This past weekend our chapter had the pleasure of attending the Fall State Leadership Conference held at the Texas Lions Camp in Kerrville. Our chapter sent our State President, Jose Elizondo, and Aleida Olvera, a state leadership team member, to represent our chapter while helping with the set up and execution of the conference.

           The conference at Kerrville was centered around this year’s theme: Designing Your Dreams. Our chapter was able to meet each of the state officers along with their respective leadership team members chosen to help with the breakout sessions. Those attending had the pleasure of seeing Keith Davis once again. Keith Davis is a former linebacker for the New York Giants, who now travels around the world as a low-budget motivational speaker. We last saw Keith Davis at our 2014 Region Leadership Conference, which inspired Jose Elizondo, our chapter president and Texas TSA President, to request him as a keynote speaker for the statewide leadership conference. Keith Davis spoke on the importance of persevering and holding integrity. His keynote was truly something worth seeing again!

           Along with this, Jose was actively encouraging the attendees to contribute to TSA’s National Service Project, the American Cancer Society. Since the American Cancer Society is the official sponsor of birthdays and our national service project, our officers decided to host a birthday party just for our members!

           To encourage the attendees to participate in the ACS Bingo night, the officers discussed the effect of cancer in the lives of others, by sharing our State Reporter Hannah Brown’s story. Her father had just recently passed away and the entire conference was then dedicated to her father and all those who have suffered from cancer. In order to encourage others to raise funds for the ACS, the officers made a proposal: if they exceed their goal in raising $1,000 the officers will jump into the freezing pool located in the middle of the camp (alternatively, if too cold, they would have buckets of ice water poured on them.) This incentive was more than enough to get the attention of those attending, and everyone was eager to participate in the annual ACS Bingo night.
           Before the Bingo night came the lessons that were carefully crafted by each of the officers. They each pertained to the big goal: Designing your Dreams. Those attending Kerrville were scattered and joined together in different groups in order to have the members meet new people and get out of their comfort zone. Once all the sessions were completed it was time to take the Lone Star and Texan Tests.
           The Lone Star and Texan Tests are examinations that test our member’s knowledge on Texas TSA. Those who take the Lone Star must receive a 70 or above in order to receive their Lone Star Degree, but those taking the longer and difficult Texan Test must receive an 80 or above in order to receive their degree. After the tests have been taken, it was time for the ACS Bingo Night and Armada Boat Race.
           Those participating in the Armada Boat Race must build a Boat out of cardboard that is able to successfully travel across the pool with two of their chapter members on it. Although this challenge may seem impossible, it gives those participating a chance to work together and gain teamwork skills. While this was going on, the ACS Bingo was giving out multiple prizes to Bingo winners. Prizes that were given away included: battery packs, iTunes Gift Cards, movie packs, candy, and even a chance to pour ice on the winner’s chapter advisor! At the end of our annual Bingo night on the second day at Kerrville, our officer team was able to raise a whopping: $2,200: almost triple of the record amount of money raised in the history of Texas TSA! Thus, the officers were to have ice water poured on them the following day.
           On the final day of the conference, all attendees gathered for the ceremony where those who passed the Lone Star and Texan exams were going to be recognized. Those who passed the Texan exam hold the most distinguished award for passing the exam. Those who passed the Texan from our chapter are as follows:

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Texan Degree Recipients

• Jaime Hernandez
• Gerardo Parra
• Michael Sanchez

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Texas TSA Officers Get Ice'd!

Concluding the conference was the moment everyone was waiting for: the officer's acceptance of ice water. Even the state coordinator was subject to two buckets of ice water!



Overall the experience at Kerrville was something to never forget! To all those who participated, we encourage you to attend once again!

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