By ALEC ETHEREDGE | Publisher

COLUMBIANA – With their hands up, surrounding one of their classmates on a tight rope, several members of this year’s Youth Leadership Shelby County class stood by with encouragement as the student made their way down the rope from one end to another.

This was one of many examples of different exercises the students from across Shelby County got to experience during the opening retreat for the Youth Leadership Shelby County Class of 2025 at the Alabama 4-H Center Nov. 3-4.

“I love the youth retreat because they don’t know each other before they walk through the door,” said Leadership Shelby County Executive Director Kendall Williams. “They always have that anxiety coming into it, but it never fails, they always end up with friendships across the county. They Interact with each other the entire time. The number one thing when they do evaluations at the end is that they always want more time. They want one more day. They don’t want to leave. It’s fun to see how quick those bonds build and they last for years and years. Some now room together in college who were part of program but went to different high schools. It’s something special to see those bonds build so quickly.”

Made up of juniors from 13 different schools across Shelby County, the leadership class will span the rest of the school year with the students participating in different class days each month as well as working together in groups on a final project. This year, there were a total of 97 applicants with 36 being selected to represent each public school and two private schools.

Class days throughout the year will include government, the justice system, health and human sciences and education, focusing completely on how Shelby County pulls together through leadership.

That will ultimately culminate in a group project that will be presented by each group at the graduation ceremony at the end of April in front of family, friends and both youth and adult alumni from the Leadership Shelby County program.

The opening retreat was the beginning of that process, as the class of 36 made their way to the 4H center and participated in multiple different icebreaker moments.

Some of those included the ropes course, where they learned to work together for the greater good of the group, and class introductions, where smaller groups helped introduce their classmates in entertaining themed ways.

“The retreat itself is the bonding moment for the group,” Williams said. “They learn that there will be a lot of information. As education and classroom styles have changed, we’ve had to adapt. Students aren’t used to listening to speakers for a long time, so we’ve started to incorporate more getting up and learning something, rather than them just being spoken to, but we also bring together a special quality of speaker that can relate to the students.”

Speakers at the opening retreat included Marquis Forge of Eleven86 Real Artesian Water, author and attorney Liz Huntley and Billy Ivey who started Napkinisms.

Forge, a former Alabama football player, shared his incredible story of starting a water bottle company in his hometown after being convinced earlier in life that he would never return. After making it through school with an exhausting schedule of football, school and work, he returned to make good on a promise and ultimately ended up starting what is a fast-growing company.

Huntley, another University of Alabama graduate, shared her inspiring story from abuse as a child to a successful lawyer, which is detailed in her popular book “More Than A Bird”. She now serves as a motivational speaker in addition to her job and work as a writer. She is committed to child advocacy.

Ivey, who resides in the Oak Mountain area, gained popularity through his Napkinisms, which began when he put a note on a napkin in one of his kids’ lunchbox after they had a tough day. From there, he continued writing them and they gained popularity through social media and organizations to make a difference in the lives of many.

“It’s an example that every single person has their own story,” Williams said. “At opening retreat specifically, there are a lot of heavy stories and stories of overcoming obstacles. These students can relate to it no matter what, because it doesn’t matter what walk of life or where you come from, everybody has obstacles and overcomes something on a daily basis. It may not be on the same level as someone else, but it doesn’t belittle that obstacle. The speakers relate to that with 11th graders. When that is planted by an adult, that shows them that it’s going to be OK. It’s not just coming to them from teachers and parents. It is very influential.”

Williams said she hopes the students will enjoy the opportunity and learn as much as they can.

The program also now offers $22,000 in scholarship money for college.

“It’s great to gain knowledge, connections and relationships,” Williams said. “For many, this is an opportunity to explore and find things they may be interested in that aren’t in the same place they grew up or their school.”

This year’s class includes the following:

-Drew Mears, Briarwood Christian School

-Grayson Shivers, Briarwood Christian School

-Chakena Collins, Calera High School

-Hannah Greenwood, Calera High School

-Evie Scroggins, Chelsea High School

-Jenna Wolfe, Chelsea High School

-Lilly Blevins, Chelsea High School

-Luke Dollar, Chelsea High School

-Sadie Adams, Chelsea High School

-Brooks Bedsole, Evangel Christian School

-Charlee Reid, Helena High School

-Chase Glawson, Helena High School

-Josh Johnson, Helena High School

-Maycie Lewis, Helena High School

-Blakeley Baggett, Montevallo High School

-Kati Simmons, Montevallo High School

-Kasey Vanderslice, Montevallo High School

-Beyonce Ortega Arteaga, Oak Mountain High School

-Elise Spears, Oak Mountain High School

-Grier Feldman, Oak Mountain High School

-Anna Beth Chapman, Oak Mountain High School

-Anna McDonald, Pelham High School

-Emma Morgan, Pelham High School

-Lucas Kalba, Pelham High School

-Ryan Martin, Pelham High School

-Analise Dansby, Shelby County High School

-Davis Ruston, Shelby County High School

-Emily Dixon, Shelby County High School

-Drew Shelton, Shelby County High School

-Carter Boyd, Spain Park High School

-Elyssa Martin, Thompson High School

-Holland Button, Thompson High School

-Malie Kate Clark, Vincent Middle High School

-Abby Hayes, Vincent Middle High School

-Avigael Caswell, Vincent Middle High School

-Jordynne Rose, Vincent Middle High School