Sam Leschins, Candidate for the 5th Board of Manhattan AZA
Sam
leschins
Empire AZA #2564
aspiring to be your 5th Regional Aleph Godol
Biographical Information
School:
West End Secondary School | Class of 2022
NYC Neighborhood:
Upper West Side
Favorite Restaurant in NYC:
ll Violino
Favorite Quote (and who said it):
"The only place success comes before work is in the dictionary." - Vince Lombardi
Who is one of your Role Models and why?
LeBron James is a role model of mine because he is a leader both on and off the court, and he has won countless times at the highest level.
Reflection Questions
Why do you want to serve in the position for which you are caucused? Why are you qualified to do so? What will you uniquely bring to the Regional Board?
I want to listen to the needs and desires of chapter leaders so that they have input into what they want their AZA experience to be, and so that we continue the almost 97 year old tradition of keeping AZA a teen-led order and brotherhood. Heading into my 5th year of BBYO, I believe I have engaged myself in a diverse range of service opportunities that, so far, has culminated in my serving as your 1st Regional Aleph Mazkir/Gizbor. My experience as a Regional Board member, as well as many steering committees and my involvement on the International level, will allow me to communicate with and assist not only the rest of Regional Board, but every chapter leader as well. If elected, I will uniquely bring my passions for commitment, effort, and resilience to the Regional Board and the high and honorable position of your 5th Regional Aleph Godol.
Select one of the Cardinal Principles and explain how you apply this principle in your day-to-day life. How does this principle influence your leadership style?
A Cardinal Principle of AZA that I apply in my day-to-day life is Patriotism. To me, upholding the laws, principles, and ethics of our region, organization, and country is of great importance with a mind towards keeping our lives active and pure. I have always referred to our Constitution if I am wondering whether or not it would be permissible to perform an action, and every time, I have followed what the Constitution says, because that is what our elder brother Alephs have envisioned for us. That being said, it is now time for our AZA vision to come together, and I have already authored and passed legislation that makes leadership positions for Alephs not currently on a board more accessible. The Cardinal Principle of Patriotism influences my leadership style by my goals of following our values, maintaining consistent communication throughout our region, and getting the voices of Alephs heard.
How will you help build a hard-working, supportive, and fun team consisting of the AZA Regional Board, the BBG Regional Board, and the Regional Staff? How will you help get these different groups to share goals and pull in the same direction all year long?
In order to operate successfully, all of Regional Board and Regional Staff must work in coordination, not in competition. I will work to emphasize quality over quantity, which has been overlooked for an extremely long time. I will also take extra care when planning Regional Board retreat, which is a critical time for board members and staff to bond and develop working relationships. The value of communication will be key to supporting one another, which is why a priority of mine is to ensure that board members and staff are checking in on both a personal and professional level. Another value I will work to implement is the art of compromise, which will lead to more equity in the responsibilities of Regional Board members. To ensure that everyone can function together, I will reinforce our common goal of supporting our chapters and leaders, and encourage the setting aside of differences.