What's Your Platform?

I joined the Jaycees in 2009. If anyone had told me at that time that I would one day be running for a state board position, I would have laughed at them. Yet, here I am. I'm so excited to be a part of an organization that does so many great things and I hope that I can continue to encourage each and every one of you to inspire your peers and aspire to greater.

My platform is a simple one. Though I have a lot of ideas about trainings and how to help local chapters achieve their goals, I feel that overall the focus of the Programming Team in 2015 should be stability. There will be some minor changes here and there, but it's time to let everyone adjust. Hopefully you had a chance to see the special elections edition of the Michigander, but if not, I've included my answers below.

That being said, I want to hear your ideas. What do you miss from the past? What do you think needs improvement in the present? What would you like to see in the future? Are you interested in working on the state board? Do you see a need in your local chapter that the state board can fill?

I'm open to suggestions and questions. Hope to hear from you.

Heather L Harris
(aka Heather Stewart)

CANDIDATE PROFILE
 What do you consider to be your three greatest assets?

My three greatest assets are my creativity, enthusiasm, and a willingness to ask questions.
 
What is the most important role of the position you are running for?

The Programming Vice President is a multi-faceted position, but I believe its most important function can be simplified to one title. The most important role of the Programming Vice President is that of communicator. Whether working with local chapters to assist with strategic planning and project logistics, or implementing statewide programming such as competitions and the recognition program, the Programming Vice President functions as a receiver and conveyer of important information.

Are there any new ideas or programs you would like to implement?

I definitely have a lot of ideas for the Programming area, but I feel it is vital to focus on consistency. Many of my ideas involve adjusting existing programming to encourage participation or streamline a process rather than introducing programs that are entirely new. We have seen several large changes in recent years and it is essential that chapters have the opportunity to become acquainted with the newest features.

What do you think is the greatest need of this organization right now?

Expanding on my previous answer, I feel that the organization needs stability. While change will happen, we have seen numerous changes to our organization in the past few years and it is time to provide consistency.

As a candidate for Programming Vice President, one of the easiest examples I can provide is the recognition program. In 2014, we shifted focus from development areas to the United Nations Millennium Development Goals, retired Blue Chip in favor of Civic Leadership Certification, and introduced a brand new process for Single Project Entries. Each of these changes had a purpose and a goal, and it is important to allow them to see fruition.

Providing a stable framework allows the state and local organizations to focus on achieving the goals outlined in their action plans.

Aim to What?

Be good and you will be lonesome.
-Mark Twain

For those of you trying to puzzle out just what "Aim to Misbehave" means, I'll start by letting you know that it's a quote from a movie. I have a tendency to quote movies and song lyrics often, whether or not people catch the reference. Obviously.

We've talked a lot this year about heroes. One of my personal heroes is my mom. I know, it sounds cliche, but it's true. She recognized my father's great passion for fireworks and knew that it was something she could never take from him; so she decided to join instead.

In the late 80s, it was highly unusual for a woman to be part of a fireworks crew, but there she was. There were many weekends we traveled so my parents could help with a show downtown Buffalo. The shoot site was an empty lot. I remember tall buildings. They had to be careful because of the nearby highway; they didn't want fallout to interfere with traffic. The notes for the show were brief: fire fast as hell.

My mother threw in with the all male crew on countless shows. My brother and I helped dig holes and fill buckets with sand. We carried steel mortars and helped put them in the ground. We moved finale racks and hauled coolers. Neither of us were eighteen yet, so we had to hang back once the product was unloaded. We were usually near the firefighters. One of them went up to my mom after a show and said, "Honey, do they make you do that?" My mom didn't quite understand what was being asked. When she did, she assured him that she loved what she was doing. The firefighter told her she was crazy. My mom laughed and said, "You're the one that runs into burning buildings!"

Her behavior was unusual. It wasn't the "norm" for women to work on those crews, and more than once she had to prove herself to a new crew member. More than once she did. Over the years, it became less uncommon for women to work in the industry, but even in the 90s there were strange looks.

Where people saw something unusual, I saw normal. I saw an example. The day I turned eighteen, I went to a product demo at the fireworks company. I was presented with a four inch shell. I was told there was a six inch, if I wanted to fire that as well. I lit both. That summer, I joined my mother as a member of my father's show crew.

We weren't marching for women's rights, but we were challenging the norm, and in some eyes, we just may have been misbehaving.

Maybe at first glance "Aim to Misbehave" doesn't make sense. The Jaycees are about building leaders and creating a better global community by fostering active citizens. The phrase isn't about doing things to get away with them. These three words are about taking a stand. For those of you that have not watched the (short-lived) series Firefly and the movie Serenity, I highly encourage you to do so. Both are on Netflix. "Aim to Misbehave" comes from the movie. It's a quote from Captain Malcolm Reynolds as he's addressing the crew of his ship. Mal utters those words when he is faced with a choice. Something doesn't sit well with him, and he knows that he could turn a blind eye and continue as he is, or he could take a stand and make a difference:

"Y'all got on this boat for different reasons, but y'all come to the same place. So now I'm asking more of you than I have before. Maybe all. Sure as I know anything, I know this - they will try again. Maybe on another world, maybe on this very ground swept clean. A year from now, ten? They'll swing back to the belief that they can make people...better. And I do not hold to that. So no more runnin'. I aim to misbehave."