DATE: July 10, 2008

CONTACT: Pam Bryant, (803) 553-7705
pbryant@clemson.edu

WRITER: Chris Copeland, (803) 397-0597
ccopela@clemson.edu

Preteen Leadership program hosts select Manning students

MANNING — A select group of rising seventh-graders in Manning not only will brave the transition from elementary to junior high school this fall; they will serve as leaders in their school.

The nine students from Manning Elementary attended the Clarendon County Preteen Leadership program. Students with good academic and disciplinary records and demonstrated leadership skills were selected through an application and interview process.

Attending the residential camp from June 9 through 12 were Erin Bacote, Troy Bagnal, Jacquel Blackwell, Tre'von Bradley, Jazmine Cotton, Nikki Harrison, Bobby Pearson, Kayla Therrell and Monica Stukes.

Twelve-year-old Kayla Therrell heard about the program from her teacher. Having been to Camp Bob Cooper for an outdoor education program with her class and having attended a summer day camp, she was familiar with camp activities, but she was unsure of what to expect in a residential leadership program.

“I expected lots of lectures and sessions on how to be a good leader, but I did not know I would have nearly as much fun as I did,” she said. She said she learned a lot about herself in a workshop called True Colors, which “makes you think about how your personality has an influence on others. It also helps you understand others better. I never thought about that before.”

The students will form The Leadership Club at Manning Junior High School. Georganne Kirven, coordinator of the Preteen Leadership program, said, “as members they will be positive role models and encouragers of other students and help build a stronger community within the school.”

Training curriculum included team-building activities; workshops in etiquette, public speaking and personality traits; games that build good sportsmanship; planning and executing a service project; and character education classes. Students were able to practice what they learned by dining at Clark’s Restaurant in Santee; touring the State House and visiting the S.C. State Museum in Columbia; conducting a food drive at IGA in Manning to support the United Ministries of Clarendon County; touring Manning Junior High; and speaking at their Preteen Leadership graduation ceremony at Manning Junior High with their parents in the audience.

Kayla’s mother, Mary Alvarez, said Kayla is a natural leader who made the “A” honor roll every year. “I was proud that she was nominated for the program so that she could learn even more about what it means to be an effective leader.”

Sherial Pearson, mother of 13-year-old Bobby Pearson, found out about the program and applied. “This was a great experience for Bobby, and we’re glad that he had the opportunity to participate,” she said. “He learned a lot and was very excited about the program.”

Bobby says he knew the experience would teach him more about his life. “I had to learn to trust the others in our group, especially when we played group games.” Of the many team challenges, he said, “If we had a problem in our group, we had to figure it out together. I think I became a better leader by learning to work with others to solve problems.”

Hosted at the R.M. Cooper  Leadership Center — Camp Bob Cooper — in Summerton since 2006, the leadership training program is made possible through the partnership of Manning Elementary School, Clarendon School District 2 and Clemson University’s Youth Learning Institute.

The program began as a day camp in 2003, known as “I’m a Manning Leader” and was funded by the City of Manning. Kirven, a local Clemson extension agent at the time, ran the day camp then and continues to run the residential camp in her capacity as a youth advocate for the Youth Learning Institute.

To learn more about the Preteen Leadership program or other YLI programs, go to www.clemson.edu/yli or call 864-878-1041.