Pickaway County Council on Youth Leadership essay winners are (L-R) Samuel Braun, Allison Copeland, Eva Merritt, and John T. Scribner.
Article written by Lisa Hedrick, APG Media, September 16, 2023
The Pickaway County Council on Youth Leadership recognizes and rewards local students who have demonstrated leadership qualities in their community, church, or organizations.
Twenty-four students were nominated in their junior year for their community leadership contributions and were honored with a photo salute display at area banks during August of 2023.
Nominated at Circleville High School were Alyssa Hatfield, Grant Pinkerton, William Search, and Sydney Williams. Logan Elm High School representatives were Samuel Braun, Olivia Bright, Aubrey Justice, Carson Summers, Lynsay Vanhoose, and Clara Wilson. Tyler Cook and J. Thomas Scribner were nominated for New Hope Christian Academy.
Representing Teays Valley High School were Molly Allen, Alexis Cupp, Calli Henderson, Loralai Kinzy, Simon Lupfer, Eva Merritt, Ava Miller and Gabrielle Watkins. Selected from Westfall High School were Bailey Burke, Allison Copeland, Ava Heath, and Reese Moehl. All students were eligible for $7,900 in cash awards, which were sponsored by local patrons.
All students in the competition were required to write an essay on “How will you use your leadership skills to impact your future and the world around you” and were invited to a banquet to hear an inspirational lesson from Dr. Monty Lobb, Executive Director at the Business Innovation Center, Ohio Christian University.
During the recent banquet, the top leaders and the alternates were announced. Top leaders received a beautiful flower arrangement in school colors donated by Wagner’s Flowers and Gifts. The students selected were Hatfield from Circleville, Braun from Logan Elm, Scribner from New Hope, Merritt from Teays Valley, and Copeland from Westfall.
The five students chosen as alternates were Williams from Circleville, VanHoose from Logan Elm, Cook from New Hope, Cupp from Teays Valley, and Moehl from Westfall, who will step in if the top leaders are unavailable.
Pickaway County Council of Youth Leadership chose five students, who wrote top notch essays, to serve as alternates (L-R) Lynsay VanHoose, Reese Moehl, Sydney Williams, Tyler Cook, and Alexis Cupp
Additional awards were given for the Walter Hall Community Service Award and the Richard B. Fisher Outstanding Essay competition by separate selection committees. They both agreed on Copeland as their winner, and Allison inspired the 100 attendees when she shared her essay.
Four students have been invited to attend the “Town Meeting on Tomorrow” in St Louis, Missouri. Search, Braun, Scribner, and Copeland will gather with youth leaders from across the nation to share ideas and help inspire each other. This national leadership conference will enhance the student’s leadership skills through seminars by dynamic professionals, experiential learning opportunities in small groups, talking with civic, business, political, sports, and media leaders, and broadening the student’s horizons by interacting with youth leaders of diverse backgrounds.
The National Council on Youth Leadership – Pickaway County is dedicated to recognizing, encouraging, and developing the leadership skills of youth. We believe the positive messages we can give young men and women today can inspire and shape their futures. This is the 37th year of creating public awareness of the importance and the power of youth leadership, facilitating community involvement in recognition, and investing in our youth by offering scholarships and achievement awards. This program is sustained only through contributions from local businesses and individuals. Every student participates in the sponsored activities at no cost.
The excellent communication, team building, and leadership tips received by the TMOT leaders can be applied to real-life experiences that the students share with the school teams and organizations, making our community better and stronger.
The Patrons supporting this important recognition, training, and monetary awards are community businesses, civic organizations, and groups that believe in investing in our community’s youth leaders of tomorrow. This year’s endowment was provided by Patrons with the vision of a better tomorrow through the encouragement of positive youth leadership. The Pickaway County Council on Youth Leadership congratulates this year’s Patrons for stepping up and supporting local youth. Accurate Heating, American Legion Post 134, BHM CPA Group, Inc, Circleville Rotary, Circleville Sunrise Rotary, Four J Properties, Kara Gerhardt Ross/Gerhardt Family Scholarship Fund, GFWC Circleville Junior Women’s Club, Healthcare Logistics, Hummel & Plum Life Insurance Agency, Inc., Hummel & Plum Insurance Agency, Inc., Logan Elm Education Foundation, New Source Counseling Centers, Pickaway County Community Foundation, Roese Bros. Paving Inc, Savings Bank, Starkey Fund for Youth, Teays Valley Educational Foundation, VFW Post 3331, Wellman Funeral Home and Vinton County National Banks.
More information about this program, Patron opportunities, and Council memberships are available by contacting us at PO Box 923, Circleville, or any Council member: Bill Frost, Sandy Elsea, Dannie Fouts, Lisa Hedrick, Thomas Strawser, Carrie Swackhammer, and Kyle Wolfe.