Thirty 10th- and 11th-graders from across Georgia – including Carolyn Thomas of Eatonton and Mary Hollis Pugmire from Madison – have been selected to participate in the inaugural statewide Youth LEAD Georgia program run by the University of Georgia.
These thirty youths were selected by an external committee from more than 300 nominations received by UGA. In a partnership between the UGA J.W. Fanning Institute for Leadership Development, Chick-fil-A, and Rodney Bullard’s The Same House organization, Youth LEAD Georgia is designed to equip youth with the skills and knowledge necessary to be the future leaders of our state.
“The outpouring of interest we saw in this program and the incredible quality and quantity of youth nominated created a very competitive selection process,” UGA Fanning Institute Director Matt Bishop said.
The first Youth LEAD Georgia class will begin in January on the UGA campus in Athens. The program will consist of weekend retreats held in four different communities across the state and a four-day summer bus tour.
A $1.5 million pledge from Chick-fil-A to the UGA Fanning Institute is providing financial support for the weekend retreats, bus tour, and an annual youth leadership summit that will take place at UGA beginning in 2024. Thanks to this pledge, the program is available at no cost to youth participants.
Bullard, fellow Georgia business leader Fred Hicks, and UGA Fanning Institute faculty collaboratively designed the concept of the program. UGA Fanning Institute faculty also developed the programming and curriculum and will facilitate Youth LEAD Georgia.
Experiential activities, in-depth dialogue on current issues and challenges facing Georgia, and opportunities to interact with prominent business and community leaders will complement the leadership training.
Youth LEAD Georgia also will offer opportunities for youth participants to put their new knowledge and leadership skills into action within their own communities through a generous gift from Bullard, CEO of The Same House.
“Youth LEAD Georgia aligns with our mission at The Same House and is exactly the kind of program of collegiality and collaboration that we want to foster in tomorrow’s leaders and as a legacy to the state of Georgia,” Bullard said. “Both Youth LEAD Georgia and the community service projects highlight three priority areas for The Same House: youth, education and training, and community improvement, and we are excited to be a partner in this effort.”
According to Bishop, Youth LEAD Georgia and the youth leadership summit scheduled for summer 2024 reflect UGA’s commitment to preparing leaders and improving life for all Georgians.
“Equipping the next generation of leaders with the skills and knowledge to strengthen Georgia’s communities and build a better quality of life rests at the heart of our mission at UGA and the Fanning Institute,” Bishop added.