South Shore Marion County Youth Leadership Team Recognized
May 2007

Ninth grade students from three Marion County Schools had an early graduation May 7 to mark completion of leadership training throughout the school year. Those honored are the South Shore Marion County Youth Leadership Team 2006-07. 

Renee Myers, a member of the adult advisory board to the youth team, said, "We feel it is important that the students from the three schools learn to work together as a team. As adults, they will need to work across community lines."

The 2007 team graduates are: TJ Blair, Bailey Burleson, Cara Hilles, Ashton Shaw, Clayton Welch, Annelise Whitsell, and Ashlee Wilson of Bruno-Pyatt; Mackenzie Butcher, Matt Casey, Kayla Gussy, Kyerra Hart, Jody Henry, Tabitha Porter, and Elizabeth Sneed of Flippin; Braden Jefferson, Maggie McCormack, Nathan Pierce, Jesse Rodgers, Courtney Rovinsky, Maresa Smith, and Cody Stoops of Yellville-Summit.

Leadership team scholarships were presented to one student from each school's 2003 youth leadership team - now graduating from high school. Recipients are: Katherine Sneed, Flippin; Savannah Smith, Yellville-Summit; Bruno-Pyatt’s recipient was not yet selected.

During the graduation program, Bruno-Pyatt students reported on two of the leadership workshops, tourism and True Colors personality assessment, and their tour through the new James A. Gaston Visitor Center. Flippin students reported on the group=s field trip to the Arkansas State Capitol in Little Rock and workshops on civic responsibilities and real world skills, such as resume writing and job interviewing. Yellville-Summit students reviewed Technology Day held at NATCO in Flippin and leadership workshops on career awareness, manners, and teamwork.

All 21 students will work together on a community service project to mark this year's class. It is a butterfly garden at the new James A. Gaston Visitor Center within Bull Shoals-White River State Park. Working with them is the Crooked Creek Conservation District and Karla Axel of the Marion County Master Gardeners.

NATCO is the principal sponsor of the youth leadership program through its charitable organization, the South Shore Foundation. Additional sponsors are the three participating schools, Entergy Arkansas, and Marion County Cooperative Extension Service. Contributors for 2006-07 were: Monty Davenport, Everette and Cathy Long, Arvest Bank, Bank of the Ozarks, Brooks-Jeffrey Marketing, First Federal Bank, First National Bank & Trust - Flippin, Flippin Wal-Mart Supercenter, Gaston's White River Resort, Harps - Yellville,  and Ranger Boats.

To be eligible for next year's South Shore - Marion County Youth Leadership Team, eighth-grade students should apply by June 15. An online application can be found at the South Shore Web site, www.southshore.com/mcyapp.htm, or students and their families may contact Renee Myers at the Marion County Cooperative Extension Service at (870) 449-6349.