High school seniors graduate from 2009 Gulf Coast Youth Leadership program

Front row, from left: Drew Bosarge – D’Iberville; Andrew Nguyen – Ocean Springs; Brad Gordon – Pascagoula; Bailey Braswell – Gulfport. Second row, from left: Mandy Quave – Ocean Springs; Hillary LaPlatney – Christian Collegiate Academy; Kristin Brick – Gautier; Caitlin Ruby – Long Beach. Third row, from left: Ashley Brancamp – Pascagoula; Sarah Hewes – St. Patrick; Ashley Kraft – Resurrection; Cassandra Gray – Vancleave; Nicollette Williams – Moss Point; Katherine Tootle – Biloxi; Amber Cole – Ocean Springs. Back row, from left: Nicole Wall – Pascagoula; Rayne Harris – Pascagoula; Alissia Ball – D’Iberville; Katherine Fisher – Vancleave; Gabrielle Aranda – Biloxi; Loren Jenne – East Central; Ethan Woodward – Gautier; Jeff Lewandrowski – St. Patrick; Collin Somers – Stone High; Sara Del Castillo – Ocean Springs; John Guice – St. Martin; Rachel Ladnier – Harrison Central; Erin Kenna – St. Martin; Chaz Ainsworth – Harrison Central.

Twenty-nine high school seniors completed the year-long Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College Youth Leadership Program with a graduation ceremony held at the Jackson County Campus on Dec. 10. Judge John Gargiulo, 2nd Circuit Court Judicial District, served as keynote speaker. Student speakers included Chaz Ainsworth, Sara Del Castillo and Erin Kenna. Ethan Woodward presented the invocation.

The Youth Leadership program requires research reports, mentor material and community service, as well as monthly field trips to learn more about the economics of South Mississippi. The students earn three hours of college credit upon meeting all of the requirements of the program.

The program originated on the Jackson County Campus and was expanded to the four county MGCCC college district in 1998 in an effort to expose high school students to a variety of leadership and career challenges. Selected students from George, Stone, Jackson and Harrison counties are invited to participate.