The morning raced by as Kirk Hallett, Executive Director of the The Joshua Group reported on the progress of last year’s YCDT project and engaged the students in a dialogue on education in Harrisburg.  Brenda Alton, Pastor and Community Leader followed, weaving a story of personal experiences and learning as she shared the possibilities in leading to make a difference.  From overcoming challenges to recognizing opportunities, she laid the foundation for understanding what a leader looks like and how they take action.

Jeannette Archer-Simons, Archer-Simons Consulting then challenged students to describe leadership.  After a group exercise identifying words that described leaders, the students shared their thoughts on what made a good leader or a bad leader.  Traits like relentless, integrity, selfless, empowering, communicator, inspiring, listener and delegator were repeated on their group presentation sheets describing effective leaders.  The students talked about the expectations of leaders and the difference between doing a volunteer job and leading to make a difference in service.  Each student reflected on their own leadership characteristics and what they would bring to the Youth Community Development Team experience during the year.  The students were encouraged to track their leadership development using the tool “Everyday Leadership, Attitudes and Actions for Respect and Success” by Mariam MacGregor.  It is a guidebook for teens in leadership.

With pizza and salad in hand – compliments of Capital City Mall Sponsorship, the students and adults networked for a brief lunch as someone commented that is was amazing how many community leaders made time to be a part of modeling leadership for these students.  From board members from Leadership Harrisburg Area to Rotarians, the leadership of many was modeled for these young future leaders in the day’s activities.  Carolyn Dumaresq, President of the Rotary Club of Harrisburg shared the Rotary’s commitment locally and worldwide to service above self and described this leadership experience as the beginning of their journey in community service.

After lunch Una Martone, President of Leadership Harrisburg Area led the students in the first team activity, building their own teams for the year.  The students were divided to mix schools and break down boundaries.  They discussed what they would like their team to represent during the year of learning and leading.  Each team prepared and presented posters that showed the power of the team.  From a tree (Teen Rotarians Ensuring Excellence) to R.O.C. – a foundation for the future to a lighthouse shining for the future, in the hands of teens, to HAREMBEE – “I am because we are, we are because I am,” each poster reflected the unique commitment that the students have to making the world a better place.

As the school day expired and the students prepared to load back on their buses, they took their first lead in establishing a communication link to each other.  A text tree was set up by the students to text messages about the upcoming classes and an YCDT2010 Facebook page was set up.  (You too can join and follow the conversations).  New communication strategies for a youth leadership program built on the foundation of the history of Rotary and Leadership Harrisburg Area.  The leaders of the future connected in cyberspace.

The next meeting of the YCDT class will be held on October 13, 2009 at 11:00AM at the Harrisburg Regional Chamber of Commerce in the large conference room.  Thank you to all the Rotary and Leadership Harrisburg Area volunteers who made it a great launch for the largest ever class of the Youth Community Development Team.   If you would like to know more about the program please contact Jeannette Archer-Simons at 717-635-8354 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .