HINCKLEY — More than 200 students gathered at Good Will-Hinkley from Oct. 20-22 for an overnight learning adventure at JMG’s annual Leadership Education Conference.

Students from Lewiston High School, Lewiston Middle School and Lisbon High School received the chance to learn about and practice important leadership skills.

One of the highlights was Escape from Gilligan’s Island, a survival scenario that put the students’ teamwork and problem-solving skills to the test. Their only means of escape was to try to build boats out of a pile of discarded material. Teams of students created their own boat designs, constructed the vessels and launched them to test their seaworthiness.

“There are more than 70 JMG programs in Maine’s public schools and in each program the students elect officers to lead them in civic and community service work. Every year those officers get a fantastic opportunity to come to LEC and practice effective communication, problem solving, team building and other leadership skills that they will bring back to the rest of the class,” said Matt St. John, JMG regional manager and organizer of the conference.

The group Boys to Men talked with the boys about violence and the importance of being aware of their emotions, while Hardy Girls Healthy Women shared information about leadership and empowerment with the girls. Students also worked together to develop community service-learning plans for the school year, and took part in a speed-networking activity where they discovered what it takes to market themselves.

“I’m a good leader in small groups of people that I know. I came here to find out how to communicate with new people. I learned that a good leader has to ask everyone’s opinion, so that everyone can be heard,” said Justice Cunningham, an eight-grade student from Freeport Middle School.