EDUCATION FOUNDATION KICKS OFF
YOUTH LEADERSHIP ACADEMY
BLACKSTONE VALLEY
– Twenty-five 9th and 10th grade students from
across the Blackstone Valley gathered on Saturday, Dec. 8 at the
Department of Conservation and Recreation Blackstone River and Canal
Heritage State Part at River Bend Farm in Uxbridge. This Kickoff session
for the Class of 2008 of Blackstone Valley Youth Leadership Academy
marked the 4th class to embark on this program for emerging
young leaders. The Academy boasts 69 alumni, several of whom assisted
during the recruitment and interview process as well as in the kickoff
event.
The new class was welcomed by Board
of Directors Chairman Paul Daigle. Activities for the morning included
an ice-breaker co-led by BVYLA alumni Ethan Connors and Chaela Gray. A
bridge building exercise proved to be a real team effort and got the
creative and competitive juices flowing. DCR Park Interpreter Val
Stegemoen, a covered bridge enthusiast, gave a critique of each design
as he placed the weight on the unique newspaper structures. BVYLA alumni
Michael Pastore, Nicole Schwartz, Eric Archambault, and Rachel Vera
provided assistance throughout the program, organized the Induction
ceremony, and hosted the pizza lunch for the new class and their
parents.
Program coordinator Mary Lou
Anderson is thrilled to have alumni so actively involved with recruiting
and welcoming the new class. This provides a wonderful opportunity for
the alums to demonstrate some of the skills they have developed and to
showcase some of the opportunities the new class will have as alums
also.
The Youth Leadership Academy is a
program of the Blackstone Valley Chamber of Commerce Education
Foundation and seeks to develop the leadership skills of young people
and strengthen their connection to the Blackstone Valley. The academy
offers students a challenging curriculum on team building, community
needs analysis, goal setting, project planning, decision making, civic
engagement, and other leadership dynamics. It culminates in a service
project created and implemented by the students in April. Each session
is held in a different community where bits of history are shared.
The Youth Leadership Academy is
funded in part by grants from private foundations, private and corporate
donations, and financial support from member school districts.
The following students are members
of the 2007-08 Blackstone Valley Youth Leadership Academy:
Blackstone-Millville Regional High School – Kaitlin Beaulieu; Courtney
Mercadante; Rosalind Hebert; Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational
Technical High School – Chelsea Mathieu; Courtney Soter; Timothy Quinn;
Douglas High School – Courtney Mungeam; Sean Cicero; Alyssa Dagenais;
Grafton High School – Kelsey Hatch; Eleanor Greene; Julie Cupido;
Natalie Onacki; Hopedale High School – Alexa DiAntonio; Millbury High
School – Samantha Lussier; Amanda Muldoon; Taylor Fox; Nipmuc Regional
High School –Jefferson Gruber; Mitchell Gruber; Northbridge High School
–Shanise Perez; Justin Harpin; Erin McIntyre; Sutton High School – David
Giza; Chelsea Salmonsen; Uxbridge High School – Ariel Braga.
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