SWAMPSCOTT — The Police Department welcomed young residents to its headquarters for a Youth Leadership Summit.
The group of nine consisted of a mixture of both Swampscott Middle and High School students, who learned about the summit’s theme of leadership. Sgt. Brendan Reen, a driving force behind the event, said he and his fellow officers placed an emphasis on the idea that leadership is a skill that is developed and improved through experience.
“You’re not born a leader, you actually develop leadership skills over time that help make you who you are, and you work toward doing that each and every day,” Reen said.
Reen gave credit to Police Chief Dr. Ruben Quesada for having the original idea of a one-day, accessible event that is similar to the department’s week-long youth academies.
State Rep. Jenny Armini and state Sen. Brendan Crighton were the keynote guests of the event, and they both told the children about how they had to overcome challenges in order to become successful local leaders.
Armini emphasized how becoming a first-time legislator at the age of 55 required patience and humility in order for her to learn the position.
“This new phase requires more listening than talking, more learning than lecturing,” Armini said. “What a strange feeling that is when you go through your adult life feeling like you kind of know what you’re doing.”
She said this type of messaging is especially important for teenagers.
“Being a teenager is tough. I’ve raised two, so I appreciated the chance to talk with them about skills to navigate the changes and challenges that inevitably arise in every phase of life,” Armini said.
Crighton focused on how he had to overcome a fear of public speaking in order to fulfill his duty as a state senator.
The young attendees were given the opportunity to lend their input on what qualities good leadership consists of.
“It was refreshing to see the young adults think about and share with the group their experiences and what skills they can use to develop themselves as they enter the upcoming school year,” Reen said.
