April 25, 2024

High Lakes Leadership Initiative conducts program graduation for the class of 2015

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Names of the 2015 High Lakes Youth Leadership graduating class are, back, from left, Olivia Cramer, Casey Batten, Katie Powers, Connor Kinkade, Casey Walters and Kendra Kirkland; and back, Alex Brown, Jena Proffitt, Kylee Williams, Mara Weis, Jenna Shepherd, Cassidy Riley, Lauren Mitchell and Casey Allen. Not pictured is Erin Hanson. (Contributed photo)

The High Lakes Leadership Initiative Board of Directors is announces the graduation of the youth and adult leadership programs. The High Lakes Youth Leadership program graduated 15 students from Creston and East Union high schools. The High Lakes Leadership program graduated 14 adults from a diverse employment background. The graduates were recognized for their achievement on May 13 at Three Mile Lodge in Afton.

Steve Langerud from Langerud and Associates was the keynote speaker for a crowd of nearly 90 people. Langerud provided an inspirational message on how we can choose to use our new found knowledge to develop a sense of place in our communities.

“How engaged we are in community is a direct reflection of how we use our leadership skills to develop our communities so people will invest in a livelihood here,” he said.

“We are excited to celebrate our sixth year of the High Lakes Leadership program and our third year of the High Lakes Youth Leadership program. We have now developed the programs to allow the opportunity for students and adults to work to make positive peer connections using team building activities and service learning,” said Wayne Pantini, executive director of the Union County Development Association. “We are investing in the next generation of community leadership to be used not only in our schools and places of employment but in the community as a whole.”

The High Lakes Leadership Initiative is a program of the Union County Development Association. The leadership initiative is led by a growing list of alumni and other community volunteers.

Members of the 2015 High Lakes Youth Leadership graduating class are: Olivia Cramer, Casey Batten, Katie Powers, Connor Kinkade, Casey Walters, Kendra Kirkland, Alex Brown, Jena Proffitt, Kylee Williams, Mara Weis, Jenna Shepherd, Cassidy Riley, Lauren Mitchell, Casey Allen and Erin Hanson.

Members of the 2015 High Lakes Leadership graduating class are: Amy Hook, First National Bank in Creston; Austin Berry, First National Bank in Creston; Cory Buckalew, Vanmark Equipment, LLC; Ryan Burwell, Greater Regional Medical Center; Chad Weaver, Agrivision; Jacque Tripp, IowaWORKS Southern Hills; Joy Brown, Trinity Lutheran Preschool; Nicole Shope, Bunn-O-Matic Corporation; Kelsey Hollen, Southwestern Community College; Ashli Peterson, Union County Auditor’s Office; Nichole Bierle – Ben Adamson State Farm Insurance; Trisha Riley, Iowa State Savings Bank; April Hughes, MATURA; and Andrew Clark, Bunn-O-Matic Corporation.