By Emma Bouthillette
Staff Writer


Because of their strong leadership skills, Scarborough High School students Adam Saltz and Chloe Kumpel were selected to attend the 28th annual Maine Youth Leadership Seminar May 15 to 18.
Saltz, a sophomore, was nominated, by his teachers based on his academic merit, leadership role in student council and involvement in Key Club. Kumpel, a junior, was selected from a pool of alumni of Maine Youth Leaders to return this year as a junior counselor. 
“It was a life changing experience. It was amazing,” Saltz said. “I learned how to be an individual.”
Every high school in Maine is invited to nominate a sophomore to attend the seminar. Each school has their own way of nominating a student, and Scarborough High School bases its nomination on student leadership and involvement.
The seminar is free for those chosen to attend. Students who attend during their sophomore year are often invited back their junior year to serve as junior counselors.
“Chloe returned as a junior counselor,” recruitment chairman for the seminar Jim Cox said.
Kumpel, who could not be reached for comment, led a group of about 11 sophomores with the help of another junior counselor and an adult senior counselor.
“Chloe is very valuable. Since so many alumni wish to return as juniors, she had to fulfill many requirements in order to return as a counselor, including logging 100 hours of community service,” Cox said.
During the seminar, students participated in icebreaker activities, role-playing activities, panel discussions and attended various speeches. Two guest speakers, Bill Picard and former Gov. Angus King, were invited to share their ideas on diversity and leadership with the students. The purpose of the weekend long seminar is to build upon students’ leadership skills, educate on diversity and help students become involved citizens in their community, Cox said.
Ten years after attending the seminar himself, Alex Steed returned this year as a senior counselor and was in charge of Saltz’s group.
“Adam is a big presence. He casually dropped the fact that he could play 11 different instruments. He seemed hesitant at first. Once he realized we thought what he did was cool, he opened right up,” Steed said.
During the seminar students participated in “The Game of Life” in which students are assigned to different economic brackets without knowing where they stand. They are told to visit tables that represent different aspects of a community such as college, employment, banks and other services in order to succeed at life.
“I was really touched to hear Adam say after the game, ‘I thought of stuff I have never though of before,’” Steed said.
Based on their code, students are treated stereotypically. The purpose of the game is to simulate what it is like to be disenfranchised or enfranchised. The activity forced students, like Saltz, to realize the differences among people and how acceptance, or lack of, these differences can affect their daily lives. Saltz said he enjoyed the interactive nature of the program.
“You got to live through it rather than sit and listen,” Saltz said.