Published: July 20, 2008 04:26 pm            

WEED & SEED: Training tomorrow's leaders

Five Falls students attending youth conference in Florida

Some of the city’s potential leaders of tomorrow are heading to a national youth conference this week to learn how to improve quality of life and build a better Niagara Falls.

Funded through the local Weed & Seed program, five high school students will attend the fifth-annual youth leadership council camp in DeLand, Fla. and participate in numerous workshops and programs focusing on leadership, career development, family and community life, finance and sports.

Upon their return to Niagara Falls, the students will share their experiences with other youths and community leaders, said Allen Booker, program director of Niagara Falls Weed & Seed.

“They will be developing leadership skills and coming back to help the community improve the city’s living conditions and quality of life for not only youths, but adults,” Booker said. “The idea is they hopefully stay in the area when they get older and become leaders in the community.”

More than 2,000 students nationwide are expected to attend the youth leadership camp, which is a collaboration between the federal Weed & Seed program, Center for Neighborhood Enterprise and the U.S. Department of Justice’s Community Capacity Development Office.

Weed and Seed is a community-based multi-agency approach to law enforcement, crime prevention and neighborhood restoration. Booker said this is the first year the local program is able to sponsor and send students to the week-long camp.

The five students were recruited by Booker and Youth Mentor Coordinator Tamika Sonnier through their involvement in after-school programs at the Niagara Arts and Cultural Center and the Liberty Partnership Program run by Niagara County Community College. They were required to write an essay detailing what they hope to learn and how they will use the experience to improve Niagara Falls.

“I’m honored to be selected,” said 17-year-old Jordan Walker, who is entering his senior year at Niagara Falls High School. “I’m hoping to make a lot of connections and gain life experience so I can come back and make the city better for the youth.”

Joining Walker on the trip will be high school students David Morrow, Darmaine Pittman, Kiona Smith and Vonshe Small. Tanyetta Carter and Samika Sullivan will serve as adult chaperones.

The group will return July 27. The camp is being held on the Stetson University campus in DeLand, Fla.

Booker said the students are responsible for giving a five-minute presentation on what they learned to the Weed & Seed steering committee and become members of the agency’s youth committee.

“I’d like to see myself as a leader,” said Walker, who is hoping to become an entertainment journalist. “I don’t see myself living in Niagara Falls forever, but it’s always good to be able to give back to your community.”

        

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