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Lee County Young Leaders

Program Vision: Ensuring our youth are prepared as leaders to meet future challenges that arise in our city, county, and state.

Program Description: It is a county-wide program designed to nurture and develop positive leadership qualities in our high school students. We want to create successful leaders in Lee County and this program should give the students of our area the knowledge, tools, and contacts to do so. The ultimate goal is that graduates of the Lee County Young Leaders program will possess a unique understanding and appreciation of the inner workings of their community and will return home as excellent future candidates to serve on local boards, committees, and task forces.

Program Goals:

  • To select a diverse class of highly motivated participants who represent the diversity of racial, ethnic, and socio-economic groups in Lee County, Alabama.
  • To explore the diverse facets of Lee County’s government, business, economic development, health care, criminal justice, and other aspects of community life.
  • To instill and nurture a sense of social responsibility in our youth.
  • To provide opportunities for students from diverse backgrounds to meet and develop mutual understanding, respect, and trust.
  • To offer participants opportunities for volunteer community involvement and service.
  • To encourage our youth to find satisfying job opportunities so he/she will come home to Lee County, Alabama to live, learn, work, worship, play, raise his/her family.
2024 LCYL Sponsors1

To participate in the Lee County Young Leaders Program, students must meet the following criteria:

  • Reside in Lee County, Alabama.
  • Attend a city or county regionally accredited high school, private or home school in Lee County.
  • Must be willing and able to attend all the sessions.
  • Be an 11th or 12th grade student during the period of the class program.
  • Must be up to date on Core Classes.
  • Maintain a 3.0 Grade-Point Average.
  • Provide own transportation to Session.

Program Format and Participation      

Lee County Young leaders begins in September and consists of one session per month until April 2025. In addition, there will be a mandatory orientation session in the month prior to the first class session and a Graduation in April. Participants are exposed to a variety of viewpoints that illustrate the political, educational, and social factors at work in Lee County. They will meet area leaders in business, media, government, education, and service organizations. The student also receives a 1-hour Leadership credit to Southern Union State Community College.

Program Contact

Mackenzie Poole

mackenzie@opelikachamber.com

334-745-4861

MEET THE 2024-2025 CLASS

Ali
Aaizah Ali

Auburn High School

Armstrong
Turner Armstrong

Auburn High School

Barnes Lcyl 2024
Emma Kate Barnes

Glenwood School

Dowdell
Taleese Dowdell

Loachapoka High School

Driver
Akeila Driver

Opelika High School

Eason
Logan Eason

Beulah High School

England
Anderson England

Trinity Christian School

GReene lcyl 2024
Kaden Greene

Smiths Station High School

Harvis
AJ Harvis

Opelika High School

Hayes
Ashlynn Hayes

Auburn High School

Howell
Addison Howell

Opelika High School

Jackson
Isabella Jackson

Auburn High School

Jansen
Sydney Jansen

Beulah High School

Jones
Makayla Jones

Opelika High School

Kemp
Sam Kemp

Opelika High School

Kim
Josh Kim

Auburn High School

Kwon
Jay Kwon

Auburn High School

Lovvorn
Jackson Lovvorn

Auburn High School

Prince
Aubrie Prince

Beauregard High School

Rhodes
Will Rhodes

Lee-Scott Academy

Osornio
Jason Romero-Osornio

Loachapoka High School

Segrest
Jacie Segrest

Opelika High School

Shleibak
Zachariah Shleibak

Smiths Station High School

Sjolseth
Everett Sjolseth

Auburn High School

Speakman
Sara Kate Speakman

Lee-Scott Academy

Stringfellow
Elizabeth Stringfellow

Beauregard High School

Summers
Kailyn Summers

Smiths Station High School

Tatum
Myles Tatum

Opelika High School

Trejo
Savannah Trejo

Auburn High School

Ware
Jada Ware

Loachapoka High School

Wiggins
Katelyn Wiggins

Lee-Scott Academy

Wilder
Margie Grace Wilder

Auburn High School

Wilson lcyl 24
Lane Wilson

Beauregard High School

Zellner
Cord Zellner

Lee-Scott Academy

2024-2025 Young Leaders Board of Directors

Mackenzie Poole, Director - Opelika Chamber of Commerce

Dr. Jason Wright, Chair - Lee County Schools

Andrea Mitchell, Vice Chair - City of Auburn, Economic Development

Judy Jones, Secretary - Retired Social Worker

Pam Norris, Treasurer - AMSTI Auburn University

Gina Allen - Auburn University at Montgomery

Tara Barr - Extension Office

James Bush - City of Opelika

Vertrina Grubbs - Southern Union

 

Jamie Lowe - Administrator for Judge Fellows

Andre Marcus - East Alabama Health

Wendy Mickle - ESG Operations, LLC

Katie Murray - Opelika City Schools

Marie Harris - Auburn City Schools

Myles Tatum - MisSouth Paving Inc.

Gary Branch, Ex-Offico - Southern Union State Community College

Ali Rauch, Ex-Offico - Opelika Chamber of Commerce

Anna Hovey, Ex-Officio - Auburn Chamber of Commerce

If you would like more information on Opelika Chamber's committees & councils, contact

Mackenzie Poole, Director of Leadership & Events at mackenzie@opelikachamber.com.