Youth Leadership Academy Celebrates 10 Years

Pictured: SCC student trustee Shannon Knowles (center) pauses during this year's Youth Leadership Academy activities with former high school Century High School classmates Shanna Boyd and Amanda Dankin.

For the ten years, area high school students have gathered each summer for the Shawnee Community College Youth Leadership Academy. District high school guidance counselors nominate students for the program, which is sponsored by the SCC Adult Education department. Students completing the program receive a certificate good for a three credit hour course at Shawnee College. Students attend the academy at no cost to the student or their high school.

This year, participants experienced the exhilarating Tony Calabrese from SIU Carbondale. Calabrese is a superb leader who has coached NCAA Champions and Olympians. His focus for the academy was team-building activities. In addition to Calabrese, SCC student trustee Shannon Knowles spoke to the group. Knowles attended the academy during her junior and senior year. She told the group how leadership lessons learned in the academy helped her to define and advance her goals. Knowles explained to the students why SCC was the best choice for her.

Program Director James Darden, said, "The goal of the program is to challenge students to get involved on a local level and exercise their leadership potential. Every student that attends the program just can not say enough good things about the long-term benefits to them."

"Shawnee Community College feels this is an excellent way to help students discover their leadership ability and talent. Many participants return to SCC as students and go on to become student leaders," added Vice-President Dr. Tim Bellamey. For more information for next years' academy, please call James Darden at 618-634-3325.