Naugatuck Valley Community College hosted more than 350 students in grades four through six for the 23^rd annual Connecticut Association of Schools (CAS) Elementary Leadership Conference on January 12. Teams of students and their chaperones from 53 schools from across the region participated in a variety of activities to learn new skills and broaden their knowledge and understanding of key concepts—with the aim of bringing that new knowledge back to their schools and sharing it with classmates.

“This is all centered on 21^st century skills: decision-making, problem solving, communication—things like that,” said Dave Maloney, director of student activities for CAS. “And, as we all know, that’s the skillset that’s needed in middle schools and high schools and even in the workforce.”

Teachers and facilitators—all volunteers—led activities, games and presentations on topics ranging from theater and acting to diversity awareness. For the sixth consecutive year, the conference achieved a greater number of participants; this year the event was sold out.

Maloney noted that there’s no one way that a student is selected to attend the conference. “We leave that totally up to the advisors—the teachers at their respective schools. Some are coming by virtue of clubs that they’re already in; some of them are coming because a teacher tapped a shoulder and said ‘You really need to look at this. You might be an introvert; you might not have the box and the package, but we think the conference could spearhead and really motivate you.’ So there’s a broad range of kids that are here and I really love that,” said Maloney.

NVCC is committed to partnerships with K-12 institutions throughout its 22-town service region in order to help foster better college preparedness and improve access for students. The College works closely with Waterbury Public Schools through the NVCC Bridge to College Office. The NVCC enrollment team travels to area middle and high schools to engage students in the college admissions process.