OCONEE/ATHENS
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.
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.