Sponsors and family members heard about a year of leadership activities from the 2005 South Shore-Marion County Youth Leadership Team at the students’ graduation reception on May 17. The year-end graduation brings the 20-member team from three Marion County schools together a final time.

The graduation reception was held at the Bruno-Pyatt Auditorium. Flippin High School and the Yellville-Summit High School participate also.

Through presentations, the students explained events they shared during the school year, from getting acquainted to traveling together to the State Capitol, plus learning experiences in personal development, teamwork, time spent with local government leaders and in local businesses.

Renee Myers, chair of the adult advisory board to the youth group, announced scholarship awards to alumni of the 2002 youth leadership team who are graduating from high school this year. Winners of a $250 scholarship at each school based on their leadership activities in high school were: Kayla Evans of Yellville-Summit, Bess Pettit of Flippin, and Brandon Halliday of Bruno-Pyatt. Mrs. Myers said scholarship committees at the schools choose the recipients.

Students who are now in the eighth grade may apply for leadership team membership to their school counselors by the June 15 deadline, or submit an application online at www.southshore.com/mcyapp.htm, or call the Marion County Cooperative Extension Service at 449-6349 for more information.

Members of the 2005 South Shore-Marion County Youth Leadership Team were: from Bruno-Pyatt - Heather Belyea, Kay Lynn Mackey, Manuel Ryan, Samantha Sabo, Mary Beth Swafford, and Kelsey Walker; from Flippin - Kaytlyn Ash, Caleb Hudson, Andrea Hullett, Brittany Lane, Zanna McCune, Jessica Pierce, and Ryan Myers; from Yellville-Summit - Grace Gilley, Steven Knapp, Max Rotenberry, Logan Sheehan, Amanda Stoops, Weston Vickers, and Kortnie Webster.

Sponsors are the South Shore Foundation, the three participating school districts, Entergy, and Marion County Cooperative Extension Service. Donor businesses and individuals are Ranger Boats, Everette Long, NATCO, Hudson Foods, Gaston’s White River Resort, First Federal Bank, Arvest Bank, and Brooks-Jeffrey Marketing.