September 14, 2016

Students learn to be leaders in new year of Marshall County Youth Leadership

Marshall County Youth Leadership students kicked off the 2016-17 year tackling a ropes course, protecting eggs from a two-story drop and building a house of cards to practice what it takes to be a leader.
Juniors from nine high schools in Marshall County were selected after interviews to participate in the year-long program designed to increase their knowledge of their county and to hone their ability to lead. The program is sponsored by the Marshall County Leadership Challenge Alumni Association, Marshall Medical Centers and Citizens Bank & Trust.

Tuesday’s session at LifePoint Church started with students competing in basic exercises designed to teach leadership skills and team work, says Nick Longshore, worship arts pastor at LifePoint. Activities go beyond fun, he says. There are serious lessons behind them.
“They’ve done great,” he says. “Students usually do better than the adults we’ve done this with.”
Teams of students spent the afternoon seeing who could build the tallest house of cards. The winner reached 18 inches high. Then they were given balloons and plastic wrap to prepare an egg before it was dropped from a window. The eggs fared very well. They also build a tiny shelter designed to withstand a storm. The key was to work together, according to Longshore.
Monthly sessions will focus on community service, etiquette, healthcare, industry, law enforcement and local government. Students also will visit state legislators in Montgomery.
Students from each school are:

Albertville
Jacob Barksdale

Mary Kathryn Pankey
Madison Smith
Mason Prince
Mercedes Childers
Bessie Gaspar
Thomas  Eubanks
Arab
Lexi Pace
Kayla Moon
Mark Washington
Madison Travis
Zachary Stewart

Brindlee Mountain
Kaylo Jimenez
Emily Hicks
Alyssa Grayson

Douglas
Caelyn Wigley
Ruby Dendy
Seth Hawkins
Sara Coe
Jessica Lange
Savannah Sims

Marshall Christian
Isaac Emanuel
Parker Rose

Asbury
Jessica Reyes
Marili Zurita

Boaz
Alan Holderfield
Gunnar Pollard
Chesley Bristow
Kelsey Dumas

DAR
Alyssa Bolt
Taylor Corbin
Ashton Brook Dennis
Charles Montgomery

Guntersville
Emolee Milligan
Abbey Willis
Caroline Sellnow
William McLaughlin
Jack Clay