Program aims to turn teens into future leaders
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Students participated in team building exercises as part of the Fayette YouthLeads! program.
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Students who participated in Fayette YouthLeads! ended the program with a presentation on the leadership skills they gleaned.
For several days this month, when other teens were enjoying a break from schoolwork and responsibilities, 15 teens from six Fayette County schools gave up a portion of their summer breaks in order to develop their leadership skills.
The students attended the first-ever Fayette YouthLeads! program, hosted by the Fayette Business Education Partnership (FBEP) and the Fayette Chamber of Commerce.
FBEP Coordinator Kathi Hull said she had been working on the program, in planning for the past couple of years, since well before school let out for the summer.
“These programs are so important. Through our youth leadership and workforce development programs, we work to guide and inspire students to gain practical skills that can help shape their decisions about further study, careers, and as future leaders,” she said.
The students accepted into the program came from Albert Gallatin, Brownsville, Frazier, Laurel Highlands and Uniontown Area school districts, as well as Calvary Chapel Christian School in Brownsville.
“This group of amazing young people grew into a cohesive group of active learners very quickly. It was great to see them come together as a team and work together to build skills,” Hull said.
The five-day program began with a kick-off night that included team-building exercises and icebreakers.
Each morning, students were given a leadership curriculum created by Sarah Sladek, an author and researcher on the topic of generational differences at XYZ University.
“Sarah enlisted help from her daughter Katelyn, who is 16 years old, to develop the custom curriculum specifically for us in Fayette County,” Hull added. “They provided their part virtually, and it included various daily discussions and activities (the students) were to complete.”
Each day featured its own topics of discussion and opportunities to meet with local community leaders. The first day focused on business and entrepreneurship, and students met with Jennifer Jubin and Courtney Gardner of COE Distributing.
On the second day, the focus shifted to finance and meet-ups with Pam Moore, Ashley Perez and Dan Spinelli of Somerset Trust Company’s Uniontown branch. Fayette Chamber of Commerce President Devan White of Wealth Enhancement Group spoke to the students during lunch.
Day 3 was Government Day and kicked off at Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of Fayette County, a partner in the program, where the students gathered teddy bear donations that were then delivered to family court. Participants had the chance to meet with Fayette County Commissioners Dave Lohr, Vince Vicites and Scott Dunn, along with Judge Steve Leskinen and Assistant District Attorney Rob Harper.
Staff members from PA CareerLink and the Westmoreland Fayette Workforce Investment Board met with the students on Workforce Day.
The students finished out the program by giving a presentation on project leadership.
“This project was the culmination of the skills gained,” Hull said. “Each student presented their thoughts about the leadership principals they felt were most important and most applicable in everyday life and they shared their perception of the ideal leader.”
Frazier High School student Aubrey Baumiller said the program helped her learn that leadership isn’t a one-size-fits-all concept.
“My biggest takeaway from the program was there are many different forms of leadership in the community because there are many different types of jobs in the community,” she said.
Jayden Dillinger, a sophomore from Brownsville Area High School ,agreed. “I learned that the type of leader you are depends on your personality,” she said.
“I learned that everyone had a different opinion on what makes a good leader,” Albert Gallatin sophomore Sarah Nuttall added.
Ben Lowry, a sixth grader in the Albert Gallatin School District and the youngest student to complete the program, said he learned “leaders can be different ages.” Lowry attended the program alongside his mother, co-facilitator Misty Hiltabidel of Fay-Penn Economic Development Council.
Upon completion of the program, each student received a certificate from both the Fayette Business Education Partnership and its partner agencies, as well as a certificate of completion from XYZ University.