Leadership Lanier Youth 2025-26 Overview: Leadership Lanier Youth grew out of a desire -voiced by Lanier County Schools’ administration, who wished to replicate established youth leadership programs in larger systems such as Lowndes and Colquitt Counties. Conversations then began in Lakeland-Lanier County Chamber Board meetings, which resulted in this county’s own hybrid,mostly replicating, yet condensing, the long-standing Leadership Lanier Program into three, rather than six, monthly sessions. Much like the adult Leadership Lanier Program, every other year, Lanier County students travel to & experience various community locales, built around relevant community topics—which you will see listed in the upcoming video slide show-- offering exposure to and an overview of local government, local business, and local opportunities which—hopefully have inspired these participants to enter public service. Leadership Lanier founder Wendy Moore—who also helped establish the Lakeland-Lanier Chamber of Commerce & LLY’s parent program Leadership Lanier-- sought to “see leadership in action.” It was her desire that the young people who participate in Leadership Lanier Youth would desire a future in Lakeland and Lanier County. It was her hope that program graduates would “get an education then return to this community to live and work and lead.”“Building our future, one leader at a time,” was the theme of the inaugural Leadership Lanier Youth class back in 2020. Unfortunately, this first group of 20 Lanier County High School students, selected to launch this new leadership program, was only able to attend their retreat and one of the three planned LLY sessions before the COVID-19 pandemic shut down both the program and the parallel Centennial activities slated for that year; two years later—almost to the day-- the

Leadership program, then designed for students 9-12, restarted andgraduated 17 students, which included two members of the originalgroup. Following a year’s delay—due to the untimely death of the organization’s founder, Wendy Moore—Leadership Lanier Youth once again commenced in the fall of 2025 and selected the 18 juniors and seniors who were honored at the annual Lions Club/Chamber Banquet after monthly sessions that grew from three to four and began with an outdoor/indoor leadership retreat that included team-building activities and guest speakers. September’s session focused on Lanier Co. education and healthcare, while October’s session focused on local history and economic development, including a downtown walk-and-talk through local businesses. November’s session had to delay the customary trip to Moody AFB and instead focused on the local judicial system, public safety, and state government, including a meeting with area judges, an hour in Probate court, and lunch with Rep. James Burchett. Following the January graduation, participants who were able attended the delayed Moody tour and experienced much-requested hands-on skills. Also, class volunteers met in April to clean up and plant downtown areas in honor of Earth Day. The year culminated with a graduation cook-out hosted by two of the LLY sponsors, Bob & Traci Jones. Other co-facilitators included Sylvia Ragan, Mary Carol Greene,& Ben Culpepper with grateful assistance from Chamber ExecutiveTerry Moore, LCHS principal and LC Superintendent Matt Weaver &Gene Culpepper who assisted in both initial and subsequent sessionplanning as well as providing transportation. The Participants in Leadership Lanier Youth were selected after consideration of their recognized and potential leadership and the merit

of their application. The Selection Committee sought a cross-section of students of various backgrounds from the community. This year’s class included Skyla Blank, Will Greene, Isabella Hunt, Renea Hutto-Hernandez, Danica Luke, Madelynn Martinez, Juan Martinez-Cruz, Ja’Markis McCutchin, Shelby McKettrick, Jadon Moore, Emma Murray, Kendrick Noble, Kush Patel, Ethan Richardson, Alexis Smith, KenlynTaylor, Zachary Way, and Ava Young. It is the hope of the adult coordinators that these participants developeda network of in-depth relationships with us and each other and havegained a deeper and broader knowledge of issues facing Lakeland &Lanier County. Plans for the 2026-27 school year include a monthly leadership lesson and community project, led by this year’s juniors and a new crop of rising juniors who, in 27-28, will, as seniors, experience this year’s series of LLY sessions.