Leadership Butler County announces class project during visit at the Butler Eagle
Teamwork is the name of the game for Leadership Butler County participants and sometimes that reality hits harder for some than others according to Mark Buchek, chairman of the program's board of directors.
Leadership Butler County is designed to bring people from different industries together to build upon their professional skills, which culminates with a class project. This year, the class is attempting to change up fundraising efforts for their project.
According to class chair Jason Jovenall, the group is looking to swap out its Murder Mystery fundraising event with a “Dancing with the Stars” type gathering, with Butler County residents participating.
“I think we are pretty close on finalizing that,” Jovenall said. “That is going to be new for the program. We feel it's time to change it up and create a new legacy project for classes in the future. It's going to be a lot of work this year, but I think we are excited about it.”
Other fundraising projects will take place in coming months as well, which in turn will help fund the class project. This year, the project will benefit the Butler County Humane Society with a new outdoor agility course where dogs at the shelter can get exercise.
“They had nine projects to pick from and now it’s nailed down,” Buchek said. “It's essentially a play ground for the dogs. The details is something they will work on over the months. There might be some little houses and tunnels for them to play in. Those kinds of things.”
In total, Buchek expects the project to cost around $15,000.
This year’s class has 26 participants Buchek said, and so far they have gotten outside their comfort zone much faster than previous classes.
“We have a lot of good expectations with this class,” Buchek said. “Every class has been great. It takes some time for classes to gel. This class seemed to gel right out of the gate, which is not normal. I don’t think there is a particular reason. You are bringing in a group of strangers and putting them in a room together and have them go off on this adventure.”
The program, which is entering its 33rd year, involves a commitment from both the participants in the class and their employers, which helps give those in the class exposure to many different sectors and industries across Butler County through monthly tours of county businesses.
In the class’s most recent outing, they visited the Butler Eagle facility on Friday, Dec. 5. The visit started with a government panel consisting of leaders from all over the county followed by a tour around the printing press and newsroom.
“I thought today was fantastic,” Jovenall said. “I really enjoyed the panel at the beginning with some of our local leaders, gaining insight from that. I loved getting the tour of how everything goes down at the paper. Just seeing how it comes together with the machinery and all the people it takes with the newsroom.”
Jovenall is the finance director for Cranberry Township, and he believes visiting the different businesses within Butler County is crucial because it can help give people different perspectives about the county they are looking to help serve.
“As a professional and Butler County resident, I want to see all the different industries across Butler County,” Jovenall said. “I am stuck in my finance view, so getting outside of that and meeting the people that drive these industries is what I am excited about.”
Buchek, who graduated from the program in 2015, said, while it can be intimidating to collaborate with people you don’t know, it’s important not to get caught up too much in that and to focus on the long term goal, which will help alleviate some of that initial pressure and Jovenall agrees.
“I would say just do it,” Jovenall said. “I think a lot of people might be nervous with a lot of new people. Sometimes the hardest thing is taking that first step with anything new. This is our fourth session together and I am loving every minute of it.”
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The Leadership Butler County class of 2026 visits the Butler Eagle, Friday, Dec. 5, 2025. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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The Leadership Butler County class of 2026 tours the Butler Eagle's production floor, Friday, Dec. 5, 2025. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Butler Eagle press foreman Joel Christy talks about the plates used to print the newspaper during the Leadership Butler County class of 2026's tour of the Butler Eagle, Friday, Dec. 5, 2025. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Butler Eagle publisher and general manager Tammy Schuey discusses the Butler Eagle's history during the Leadership Butler County class of 2026's visit to the Butler Eagle office, Friday, Dec. 5, 2025. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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The Butler Eagle production floor, Friday, Dec. 5, 2025. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Butler Eagle managing editor Donna Sybert speaks to guests during a newsroom tour as part of the Leadership Butler County class's visit to the Butler Eagle, Friday, Dec. 5, 2025. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Butler Eagle press foreman Joel Christy discusses the production process of the newspaper during the Leadership Butler County class of 2026's tour of the Butler Eagle, Friday, Dec. 5, 2025. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Butler Eagle managing editor Donna Sybert speaks to guests during a newsroom tour as part of the Leadership Butler County class's visit to the Butler Eagle, Friday, Dec. 5, 2025. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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The Leadership Butler County class of 2026 visits the Butler Eagle, Friday, Dec. 5, 2025. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Butler Eagle publisher and general manager Tammy Schuey discusses the Butler Eagle's history during the Leadership Butler County class of 2026's visit to the Butler Eagle office, Friday, Dec. 5, 2025. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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The Leadership Butler County class of 2026 tours the Butler Eagle office, Friday, Dec. 5, 2025. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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The Leadership Butler County class of 2026 tours the Butler Eagle's production floor, Friday, Dec. 5, 2025. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Jason Jovenall asks a question during the Leadership Butler County class of 2026's visit to the Butler Eagle, Friday, Dec. 5, 2025. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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The Leadership Butler County class of 2026 tours the Butler Eagle's production floor, Friday, Dec. 5, 2025. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Slippery Rock Mayor Jondavid Longo speaks to the Leadership Butler County class of 2026 at the Butler Eagle, Friday, Dec. 5, 2025. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Butler Eagle press foreman Joel Christy talks about the paper used in the printing of the newspaper during the Leadership Butler County class of 2026's tour of the Butler Eagle, Friday, Dec. 5, 2025. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Butler Eagle publisher and general manager Tammy Schuey talks about the print process at the Butler Eagle during the Leadership Butler County class of 2026's tour of the Butler Eagle, Friday, Dec. 5, 2025. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Butler Eagle managing editor Donna Sybert speaks to guests during a newsroom tour as part of the Leadership Butler County class's visit to the Butler Eagle, Friday, Dec. 5, 2025. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Butler Eagle vice president of advertising Keith Graham speaks during the Leadership Butler County class of 2026's. visit at the Butler Eagle, Friday, Dec. 5, 2025. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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The Leadership Butler County class of 2026 tours the Butler Eagle's production floor, Friday, Dec. 5, 2025. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Butler Eagle publisher and general manager Tammy Schuey talks about the print process at the Butler Eagle during the Leadership Butler County class of 2026's tour of the Butler Eagle, Friday, Dec. 5, 2025. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Butler Eagle press foreman Joel Christy talks about the plates used to print the newspaper during the Leadership Butler County class of 2026's tour of the Butler Eagle, Friday, Dec. 5, 2025. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Butler Township Commissioner David Rice talks about his experiences with the media following the assassination attempt last year during the Leadership Butler County class of 2026's visit to the Butler Eagle, Friday, Dec. 5, 2025. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Butler Eagle managing editor Donna Sybert speaks to guests during a newsroom tour as part of the Leadership Butler County class's visit to the Butler Eagle, Friday, Dec. 5, 2025. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Butler Eagle press foreman Joel Christy talks about the paper used in the printing of the newspaper during the Leadership Butler County class of 2026's tour of the Butler Eagle, Friday, Dec. 5, 2025. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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State Sen. Scott Hutchinson, R-21st, address the Leadership Butler County class of 2026 at the Butler Eagle, Friday, Dec. 5, 2025. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
