BUTLER TWP — Twenty-nine juniors from Butler County high schools graduated Tuesday from a program that teaches leadership, teamwork and entrepreneurship — and encourages them to put those skills to work in the county.

The students from Butler, Karns City, Knoch, Mars, Seneca Valley and Slippery Rock high schools are the first graduating class of the Butler County Youth Leadership Program, which is run by the Butler County Chamber of Commerce and sponsored by NexTier Bank, Butler County Community College, Slippery Rock University and several other businesses and organizations in the county.

During the graduation ceremony at BC3, the students received program certificates, backpacks featuring the program logo and scholarship offers from BC3 and Slippery Rock University.

The youth leadership program is the class project of the chamber's Leadership Butler County Class of 2017, which designed the four-day curriculum and raised money to run the youth program for three years.

“We want students throughout Butler County to be aware of what's available to achieve success,” said Kelly Bailey, director of alumni engagement at Slippery Rock University. She is also a member of the 2017 leadership class and the leadership board of directors.

Teaching leadership and taking the students to businesses and government offices was meant to show students that they don't have to relocate to Pittsburgh or Washington, D.C., to have successful careers, she said.

“They can have a strong and successful life here in Butler County. It exposes them to how great it is to live and work in Butler County,” Bailey said.

Steve Powers, who lives in Chicora and works at Calumet Penreco in Karns City, graduated from the adult leadership program in 2015. His daughter, Cambree Powers, a student at Karns City High School, is a member of the youth program graduating class.

“I really enjoyed it. There was a lot of information about businesses that I found very useful,” Cambree said.

She said her favorite part of the program was the last day, when the students visited businesses and met with the owners.

The students met with Bob McCafferty of North Country Brewing, Ray Conlon of the Conlon Tarker P.C. law firm, Kenny Bonus of Bonus Accounting, BC3 student employment specialist Emma Lee Hartle and Marine veteran Brandon Rumbaugh.

Some fun was included in the final day when the students went ice skating at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex in Cranberry Township.

“My favorite part was going to the Lemieux center to skate with my new friends,” said Jordan Ray, a Butler High School junior.

He also liked the rest of the program.

“We learned a lot about leadership, working with peers and getting goals accomplished,” Jordan said.

The program was held on four school days in October, November, March and April. Superintendents, principals and guidance counselors from the schools had input into the curriculum, said Stan Kosciuszko, chamber president.

Day 1 was held at Slippery Rock University, where the students got to know each other and participated in team building, leadership and personal dynamics exercises.

Day 2 included visits to the Butler Eagle Production Center, Alliance for Nonprofit Resources, county Sheriff Michael Slupe's office, Common Pleas Court Judge Marilyn Horan and Sandler Training.

On Day 3, the students met with the three county commissioners and officials from Future POS and BC3.

“This is a big hitter agenda and curriculum that they went through,” Nick Neupauer, BC3 president, told the audience, which included students, parents and program officials. “You went through a rigorous curriculum and we're here to celebrate your success.”

“There is no better resource than someone who is where you want to be and was where you are,” said Michael May, SRU director of first year admissions.

“Leadership skills enable you to be a role model in all environments,” said Butler County Commissioner Kim Geyer.

“The program educates the students so they can see what's available to them in Butler County. They can see the benefits of working and living in Butler County,” Mark Shenker of NexTier bank said after the ceremony. He is also a program board member and a member of the 2017 class.

Other sponsors included XTO Energy, YMCA, Thompson-Miller Funeral Home, Stantec, Butler Health System, Armstrong and the Butler County Tourism and Convention Bureau.