I really enjoyed the symposium because, for once I was actually a part of something that was productive and important to City High that wasn’t something recreational. I was also very proud of being art director and the piece that I made, because it’s becoming iconic in a sense. I really enjoyed coming up with crazy and creative ideas that, while in the end, did not work out but still were there and I knew I was responsible for thinking up. The spiral did very well and the piece itself looks rather phenomenal from all angles (I know, because I’ve looked at it from all angles). I was very happy being busy and having a role of importance in the symposium such as being able to show people how to decorate tables and other things.
However, I wish some things could have worked out a lot better. The reliability could have been a lot stronger and so could the planning, as for the art department goes. A lot of the supplies that we planned to get, we did not. I think next year they should surpass us with the decorations. I’ll give them some ideas if need be.
The discussion I wish was more in depth; it was basically Mrs. Lilly who contributed the most to the discussion about herself and her theater. I wish it could have been more engaging and delved into different topics. I also wished that I had widened out to the underclassmen and got to know them.
Key Notes:
I do not think that his class should be revolving around the symposium. It can be a part of it, but not the essential thing. The symposium is also able to be different every time it is done, if it’s perpetuated.
There should be more time for socializing with ALL of the people. I also think there should have been a big group discussion.
At this point, our discussion was about what is the definition of a leader and we talked how a person could be considered a boss but not a leader. While I was in the discussion, I managed to discuss how a person who is considered a leader to younger siblings can or cannot transfer that leadership to people their own age and older. The answer is they can but with an adjustment. You have to learn how each person works and then work around their abilities. Then in certain situations, that doesn’t always have to work out because the younger person can be more of a leader than the older person. Also in our discussion we mentioned how a person who shows leadership doesn’t always have to be considered moral. Eric Feher described how Hitler’s qualities made him a great leader in many people’s eyes. That doesn’t mean that his views on exterminating the Jewish were correct. To me, this is a good thing to talk about because in our discussion they were talking about how people who were considered bosses was actually barking orders when instead it could just be their form of leadership. Also when I was recording, I came back to my group and asked them what their definition was between a Self-Appointed Leader vs. a Leader.
Videographing-
I was able to walk around and listen in on different groups and different view points on leadership. From both sides of the room, I was able to pick up on some very interesting topics and record their thoughts. I also took pictures of groups and also the pictures that were drawn from different discussions. Then afterwards when each side presented what they have talked about all day, I thought that if I was just in one group the whole time, I wouldn’t get to see what each group was able to pick up on and describe to their peers and visitors from the other side. Now I fully understood each drawing but to record this moment so that other people who couldn’t make it but wanted to participate in could view what actually happened.
- Erik Clark
