There are some jobs in this world that nobody wants to do, but in the end, someone has to step up. For Naaman Henager, 17, of Newcastle High School, representing his yearbook class on student council was that job, but at the time, he couldn’t see how his passion for student council would grow.
Naaman’s career in student council didn’t begin at Newcastle High School. It actually began in Elgin High School when his yearbook teacher approached the class with the question of who wanted to represent the yearbook class on student council. The fact no one wanted to do it became clear quickly by the lack of volunteers. It was when the teacher spoke again and told the class someone would have to fill this role, Naaman stepped up.
Throughout his career on student council, Naaman has attended two workshops by the Oklahoma Association of Student Councils, or OASC, focusing on leadership. The first workshop was the Basic Leadership Workshop, where he spent 10 to 12 hours a day practicing leadership skills on a simulated student council. He later went on to the Advanced Leadership Workshop, where he learned even more about leadership and about working with others.
“Student council has opened up connections with more people,” said Naaman.
He said he had the time of his life during both workshops, and they have only fueled his passion for student council and being a leader even more over the years.
“I can be a leader to more than one group. It has broadened my horizons and let me know that I can be a leader anywhere in school,” Naaman said.
Now, Naaman is a senior and not only the vice president of Newcastle’s Student Council, where he conducts and contributes to meetings, he is also the vice president of all the student councils in his district – District 8. This position requires him to host the fall convention for his district, where student councils from across the district learn more about being leaders. Naaman said he then hopes the participants will take those lessons back to their own schools.
As the end of high school approaches for Naaman, he has learned many skills he can carry into the future. When asked about how he plans to use these skills, he said he wanted to be a politician, saying, “It can help me be a better leader and a better politician.”
