{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["http://noem.house.gov/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=C2651E76-5E18-4F59-840D-D1515BC5DE1C", "Weekly Column: Lead Now", "2016-11-23", "2016", "2016-11", "Republican", "House", "SD", "Kristi Noem", "N000184", "noem.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "By Rep. Kristi Noem \r\n\tMy grandma gave me one of the best pieces of advice I\u2019ve ever received, which I\u2019d venture to guess is typical for almost everyone.\u00a0 When I was about to become a new mom, she told me, \u201cAs a parent, you\u2019re going to have to say no to a lot of things. Say yes as often as you can.\u201d\u00a0 So, when my kids wanted to race to the end of the driveway, we did.\u00a0 When they wanted to play in the mud, we did.\u00a0 When they wanted to play basketball outside a little past their bedtimes, we laced up our shoes and hit the pavement.\u00a0 We said yes as often as we could, and 22-plus years later, my grandma\u2019s advice has become a deep-rooted philosophy, not just for parenting, but for leadership.\r\nThis November, I held my third annual Lead Now Youth Conference.\u00a0 Among the lessons shared with the 220 attendees was the idea that young people ought to say yes as leadership opportunities come their way.\u00a0 It\u2019s easy to discount yourself as \u201ctoo young for the job\u201d or \u201ctoo inexperienced,\u201d but I encouraged them to try anyway.\u00a0 Say yes and see where it goes.\r\nLiz Ferro, founder of the non-profit Girls with Sole, shared a similar message, explaining that despite her tough upbringing she pushed past obstacles, said yes to opportunities, and set her sights on something bigger.\u00a0 The result? Liz has completed over 60 marathons (at least one in every state), finished five Ironman Triathlons, and started an organization aimed at instilling strength, self-confidence, and pride in young women across the country.\r\nAs author Steven J. Stowell wrote, however, \u201cGreat leaders find ways to connect with their people and help them fulfill their potential.\u201d\u00a0 Maybe no one in the business understands this more than SDSU head football coach John Stiegelmeier, who has built strong teams for 20 seasons running.\u00a0 Coach Stig shared his understanding of teamwork and what\u2019s needed to produce a winning team \u2013 whether on the field or in the classroom.\r\nRepresentatives from Google and The New Colossus, a Sioux Falls-based group dedicated to preventing human trafficking, were also on hand to give students tangible ways to lead among their peer groups today.\u00a0 After all, it\u2019s not your position in life that matters most.\u00a0 It\u2019s the choices you make to do what matters that creates true change and happiness.\u00a0 Our final presenter, motivational speaker V.J. Smith, focused in on this lesson.\u00a0 He told the story of a Walmart employee in Brookings named Marty.\u00a0 Marty might not have sat on the top of the corporate ladder, but he was a leader in his own right.\u00a0 Through gratitude, compassion, and positive thinking, Marty inspired those around him and eventually the world.\u00a0 It\u2019s an example all of us would benefit from following.\r\nI get excited looking around South Dakota and seeing the boundless potential housed within our young people.\u00a0 As adults, we have a responsibility to empower our kids to step up and be leaders right where they are.\u00a0 After all, those who are seizing opportunities in the classroom today will be more comfortable with their ability to seize opportunities for South Dakota tomorrow.\u00a0 That\u2019s something to which we should all say yes.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["http://noem.house.gov/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=C2651E76-5E18-4F59-840D-D1515BC5DE1C"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 2.651756163686514, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}