By William Croyle
Enquirer contributor

Yasamin Vieth (center), 13, and Veronica Ruschman react to Vieth's toss in a game they were playing during a leadership conference for eighth-graders at St. Joseph School in Crescent Springs. The students learned leadership characteristics: attitude, observation, example, involvement and unity. The Enquirer/PATRICK REDDY

CRESCENT SPRINGS - Yasamin Vieth now knows what it's like to be forced to work with someone you don't like.

The 13-year-old student found herself in that situation with a classmate at St. Joseph School last year - and was not happy about it.

"We didn't really know each other, but we had the same friends," said Yasamin, a seventh-grader at the time. "Maybe because of that, there was some jealousy between us."

The girls were part of the same "tribe" put together by their language arts teacher, Leslie Hughes. Each tribe consisted of four or five students who had to complete projects by motivating each other and working together - no matter how much their personalities may have conflicted.

Last week, Hughes expanded that idea with a weeklong leadership program for all 62 kids starting eighth grade this year. Though it wasn't obligatory, two-thirds of the kids showed up.

"The theme was learning to deal with all different kinds of personalities in group situations, and being a leader by being positive and pulling in those who sit and do nothing," said Hughes.

Hughes put the summer session together with Principal Becky Brown and teachers Dawn Franzen, Amy Torres, Rebecca Verdin, and Jean Marousek.

The kids learned five characteristics of leadership: attitude, observation, example, involvement and unity.

Through games and projects like balancing nails on top of other nails and making quilts, they learned to work as one, be positive and lead by example.

"This has all been about learning to work together, and it's worked," said 13-year-old Matthew Venard. "It's helped me realize that I need to work harder to help the group."

"It's helped us be more optimistic than pessimistic," added Olivia Kennedy, 13. "And some kids who used to just sit on the side, now they're not."

Brown said the kids have become "exceedingly kind to one another and have unified as a group."

"We found through our research that the biggest complaint most (adult) leaders have is that their people can't work together," said Brown. "We're teaching these kids to not just be leaders for the eighth-grade year, but for the future."

Hughes has told the kids that not getting along with everybody is part of life. "They're going to work with people they don't get along with, but they have to find a way to work through it," said Hughes.

She'll bring the tribes back in her eighth-grade reading class when school starts Aug. 25.

But what if Yasamin is again put in the tribe with the girl she didn't like last year?

"We found out while working together that we weren't that different and like the same things," said Yasamin. "Now we're best friends."

E-mail williamcroyle@yahoo.com