Alabama Power conference helps prepare students for future leadership, career opportunities
Two panel discussions were among the multiple activities during this year's Youth Leadership Conference at Shelton State Community College. (Content Factory)
About 400 high school juniors from 20 schools in West Alabama recently enjoyed an inside look at a range of educational and career opportunities, giving them a head start on preparing for their next step in life.
The students, along with their teachers, received valuable insights during the 22nd annual Youth Leadership Conference, held Feb. 27 at Shelton State Community College. Hosted by Alabama Power’s Western Division, this year’s conference theme was “Powering the Leader in You.” With that as a guide, Alabama Power’s goal was to provide a fun-filled day and, at the same time, inspire and motivate area juniors to strive for excellence both academically and personally.
“This is our 22nd year hosting the Youth Leadership Conference and every year, we look forward to meeting students and teachers,” Jill Stork, vice president of Alabama Power’s Western Division, said in welcoming the students.
“Alabama Power doesn’t just keep your lights on; we’re here to make the state of Alabama better. The way we do that is to get engaged with the young people who will one day be leading our industries and our state,” Stork said.
In the opening presentation, Ruth Jones, deputy chief at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, used her experiences to underline how students could take off on a journey to success. The day also included two panel discussions, featuring topics such as leadership, careers, workforce training and entrepreneurship, along with games and lunch. Among the panelists were leaders from Shelton State, the Alabama Technology Network, Stillman College, ESPN and Content Factory.
Terence Lester, founder and executive director of the Atlanta-based nonprofit Love Beyond Walls, ended the event on a motivational high note. The keynote speaker for the day, Lester is a storyteller, scholar, speaker and community activist. His organization focuses on raising awareness and mobilizing communities to address poverty, homelessness and economic inequality. Love Beyond Walls and its results have been featured on multiple, national media platforms, including CNN, Good Morning America, Essence magazine, USA Today, NBC, and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference national magazine.
Volunteers from Alabama Power and the Alabama Power Service Organization supported the conference, assisting with everything from event setup to serving lunch, assisting in games, parking and ushering students and teachers to their seats. Check out the following video to learn more about the event:
