The Cleveland/Bradley County Chamber of Commerce recently kicked off its 10th Youth Leadership program, welcoming 26 juniors and seniors from Walker Valley, Bradley Central and Cleveland high schools and Tennessee Christian Preparatory School.
“Their goals are to learn about Cleveland and Bradley County, to meet our leaders, whether in industry or government,” said Sherry Crye, director of work-force development for the Cleveland/Bradley Chamber of Commerce. “Our goal is to expose them to these things and let them see what a leader is.”
From the experience, Crye said, the hope is for students to learn leadership skills of their own at a young age.
The students are chosen to participate through an application process that involves submitting transcripts and letters of recommendation, answering questions and filling out a form. A committee reviews the applications, and students are chosen from a pool of many.
Questions might include “What makes a good leader?” or “What in our community concerns you, and what would you do to fix it?”
Although there is no required grade-point average, Crye said grades are considered to ensure students will be able to handle missing several days throughout the school year for field trips and service projects.
“We want students to be able to make up the work and not to be struggling so it would hurt them to be absent from class,” she said.
Trips are planned to include lessons about the local economy, industry and education.
“The emphasis is to learn about those businesses and higher-learning institutions, what kind of economic impact they have on the community,” Crye said.
In March, the group will travel to Nashville to learn about state government.
Additionally, the students will complete a service project with Habitat for Humanity. Each school group, Crye said, must come up with a plan to raise a minimum of $400.
“In the past, we’ve always exceeded that goal,” she said.
“Sweat equity” is also a requirement, she said, in an activity done as a group over four hours on two Saturdays.
Participants
Bradley Central High School
Kayla Arp, Kaitlin Dillard, Devin Kersey, Briana Howell, Emily McCracken, Nathan Myers, Sloane Rakestraw and Bailey Withrow.
Cleveland High School
Grant Currin, Beka Day, Caleb Hiddleson, Hannah Kalb, Ariana Kim, Holly McConnell, Aimee Murray and Robert Parr.
Tennessee Christian Preparatory School
Bailey Burns and Liz Mayton.
Walker Valley High School
Colby Denton, Mariah Green, Conner Henderson, Savannah Savage, Meeri Shin, Bristol Snider, Amy Grace Stokes and Olivia Torres.