Teens learn about leadership

Teens from the Boys & Girls Clubs of Laguna Beach’s Keystone Club spent the weekend at a national Keystone conference in Anaheim, where they learned about leadership and inspiration.

“I learned how to motivate myself and others,” said local club president Michael Necula, 16.

Kelsey Laroche, 15, the club’s treasurer, said she learned what it takes to be a leader.

“We need to take others’ thoughts into consideration and work as a team,” she said.

The Keystone Club is a teen leadership program that concentrates on community service, fundraisers and developing leadership skills, said club Resource Manager Gretchen Long.

About 1,500 teens from around the country attended the conference, which included social activities like dances and musical performances in between educational sessions.

Tessy Dominguez, the club’s 15-year-old vice president, was inspired by a panel of women who rose above their rough backgrounds to attend college.

Some of the women shared that their own families discouraged their attempts to move up in the world, out of resentment.

“They said not to let anyone put you down or make you less than you really are,” Tessy said.

Four delegates from the Laguna Beach club attended, along with an advisor; this was the first time the club attended the national conference.

Some of the students also participated in a community service project while at the conference, where they made blankets for disabled children.

The local Keystone Club raised funds to cover the cost of admission through snack sales during basketball games and raffles, and are currently investigating other fundraising methods.

Kelsey said the group realized at the conference that Keystone was really important to other clubs, and helped teens from around the country develop into better human beings.

“It made realize that we can step up, too,” she said.

The club is currently preparing community service activities for Global Youth Service Day, and will go on a tour of UCLA this weekend.

Other club activities include a clothing drive, carnival and a haunted house.

The members hope to raise funds to attend the next national conference in Atlanta.

For more information on the Keystone Club or the Boys & Girls Clubs of Laguna Beach, call (949) 494-2535.