The Ballard County MIddle School reached out to 4-H and wanted to renew the Leadership Ballard Program in the school. Eighteen students were peer elected for their leadership abilities. They have been having lessons on Team Building, Communications, Leadership Styles and Manners and Etiquette.  They will be traveling to Frankfort in February, our county courthouse in March and Lacenter in April or May.  The focus will be on elected leadership, volunteer leadership and networking or organizations. The program is being planned by Ballard County 4-H, Ballard County Schools and the Ballard County Chamber of Commerce. To date $9,946.00 has been donated to provide this program. The funds pay for a charter bus to Frankfort, marketing clothing, networking luncheon and a service project. More details and evaluation will be added in the future.

At the end of the program, youth had a luncheon with sponsors and practiced their manners and etiquette skills.  They also brainstormed and decided on 5 service projects in the community that they would do in groups on Saturdays with organizations they met during their program. Those projects included a lemonade stand at a community minded boutique with the money donated to Family Focus; volunteering at His House, a consignment store that helps families with electric bills and other household needs. I feel 50% of these 18 youth will definitely continue to volunteer and display leadership in their community.

This is also an office team effort. Pictured here are Tom Miller and Sarah Drysdale teaching manners and etiquette.