agency, says companies hire athletes because they achieve goals, are determined, put strategy into action, are team players, have never-give-up attitudes, perform under pressure, and are motivated and committed.
For more than 20 years, the NFHS has realized the importance of helping participants in high school activity programs further develop important leadership skills to become successful in their future careers.
On Saturday, the NFHS begins its annual National Student Leadership
Summit (NSLS) in Indianapolis. More than 150 high school sports and activities participants from 30 states as well as groups from Canada and Honduras will gather for three days to interact with each other and hear key messages from experts in mental health, perspective and inclusion, relationship building, communication and planning for the future.
Dr. Tamika Pollins, director of diversity, equity, access and inclusion for the West Orange Public Schools in New Jersey, will speak to the students on perspective and inclusion, while Leslie Barnes, associate director of athletics for student-athlete development at Duke University, will address the attendees on being better communicators.
Other speakers include Deb Hult, co-founder of Core Trainings, who will speak on building relationships; and Omari Pearson, a former high school, college and professional athlete, who will share ideas on planning for the future.
Harvey Alston, who has delivered his “Be the Best” message to millions of people over the years, including at this conference many times, headlines the Closing General Session at 8:00 a.m. Eastern time on Monday, July 31. Alston’s message will be streamed live on the NFHS Network and can be viewed here.
Perhaps the most timely subject will be delivered by Ivy Watts, a speaker and advocate for mental wellness, who will speak to NSLS participants during the Opening General Session at 5:30 p.m. Eastern time on Saturday, July 29. This session also will be streamed live on the NFHS Network and can be viewed here.
Watts has developed “Athletes Minds Matter” – an all-in-one mental health platform for student-athletes designed to develop their mental wellness on and off the field, and she has authored the book, “You Are Worth Fighting For.”
Currently, “Student Mental, Emotional and Physical Wellness” is one of the five Strategic Priorities for the NFHS as it works with its 51 member state associations and the nation’s 19,500 high schools. It is crucial that we continue to support the 12-15 million student participants in sports and performing arts, and this year’s National Student Leadership Summit is yet another great learning opportunity.
Online link to article: https://www.nfhs.org/articles/future-leaders-of-nation-could-be-on-display-at-nfhs-student-leadership-summit/
Dr. Karissa L. Niehoff is completing her fifth year as chief executive officer of the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) in Indianapolis, Indiana. She is the first female to head the national leadership organization for high school athletics and performing arts activities and the sixth full-time executive director of the NFHS. She previously was executive director of the Connecticut Association of Schools-Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference for seven years.
