Leadership Shelby County class of 2025 bonds over opening retreat

Published 3:16 pm Tuesday, September 17, 2024

By Noah Wortham

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By NOAH WORTHAM | Managing Editor 

COLUMBIANA – Members of the Leadership Shelby County class of 2025 got to know each other during an opening retreat that introduced participants to the program’s concepts and processes.

The Leadership Shelby County Opening Retreat took place Sept. 10-11 at the Alabama 4-H Center in Columbiana and offered a variety of team building exercises and informative lessons.

“It was a really great opening retreat,” said Kendall Williams, executive director of Leadership Shelby County. “This class came in already having this bond and connection I haven’t seen in years past. So, it was really interesting to watch them already be connected in some way, right out of the gate.”

The opening retreat served as an opportunity to acquaint members of the new leadership class with each other, introduce the main concepts of the program and allow the members to engage in activities together. Some of the activities included, messages from guest speakers, exercises that utilized small groups and on-site activities like rope courses and races.

“What we’ve learned over the last couple of years is that giving the whole class opportunities to be together in small groups is what fosters those great, long-lasting relationships,” Williams said. “Each class day committee has realized the importance of not just great speakers but having activities for the whole class to really dive in and learn.”

Now, with the opening retreat completed, members of the class of 2025 will go on to learn about various aspects of the county with lessons and workshops on local government, education, law enforcement, and health and community services.

“(The ultimate goal is) to equip all of these leaders with information and to inspire them and empower them to go into their own communities and make change if change is needed,” Williams said.

The class of 2025 marks a special milestone for the program this year as it marks 30 years that Leadership Shelby County has been forging leaders in the local community.

“Every year brings a new excitement of new personalities, new stories, new backgrounds,” Williams said. “We’re just excited to see what the class of 2025 brings, not just to this year but going beyond and how they might actually become the best class ever.”

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