You Lead provides more than 15 years of leadership
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The 2018-2019 graduates of the You Lead program come together for a photo Tuesday during their graduation ceremony held alongside the Graham Chamber of Commerce Quarterly Luncheon. Shown from l-r are Becca Sullivan, Erin Gaton, Tim Walker, Tracey Terasas, Colby Kramer, Dan De La Cruz (back), Lisa Kinkead, Samantha Purdy, Christian Sanders (back), Dana Dickey, Jamie Epperson, Mayor Neal Blanton (back), Charise Bewley, Jared Hampton, Stephanie Campbell, Young County AgriLife Extension Agent Penny Berend, Brendan Weatherman and Chamber of Commerce and Conventions and Visitors Bureau CEO Krisa De La Cruz. (Leader photo by Thomas Wallner)
For 17 years, the Graham Chamber of Commerce and Young County Texas AgriLife Extension Office have provided the You Lead program to build the next leaders for Graham, and on Tuesday the chamber graduated their next group from the program.
Starting in 2017-2018, the program started alternating each year with a new program called Youth Lead, which incorporates Graham High School Students in order to build future leaders.
The program began in 2001-2002 with 16 members and was spearheaded by Louis Pitcock Jr. and former Young County AgriLife Extension Agent Brand Morrison. Graham Chamber of Commerce and Conventions and Visitors Bureau CEO Krisa De La Cruz, said support from the Pitcock family was there from the inception.
“The Pitcock family was really supportive of the program in the beginning and I think in encouragement and financially supportive of the program and helping it take off in Graham.” De La Cruz said. “And of course there are a lot of other communities that do leadership programs and they are really important, so that people are aware of leadership opportunities and how they can be part of the community instead of just sitting back and letting everyone else make things happen.”
De La Cruz said the nine-month course was and remains a joint effort between the Graham Chamber of Commerce and AgriLife Extension Service. She said the chamber handles the cost, application process, and identifies business in the community which could provide an educational course for the members while AgriLife works on the curriculum.
“I don’t think we have steered far away from that initial curriculum,” De La Cruz said. “I think we have updated it and kind of evolved with time, but it still focuses on the key components of how a community functions.”
For the rest of the story, see the Saturday, May 25 edition of The Graham Leader.
