HCCAO completes 2nd year of 'I am a Child of Highland County Leadership Academy'

By Tara Campbell
Deputy Director
Highland County Community Action Organization, Inc.
Highland County Community Action Organization (HCCAO) recently completed the second year of the "I am a Child of Highland County Youth Leadership Academy."
This program provided monthly leadership education to Highland County High School students. Three school districts participated this year, Whiteoak High School, Hillsboro High School and McClain High School.
Students were able to attend government meetings, meet with local and state elected officials, tour businesses, explore nature and visit historic and meaningful sites around the county. An activity was planned for each month of the school year, starting Dec. 1, and focused on business, leadership, education and what makes Highland County such a special place to live and work.
Ten students and three adults participated from the schools, and one HCCAO Leadership Coordinator. The students were chosen by their teachers and staff as students who display leadership skills, but may be limited on extra-curricular activity participation for various reasons.
Twenty-one businesses, elected officials, local area governments and county agencies participated in the project. This year there were six events, Small Communities Day, Government Day, Business and Social Services Day, Hillsboro City Day and Faith-Based Community Day, Natural Resources and Mennonite Community Day, and finally May was Community Services Day.
In May, students joined forces with McClain High School for their community cleanup day. All students and participating partners would like to see the program continue.
HCCAO is working on obtaining funding to continue this program in the next school year. For more information on this program, and all others HCCAO offers, call (937) 393-3458.
Students involved included:
Bright Local
Kylee Ruark
Conner Wiscaver
Izayah Clift
Hillsboro High School
Annia Young
Jaclyn Williams
Kiara Boris
Arianna Evans
McClain High School
Brooke Smallwood Martin
Erica Raypole
Lillian Keller.