BC3 celebrates county youth leadership graduates
BUTLER TWP — Butler County Community College and other organizations celebrated youth and future leaders Tuesday, Feb. 24, expressing hope their experiences will lead them to positively serve residents.
At Founders Hall, the Butler County Youth Leadership Program’s graduation ceremony saw 26 students complete their time in the program, which teaches how things work in Butler County.
Students from Butler, Freeport, Knoch, Karns City and Seneca Valley school districts were part of this year’s graduating class.
“What a wonderful day to recognize the dedication, growth and leadership demonstrated by this outstanding group of students,” said Amanda Fleming, chairman of the youth leadership program.
The leadership program was founded in 2017 by Leadership Butler County, a program run by the Butler County Chamber of Commerce. Leadership Butler County provides adult professionals help and opportunities to grow in their leadership skills and learn more about the Butler County’s professional landscape. Schools and businesses believed the same concept would be valuable for high school students, Fleming said.
The program teaches students how the county functions and how they can play a role in shaping it’s future.
“It’s designed specifically for students, giving them the opportunity to engage with community leaders and discover opportunities here at home,” Fleming said. “It’s introduced students to local industries, nonprofits, government leaders, higher education partners.”
Partners included BC3, Slippery Rock University, local school districts, the chamber and numerous local businesses.
Representatives with NexTier Bank and the United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania, two of the program’s partners, presented checks to the program. Students also earned either a $500 scholarship toward BC3 credits or $1,000 toward SRU.
“It’s really inspiring, getting to work with young people and getting to see them all caring for others in the community,” Ana Kay Yaghoubian, with the United Way, said. “Taking the time and effort to contribute to making sure everyone in our community, even ones that maybe don’t have enough, have others that care enough.”
Future opportunities for the 26 young Butler County residents may include a wide variety of possibilities, BC3 president Megan Coval said. Regardless, community leaders hope to see the students who go through the program continue to have a positive impact through serving the community.
“I remember how busy high school was, especially when you start to get into 11th and 12th grade. To enter this program, knowing it was going to take extra time, maybe cut into school time, I think it’s a really special thing,” Coval said. “Engaging in an activity like this is really setting you up for a love of community and a love of service.”
