Leadership Neshoba launches 23rd season with new class

The 23rd season of Leadership Neshoba is underway, with 29 high school juniors enrolled in the program that offers them the opportunity to learn more about their community. 

The program’s main objectives are to acquaint students with community needs, resources, and other factors that influence the future development of Neshoba County, help students recognize their own potential and develop leadership skills, inspire students to encourage the leadership potential of their peers by becoming ambassadors of their schools, and more.

Tim Moore, executive director of the Philadelphia-Neshoba County Chamber of Commerce, said Leadership Neshoba was formed in 2001 and is aimed at any high school junior at Philadelphia High School, Neshoba Central, Choctaw Central, and Leake Academy who is interested in learning how to be a good leader. 

Students must apply for the program by submitting an essay, school transcript, disciplinary report, and a questionnaire. Once selected, participants meet monthly, starting in October and ending in April. The class can hold up to 30 participants.

“Meetings are designed to help the group work together,” Moore said. “At the end of the year, they’ll complete a service project. Along the way, they’re exposed to businesses and industries in Neshoba County that they might not encounter in their daily lives.”

In the past, service projects have included building a blessing box at the historic Train Depot, organizing a prom for special needs children, and fundraising for the Crisis Pregnancy Center, among other things.

This year’s group has yet to select their service project but recently attended a retreat at Outdoor Adventures in Winona, where they participated in team-building exercises, problem-solving activities, and ziplining.

“Every year is different,” Moore said. “A lot of times, the exercises are the same each year, but it’s always interesting to see how each group tackles those exercises.”

Each class elects student leadership, and this year’s president is Neshoba Central junior Laura Frances Eakes. 

Eakes said what inspired her to join Leadership Neshoba were the unique experiences and opportunities that come with learning more about the community. 

“I haven’t had many duties as president yet because we just started, but hopefully, we will have some awesome stuff happen, we’ll learn some new things as a whole, and all grow from it,” she said.

Eakes said she is being shown the behind-the-scenes of leadership and learned more about what leaders do from visiting Mack Alford’s farm in the Folk community, where the group learned to make syrup earlier this month. 

She said team bonding and learning to work together have been the most valuable parts of the program so far, although she sometimes struggles with teamwork. She also hopes to strengthen her communication skills throughout the year.

“In Winona, we had to do an escape room together,” Eakes said. “It was interesting to see how different components went into figuring it out. Some people were better at some things than others, but we all worked together.”

Eakes said she is still undecided on her college choice and major, but she plans on attending East Central Community College, then The University of Mississippi, and hopes that the program will offer insights for her future.