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How Four Star Leadership Helped Alum Riley Juenemann Discover a New Passion
There are certain individuals born with the innate ability to lead. Riley Juenemann is definitely one of them. After successfully completing her high school career by graduating valedictorian of her class, Juenemann is looking back on her time at Four Star Leadership with General Tommy Franks and examining how the free program prepared her for success. Soon, Juenemann will be joining Tulane University as a Deans’ Honor Scholarship recipient and expanding her leadership skills through her pursuit of a double major in mathematics and computer science. Learn more about Juenemann’s inspiring Four Star journey, her advice to potential attendees and the Four Star peer who helped her discover a new passion.
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How was your experience at Four Star Leadership? I never could have envisioned the transformation that took place when I was at Four Star. From late night research for the ethics bowl [tournament] to learning invaluable lessons from an Olympic gold medalist, I immersed myself in every aspect of this program. The greatest aspect of the program however, was not a leadership module. Instead, it was my peers. This was the most supportive group of teenagers that I have ever encountered. Everyone’s fascinating accomplishments brought something unique to the table. When I stepped off the plane after my flight home, I had a new sense of self-confidence, a vastly broadened worldview, new lifelong friendships and a cutting-edge leadership tool belt to propel me towards a future of success.
How have you incorporated the 4 C’s of leadership into your daily life? Communication is a priority in every strong relationship in my life. Common vision is particularly applicable to my music. I play guitar for the Longmont All Star Jazz Band, and without each player and section coming together to turn notes on a page into one cohesive song, we would not be able to share our talent with the audience. Character is entwined in everything that you do. It is not merely how you behave when someone else is watching, but also the standards that you hold yourself to when no one is watching. Character is always on my mind when I am at work. The quality of the job that you do should not depend on whether your boss will be checking it after you are done. Finally, caring shines through whenever I hold doors open to strangers, greet neighbors when shoveling after a winter storm and converse with the individual sitting next to me on the airplane. The conviction that most people are genuine and kind, always intending to do what is right, is significant in that it is the solid foundation of human society. I like to do my part to strengthen this foundation.
What have been some of your greatest accomplishments since graduating from the Four Star program? While attending the Four Star Leadership program last summer, I met a peer, Emmah Bowers, who talked about the ‘I Run 4 Michael’ program and I fell in love with the concept. Hoping to get my school sports teams involved, I set up a meeting with my high school athletic director to get us started. We then discovered it takes six months to get a match through the formal program. Not to be deterred, I decided instead to launch the ‘Heart of a Warrior Alliance’ program with the goal to pair children in our community who are unable to live an active lifestyle, due to medical reasons, with high school athletic teams. We became involved with a local family with three children who have Duchenne muscular dystrophy that needed to build a house that would accommodate their wheelchairs. Inspired to help, I also met with the athletic director of a neighboring high school, gaining additional support for this cause. Between the two schools, we have raised $3,300 for this family. After uniting surrounding communities as one to aid a deserving family, I have demonstrated to my peer athletes that there is so much more to sports than winning games. Furthermore, the chain of events that I began in my own community demonstrated to me the power of one individual. While I certainly faced roadblocks, they were all worth it when the father of the boys looked me in the eyes, thanked me, and told me that I was an inspiration for his family.
Another one of my greatest accomplishments since leaving the Four Star program has been serving as a lieutenant governor on the Rocky Mountain Key Club District Board. Through the leadership lessons I learned at Four Star, I have grown my high school Key Club chapter fourfold, led fundraisers to raise more than $1000 for UNICEF’s Eliminate Project and helped instill a passion for service in my peers.
Graduating as the valedictorian of my high school class this past May allowed me the opportunity to share some advice for the future with fellow peers, educators and audience members through my speech. Over the course of my senior year, I was named a National Advanced Placement Scholar, a National Merit Commended Student and a Coolidge Scholarship Semifinalist. I am excited to attend Tulane University next year as a Deans’ Honor Scholarship recipient, pursuing a double major in mathematics and computer science while also maintaining my love of performing jazz guitar.
What would you say to encourage potential attendees to join Four Star Leadership with General Tommy Franks? Attending Four Star Leadership helped me to recognize that I needed to find a similar peer group and community for my college education. It gave me the confidence that I needed to apply to elite schools and pursue a future that I had once only seen in my dreams. I returned from my week at Four Star feeling like I had finally stepped into the shoes of the person that I was meant to be. This program is exactly what you need to take your leadership to the next level. It will challenge you, but it will change you. Don’t be afraid to take a chance and apply. Instead, be afraid of missing out on this amazing opportunity.