GALWAY–The WAC Leadership Conference is held every year at Fulton Montgomery Community College. It is organized by local athletic directors and includes all schools in the league. This year the group of students grades 7-12, was accompanied by Mr. Snow and Mrs. Cannell.

Rich Johns, retired from Saratoga school and also a successful tennis coach, was the keynote speaker.  Johns started the program “Act with Respect Always!” According to his website the purpose of the program is,

“to spread the importance of respect in athletics, academics,  and daily life. Through ‘ambassadors’ of respect-person to person, team to team, school to school, and to the community at large–students and athletes will be empowered to be good citizens in all walks of life.  Act with Respect Always gives everyone the opportunity to make the most important statement in today’s society.”

The group from Galway really enjoyed the presentation, and received a Respect banner that Mrs. Cannell hung up outside the cafeteria.

After the presentation, the students got into groups by grades, then broke into smaller, mixed groups and worked on different things such as performing a skit, writing a mission statement, etc. After lunch, the groups reconvened in the auditorium and the students presented their work. It was a very productive day for the group and everybody came away with great ideas to share.