By Traci Buckingham Club Advisor 21st
Century Leaders of Pickens
21st Century Leaders, Georgia’s premier youth leadership and workforce readiness program for high school students from diverse backgrounds across the state, announces the top 21 youth leaders selected for its annual Georgia Youth Leadership Awards. Pickens High School Junior, Micah Newton, is among the honorees.
The honorees will be recognized at the nonprofit’s annual fundraising event, the Be the Inspiration Gala, presented by Warner Bros. Discovery, which will be held on March 15 at Zoo Atlanta.
21st Century Leaders (21CL), in partnership with the event’s corporate sponsors and partners, brings together business and civic leaders to raise support for 21st Century Leaders’ year-round leadership programs while also recognizing 21 of their outstanding high school students throughout Georgia who have made a significant impact on their schools, communities and beyond.
21CL serves over 2,500 students annually, and this year’s 21 award winners – all in high school and all members of 21st Century Leaders – include nonprofit founders, entrepreneurs, content creators, advocates, and volunteers who genuinely represent the diversity of Georgia with students from DeKalb to Muscogee to Richmond counties. Micah is the only student from the North Georgia area selected for this award.
Through corporate sponsors’ support, each youth leader will be presented with a $500 grant at the Be the Inspiration Gala. One student will also be awarded the Warner Bros. Discovery Student Leadership Award, the event’s top award, which includes a $1,000 grant.
Students are paired with coaches who mentor the students throughout the event season.
Our Georgia Youth Leadership Award Coaches are recognized and accomplished community leaders and/or members of Atlanta Business. Micah is paired with Naceo Denney from Georgia Power.
If you want to see a teen in your life helping in the community while gaining skills to stand out, get them involved with 21st Century Leaders. Our club represents a mixture of home, private, and public school students in grades 9-12. You can learn more about our organization by contacting Traci Buckingham at 21clubpickens@gmail.com.
As always, we thank our Platinum sponsor, Renasant Bank, without whom opportunities like these would not be available.
