Special to NKyTribune
The Regional Youth Leadership program through the Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce provides high school juniors who demonstrate leadership potential and strong commitment to community service the opportunity to build leadership skills and further their community involvement.
Each year 45 juniors from Northern Kentucky and Cincinnati-area high schools are selected to participate in the nine-month program and learn about complex issues and challenges facing the metropolitan area.
They engage in team-building and leadership activities and outings and build strong bonds and friendships.
The class of 2018 represents 33 different high schools with two students who are homeschooled. There are many reasons students chose to apply.
Jackie Tierney, a junior at Beechwood High School in Fort Mitchell, explained she didn’t want to have any regrets about her experience in high school.
“I made it a goal to put myself out there for my junior year and this program has really changed my life,” Jackie explained.
“Before RYL, I used to be nervous and had a reputation of being the quiet girl. Now, my whole perspective on talking to people has changed and I’ve never been so involved with a group of people. I’ve gained so much confidence with them and talk to classmates at school who I haven’t had conversations with since kindergarten.”
So far, the students in Regional Youth Leadership have attended a retreat at Camp Joy and sessions on diversity and arts and culture.
“At Camp Joy we really got to know each other by having to complete a day of puzzles and challenges,” Jackie recounted. “We had to deliver a golf ball to a bucket without using our hands, climb a 12-foot wall, and complete a zip line obstacle course.”
During the diversity session, they learned about culture, personality, and social class.
They looked more in depth at topics some students had never been made very aware of such as unconscious bias; the way people act towards others without thinking about it.
Jackie’s favorite session was arts and culture.
“We spent the day exploring Cincinnati. We ate at Findley Market, toured Antonelli College’s photography department, saw an improv show courtesy of NKU, and danced with the Cincinnati Ballet,” said Jackie. “Throughout the day, I was really able to see and appreciate how the arts have revitalized the city.”
The Northern Kentucky Chamber also offers a version of this organization for Northern Kentucky’s best and brightest working professionals and leaders called Leadership Northern Kentucky. Through both of these programs, the hope is to give students and professionals the skills needed to develop them into outstanding leaders who can become catalysts for change.
“It’s definitely one of the best things I’ve ever done for myself,” said Jackie. “I laugh and smile so much at the sessions and wherever I go, I can usually find one of my friends.”
Regional Youth Leadership Class of 2018
Amy Bushman, Anderson High School
Jacklyn Tierney, Beechwood High School
Kylie Hicks, Bellevue High School
Mark Saunders, Bellevue High School
Austin Alwell, Bishop Brossart High School
Yazan Orabi, Boone County High School
Hannah Beaven, Calvary Christian High School
Natalie Sampson, Campbell County High School
Madelyn Vezdos, Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy
Katherine Wells, Conner High School
Timothy Belton, Covington Catholic High School
Lucas Kuhlman, Covington Catholic High School
Phillip Bright, Covington Latin School
Mary Jacqueline Cain, Covington Latin School
Elizabeth Lukens, Dayton High School
Catherine Kremer, Dixie Heights High School
Sydney Cooper, Highlands High School
Demetrius Sarakatsannis, Highlands High School
Evan Wells, Holy Cross High School
Emilie Hatton, Homeschool
Karina Masih, Homeschool
Cole Werbrich, Indian Hill High School
Hannah Herrmann, Lloyd High School
Morgan Lantry, Ludlow High School
Cameron Finke, Madeira High School
Holly Byers, Mariemont High School
Emily English, Mount Notre Dame
Luke Grothaus, Newport Central Catholic High School
Joseph Whelan, Newport Central Catholic High School
Cody Baynori, Newport High School
Elise Piatt, Notre Dame Academy
Morgan Weltzer, Notre Dame Academy
Camden Schierenbeck, Randall K. Cooper High School
Emma Poole, Scott High School
Elayne Harrington, Simon Kenton High School
Harrison Vaughn, Simon Kenton High School
Grace Mullikin, St. Henry District High School
Amy Poffenberger, Summit Country Day School
Jessica Lu, Sycamore High School
Jessica Rocha Torres, Taylor High School
Giovanni Falcone, Villa Madonna High School
Gabriel Powell, Villa Madonna High School
Megan Wells, Walton-Verona High School
and
Braden Mulcahy, Walton-Verona High School
