UthMpact Is Proud to Announce Its 2014-2015 Leadership Class IV

UthMpact Is Proud to Announce Its 2014-2015 Leadership Class IV

A new group of student leaders has been selected to participate in the 2014-2015 UthMpact Leadership Class IV.  This unique program, spearheaded by InnerAct Alliance, StandUP Polk Coalition, UthMpact Coalition, and key business partners, is designed to help teens develop crucial leadership skills. 

Congratulations to UthMpact Cabinet members: Noelle Woods, President; Rene Respicio, Co- Junior President; Isabella Basalone, Co- Junior President; Mackenzie Eliasen, Vice Chair; Emi Davis, Junior Vice Chair; Michaela Sawyer, Co-Secretary; Anthony Seay, Jr., Member at Large; Neel Shah, Member at Large; Kobe Jones, Historian; Kavi Saxena, Member at Large; William Sutton, Member at Large; and Mallory Odom, Sgt. At Arms. 

Congrats also to the rest of the UthMpact Leadership Class IV members:  Derek Agar; Coral Barron; Brooke Benton; Shirnest Brunson; Alexie Cadena; Will Cain; Raven Calloway; Julia Canady; Katherine Carlton; Emma Carter; Danielle Clark; Adriana Colon; Jared Cossin; Catherine Curran; Emily Dunson;  Madison Feddeler; Justin Gill; Lindsay Gilian; Grace Hamilton; Ethan Jackson; Kaitlyn LaRose; Alyssa Lewis; Alexis Mace; Jobe McDermott; Hadley Owen; Karishma Patel, Noemi Rosario; Emily Rozen; Sierra Rowland; Racquall Salerno; Julio Santana, Tirthan Shah; James Shiver; Daniel Sussingham;  Logan Watkins; Kenyetta West;  and Thomas Wyatt.

Activities for this busy group of teens are already underway with a June meeting to inform members and their parents about the exciting events planned over the coming year. Next on the agenda, the Class IV leadership cabinet members will attend the mid-year CADCA Conference (Community Anti-Drug Coalition of America) from July 21-25 to experience a dynamic training designed to equip the teen leaders with essential knowledge and skills needed to impact their fellow members, peers, and community in the year ahead.

August will kick off with an action-packed two day UthMpact Retreat where members will reinforce leadership and team building skills taught by nationally known guest speaker, Patrick Grady.  During the month, there will also be an Etiquette Dinner at the Terrace Hotel. These events present a wonderful opportunity for the group to have fun, work, and bond together.

Beginning in September, the new youth leaders will travel throughout the county once a month to experience the inner workings of local business, government, healthcare, education, and law enforcement. They will meet with community leaders to discuss challenges faced in the community and suggest proactive solutions.

UthMpact is the dynamic coalition of teen leaders committed to helping educate and deliver key substance abuse prevention messages to teens by their peers. Student participants were nominated by high school principals and community members. Coalition goals are to provide positive community engagement; change community stereotypes about teen drug use by volunteering, informing and being educated; set examples for other teens; increase coalition membership and involvement in youth clubs in high schools; and positively encourage alcohol and tobacco prevention and cessation.

For information, please contact Kenya Lott or Emily Plank at (863) 802-0777. Find UthMpact on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/UthMpactPolk and Twitter at: www.twitter.com/UthMpact