Teens learn valuable leadership lessons

Author: Tammy Lane • First Posted: Friday, May 08, 2009

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The Leadership Lexington Youth class planted knockout roses, an Eastern redbud tree and ornamental grasses at the Winburn Community Art Garden.

The Leadership Lexington Youth class planted knockout roses, an Eastern redbud tree and ornamental grasses at the Winburn Community Art Garden.

The Leadership Lexington Youth class planted knockout roses, an Eastern redbud tree and ornamental grasses at the Winburn Community Art Garden.Three Lafayette High students put the finishing touches on their mural.Jim Embry (in teal shirt), director of the Sustainable Communities Network, helps the kids with plantings.Nash Laungani, a sophomore at Paul Laurence Dunbar High School, received the Distinguished Leadership Award at the Leadership Lexington Youth graduation. "It's a fun way to end the session," he said of the class work day at the Winburn Community Art Garden. Students chat as they work on their murals, which make for a colorful backdrop to the gardens.The teenagers planted ornamental grasses and added fresh mulch to beds.

After a year of meeting top-level community leaders, touring benchmark organizations and businesses in Fayette County, and interacting with students from other local high schools as part of the Leadership Lexington Youth program, Nashwin Laungani has decided “it’s all about networking.”

“The program was about learning to interact properly with others,” said Nash, one of 25 FCPS students who participated in LLY, which is sponsored by Commerce Lexington.

The Paul Laurence Dunbar High School sophomore said he’s always conscious of making eye contact and giving a firm handshake. And he made a lasting impression on business folks, his peers and the LLY committee – walking away with the Distinguished Leader Award at Thursday’s graduation.

“He really took advantage of every opportunity we had and seemed to fit in really well and get the idea of what we were trying to do,” said Marjorie Amon, a 10th-grader at Bryan Station High School.

Nash and Marjorie were among the 40-member group that spent the afternoon at the Winburn Community Art Garden working on their class project – building raised vegetable beds, setting out plants and painting murals to hang on the wooden fence.

“I was really excited about digging in the dirt,” said Marjorie, who explained that the students had gathered donations of plants, paint and other materials from local businesses.

Linda Stampf, vice president for leadership development for Commerce Lexington, said the art garden project was a good way to cap the LLY experience, with the kids figuring out how to work well with others and work together in teams.

“Another piece of the program that’s really a positive for them is going out and shadowing business professionals,” Stampf said. “They’re allowed to explore the various opportunities out there that they may be interested in.”

Nash recalled one particularly memorable activity – a tour of the University of Kentucky campus and the basketball practice facility, where he met officials in the athletics department. Nash made sure to introduce himself, which paid off when he later ran into one of the UK staffers at the mall. Now he’s trying to make room in his summer schedule for a bit of job shadowing at UK.

Majorie, who described herself as driven yet amiable, said one thing she’ll take away from LLY is what she learned about her own leadership style and how to best use it. She’ll also try to share the program’s lessons with others at her school.

“It made me realize there really are people dedicated to participating,” she said. “You can learn so much if you go out on a limb and try new things.”

About Leadership Lexington Youth

LLY is an educational program that enables students to interact with community leaders and talk about issues, careers, business and post-secondary institutions. LLY is open to sophomores and juniors in Fayette County. More than 100 students have applied for next year’s program; 40 will be chosen in June. Applications for the 2010-2011 program will be available in mid-March 2010.

Throughout the year-long program, students participate in interactive exercises and hands-on experiences. Their monthly meetings – which take them out of school for a day – cover such topics as Arts & Media, Growth & Preservation, Health & Human Services, Higher Education & Career Development, and Public Safety & Government.

“I was nervous at first about missing school, but I realized this was worth it,” said Ashley Gumm, a junior at Paul Laurence Dunbar High School. “By us being so involved, it’s going to encourage younger generations to step up and be leaders.”

FCPS participants

This year’s 40-member class included 25 students from Fayette County Public Schools:

  • From Bryan Station High: Marjorie Amon, Cameron Jackson, Logan Jackson, Reina Slaymaker and Rachel Swanson.
  • From Henry Clay High School: Allen Michael Moore and Jay Schrader.
  • From Lafayette High: Kenny Demus, Bethany Kirk, Rhiannon Mobley, Pooja Patil, Sharon Rodriguez and Cameron Sallee.
  • From Paul Laurence Dunbar High: Thayer Burgess, Rachel Chlebowy, Scott Drake, Kate Gardiner, Amin Gharad, Mary Guiliani, Ashley Gumm, Dillon Hickman, Nashwin Laungani, Elizabeth Osbourne and Anuj Patwardhan.
  • From Tates Creek High: Jaelyn Coles.

About the Distinguished Leader Award

This award recognizes the class member who best demonstrates strong principles and dedication to the concept of community service. Class members select the nominees, and the Leadership Lexington Youth steering committee picks the winner. The panel considers such factors as communication and interpersonal skills, creativity and potential to make a difference in the community.

“I’ve enjoyed it from Day 1,” this year’s winner, Nash Laungani, said of LLY. “Every month, I looked forward to it.”

Nash will receive a $1,000 scholarship upon his high school graduation.