Graduation 2002: South Shore - Marion County Youth Leadership Team

South Shore - Marion County Leadership Graduation includes both youth and adults

EROS, Ark. - Thirty-three future leaders in Marion County - 17 adults and 16 youth who completed community leadership training - accepted completion certificates at a graduation ceremony May 16 at the Bruno-Pyatt School. Roger Bates, leader of the adult group, said they were proud to share the evening with the youth leadership team, adding, "These people are winners." South Shore - Marion County Adult Leadership Team does not meet every year, Bates noted.

Steve Hobbs, chairman of the advisory board to the youth leadership team, said this was the team's second year with South Shore Foundation contributing sponsorship funds along with Entergy and the Marion County Cooperative Extension Service. Hobbs thanked sponsors and advisory board members for giving of their time, effort and their own funds. Hobbs recognized business supporters and especially parents of the youth on the leadership team. Additional business supporters are Hudson Foods, Ranger Boats, Sav-A-Lot Foods, NATCO, and the three participating school systems - Bruno-Pyatt, Flippin, and Yellville-Summit.

Students spoke individually about the monthly sessions held for team members from three different Marion County schools. Stacy, a team member from Yellville-Summit, said that she'd do it all over again, if she could. Seven students are selected by each school to take part in the leadership team training which spans the school year. Students have monthly leadership sessions, including a get-acquainted picnic and orientation, workshops on personality assessment, communications and teamwork, goal setting and decision making. They meet local civic leaders and take a two-day trip to Little Rock to visit the State Capitol. They conclude with a technology session at NATCO in Flippin and a session at Arkansas State University Mountain Home about careers and preparing for jobs in the real world.

All students apply to their school in May for selection to the countywide leadership team for their ninth-grade year.

Adult members of the Marion County Leadership Team attended six sessions about principles of leadership, leadership styles, a meeting with local civic leaders, SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) analysis, and a trip to Little Rock to the State Capitol. Adults receiving certificates of completion were Dana M. Johnson, Holly Jefferson, Renee Myers, Diane D. E. McGill, Dawn Bruss, Dana J. Johnson, Stacy Davenport, John Dyess, Steven Sanders Jr., Charles Trammell, Mark Kapshandy, Howard Elmore, Roger Bates, David Johnson, Mike Ragland, Steve Smith and Bill Blythe.

For more information about the leadership programs in Marion County, contact the Cooperative Extension Service at 870-449-6349 or visit www.southshore.com/mcyhome.htm.

Flippin Youth Leadership Team graduates Graduates of the 2001- 02 South Shore - Marion County Leadership Team from Flippin High School show their certificates of completion. They are (from left) Allissa, Dacia , Beth, and Jessica . Members not pictured are Cathy, Justin, and Dalton . All were ninth graders at Flippin during the year-long program.

Bruno-Pyatt Youth Leadership Team graduates All seven members of the South Shore - Marion County Youth Leadership Team from Bruno-Pyatt School received completion certificates at a ceremony at their school recently. They are (from left): Caitlan, Adam, T.C., Danielle, Tiffany, Brandon, and Jessica.

Yellville-Summit Youth Leadership Team graduates Graduates of the 2001- 02 South Shore - Marion County Leadership Team from the Yellville-Summit High School show their certificates of completion. They are (from left): Kala, Torie, Braden, Jessica, and Stacy. Not pictured are Jessi and Jessica. The program is for ninth-graders.

Advisory Board to South Shore - Marion County Youth Leadership Team Adult advisors to the South Shore - Marion County Youth Leadership Team who attended the graduation ceremony are: (front row, from left) Suzan McCracken, Vickie Fogerty, Cathy Long, Renee Myers, co-chair, Beverly Cothran, Mari Walker; (back row, from left) Everette Long, Holly Jefferson, Mike Ragland, Steve Hobbs, co-chair, Terry Davis, and Ricky Walker. Not pictured are Joyce Boggan, Dr. John Carey, Jodie Jeffrey-Sanders, Janell Kirkwood, Sam Pasthing, Treva Phillips, Gina Rotenberry, and Margaret Stroud.

South Shore - Marion County Adult Leadership Team Attending their "graduation" ceremony from the Marion County Adult Leadership Team sessions of the past year are: (front row, from left) Dana M. Johnson, Holly Jefferson, Renee Myers, Diane D E McGill, Dawn Bruss, and Dana J. Johnson; (middle row, from left) Stacy Davenport, John Dyess, Steven Sanders Jr., Charles Trammell, Mark Kapshandy, and Bill Blythe; (back row, from left) Roger Bates, David Johnson, Mike Ragland, Steve Smith, and Howard Elmore.