[ Back | Home | Email Rainbow.org's owner | Complete Site Map ]
The Newbie's Guide to Giving a Report during a Meeting
Information for both the Worthy Advisor and the girls giving a report
The intention of this text file is to assist both the Worthy Advisor in assigning a report to a member of the Assembly, and to the member who will be called upon at some point to give a report on a project, fundraiser, fun trip, Grand Assembly, travelling, or other event.Have you ever been in a meeting and witnessed this?
Worthy Advisor: "Sister Sally, would you like to report on our car wash from two weeks ago?"
Sally Rainbow: (blinks in surprise) "Okay! (stands) Um, well, (talking in a low, barely understandable voice) there was me, and (quickly looking around) Cindy and Beth and... Vicky (starts counting people on her fingers, which she is staring at) and... Susan --"
Charity: (raising hand, half-rising out of her chair) "And me!"
Immortality: (frantically waving arm) "And me!"
Confidential Observer: (standing up, folding her arms across her chest) "Me, too!"
Sally Rainbow: "Yeah, and those guys, too. And we... uh, met at the Chevron station at... um, I think it was 8:30? On... (fidgeting with hair or jewelry) Saturday the... um, --"
WAA: "The twelfth."
Sally Rainbow: "Yeah, the twelfth. So, um... Mrs. Smith, and Beth's mom 'n dad were there, and Susan's brother was there... (looking up at the ceiling, as if the words are written there)... and Dad Johnson was there, and we had donuts for breakfast, but everyone ate the ones with the rainbow sprinkles before I got one. And I really like those best! It wasn't fair."
Choir Director, Outer Observer & Hope: "Sorry!" "Yeah, sorry..." "I didn't know! Please don't hate me!"
Sally Rainbow: "I don't hate you guys, it's just that --"
Mother Advisor: (sweetly, but in an annoyed tone) "Girls....? Sssh."
(uncomfortable moment of silence, where you can hear the adults on the sidelines whispering to each other and rustling through their belongings.)
Sally Rainbow. "Um, so... then the cars started coming, and we started washing them... and... taking the money and tickets. Uh, then some of us had lunch -- I had a turkey sandwich and nacho cheese Doritos... oh! and Mrs. Smith bought us all Pepsis. Then some more cars showed up, and this REALLY dirty pickup that I swear had never been washed before EVER. It was gross. And then we got in a water fight, and Cindy got smacked with a dirty sponge and started crying. And then it was over... and we all went home, I guess. (pause) Oh, wait! but before that, we had been taking turns holding a sign on the street corner and yelling "Car wash!" and I got a sore throat from screaming. Yeah. (confused look) That's it, I think?" (looking around at other members for agreement)
WA: "er... (weakly) Thank you, Sally."
The above example, though fiction, is based on no few reports I have witnessed during my years in Rainbow, and again as an adult sideliner. It is so frustrating (and, I'll say it -- DULL) to listen to someone ramble on like that, without giving much information, and fidgeting around enough to make anyone uncomfortable.To give a well-thought out and presented report, I suggest the following outline.
To the Worthy Advisor: Before the meeting (either shortly before it starts, or perhaps the night before), decide which girl you would like to give a report on a certain event. Do not always pick the line officers, or your good friends; you need to encourage the newer, and younger, girls to get involved too. ASK her before the meeting starts, "Sally, would you like to report on the car wash during the meeting, please?" Make sure you can tell her the amount earned (if it was a fundraiser), or another bit of info that she might want to mention, but let her decide what to say and how to say it. If it was something like Grand Assembly or Rainbow Camp, consider asking one girl to report on each day or section of the event. It makes it easier on the ones giving the report, and hearing different people's versions of what went on is more interesting to all.
When the time comes for reports, say "Will the girls and adults who went to the Car Wash on the twelfth please stand?" This makes it unnecessary for the girl reporting to try and remember the date of the event, and all the people who went to the event, which speeds things along. Then ask, "Sister Sally, would you please report on the car wash?", then give a soft rap of the gavel to seat everyone else; or say, "thank you, everyone" *before* asking Sally to report. When she is finished, thank her.
To the members: Know that at some point, the Worthy Advisor will call upon you to report on an event you attended. It's awkward, sometimes, but it's good practice, trust me. When she asks you, and you accept, make sure you plan out what you're going to say. Who, What, When, Where, Why and How. Find out the amount raised (if it was a fundraiser), and anything else that might be important information (like, what the money will be used for). Go over in your head what happened that day, and how you want to present it. Talk to the other girls who were there if you can't remember very much, or had only been there for part of the time.
When the time comes for you to give your report, the Worthy Advisor will call on you. Stand up, say, "Thank you, Worthy Advisor" and begin your report. Speak clearly, and loud enough that people can hear you. If the Worthy Advisor did not already ask those who went/participated to stand, feel free to ask the room, "Will all those who went to the car wash on the twelfth please stand?" After they do, smile and say, "Thank you." and continue with your report. Keep in mind "K.I.S.S." - keep it short and sweet. Try to keep it in order of what happened (chronological). You should probably avoid things like describing your personal lunch, or the really cute guys whose VW Beetle you washed, or the fact that Susan's aggravating little brother kept squirting all of you with packets of taco sauce when you weren't watching him. You can talk about how small groups of you took turns going across the street to Subway for a short lunch break, the water fight one of the adults started, or other things you did to amuse yourselves during the "slow" spots of the day.
Tip! Do not refer to your fellow Rainbow sisters as "guys" (as in "you guys" or "hey, guys..."). They are young women (or 'young ladies' as some adults prefer it). "Girls" is the generally acceptable term.
To everyone (girls AND adults): Remember to give the person speaking proper respect. Do NOT wave your arm around to get her attention, or jump up and interject, or say things like, "Remember when the..." or "Don't forget about..." This is a report, not a two-way conversation. Also, it is not the time to look through your pockets to see what's there, strike up conversation with your neighbor, or start counting your change for the coin march.
Reporting on events (and listening to a report) can be fun, if you help make it so. Think of it as telling (or hearing) a story, and make it a good one, with a happy ending for reporter and listeners alike!
Version 1.1 - 03/09/02
This text file is copyright © 2001-2002 by www.rainbow.org. Rights to reproduce this text online or in print are granted, provided you do so in its entirety, giving credit to the author, postmaster@rainbow.org, and providing the URL: http://www.rainbow.org/reports.html on any copies you make.
[ Back | Home | Email Rainbow.org's owner | Complete Site Map ] [EoF]
