Annual Disneyland Leadership Trip

Some students have expressed confusion about the annual  Youth Education Series (Y.E.S.) leadership trip to Disneyland. For one reason or another, some students feel uncomfortable with the use of ASB funds for a trip to Disneyland.  In actuality, there are a lot of requirements that must be met in order for a school organization to go on a trip.

The total cost of the training day was $2,400 for 20 students, which amounts to $120 per student. This year, there are 22 students who are in ASB, but two couldn’t make it to the trip, so Disney promptly refunded those two tickets. The chaperones for the trip all were able to go for free—stressing yet again, the importance of ASB money benefitting solely the students of the school.

The students were matched up, with the specific intention to make new connections and bonds with each other.

“We’re not usually with people that we’d typically hang out with,” Deal said.

This is an intentional facet of the trip, to allow for them to step out of their comfort zones.

ASB Vice President Brad Nelson, the man behind the morning announcements, had an awesome experience at Disneyland.

“It wasn’t a typical day at Disneyland. It wasn’t about rides,” Nelson said, “I went on … only three rides while there. We were broken up into two separate groups and you walk all around the park and see different values that Walt Disney incorporated into his park. He had all these pieces across Main Street that contained names of all the people that contributed to his success, we were able to learn about his leadership values and what it takes to make big things happen in a team setting.”

According to Nelson, Walt Disney’s leadership Y.E.S. programs have led to a closer relationship among the representatives of ASB.

“It was a big bonding experience for ASB. We wake up early and take the bus up. We eat all of our meals with our groups, we really got to know some of the other members in ASB — which has helped, especially recently, when certain members are having a harder time — we can understand why they aren’t able to get some of their work done,” Nelson described, “We can pick up the slack for them, all while learning more about them in the process. If it wasn’t for the trip, I wouldn’t have been able to get half as much done as I do. I wouldn’t know the other members as much as I know them now. the experience brought us all closer together.”

Nelson believes that there is a misconception that some students enroll in the class just for this trip. He pointed out the complete turnaround of the ASB team’s mentality over the last few years. He believes the current advisor, Danny Kung, has been a large reason for the change.

“If you haven’t noticed, I feel like there has been a significant change in the vibe on campus, just with school spirit in general,” Nelson said, “That’s ASB’s job, to promote school spirit on campus. The first couple years, ASB didn’t do a good job of that. The students did not have a lot of pride in our campus. You can say what you want…small school, no football team, only two classes…whatever. The reality was, the first couple years of ASB didn’t set up our school to have as much fun. Since then, our committee is taking steps to add more events after school that brings the campus together. And I think the students are finally starting to be proud of being a Bobcat. I would credit a lot of that success to Coach Kung. He has done a great job of transitioning our class from what it was, to what it is now.”