Sat, May 5, 2018 at 11:23 PM

Students describe their experience at graduation from countywide leadership program

MCYL offered 37 students a look at the opportunities leadership provides in many different professions.

A special dinner and graduation event for Marshall County Youth Leadership highlighted the end of the year-long program. During the dinner the teens had the opportunity to talk about the eye-opening experience MCYL provided.

“I feel like it has prepared me for my future and put us ahead of the game,” said Isabella Lambert, a junior from Boaz High School. 

“We explored so much of our home that we had never seen,” said Yonathan Vega, from Guntersville High School, citing the group’s tours of local industries. 

Brindlee Mountain student Logan Edmonds said one very helpful part of the curriculum was a session on etiquette and professionalism, which reviewed proper table manners and appropriate clothing for business. 

“I wouldn’t change my experiences for anything,” he said.

Brayden Lewis, a DAR student, listed his favorite three activities in the program as a bus trip to Montgomery, playing bingo with folks at the Boaz Senior Center and touring the Marshall County Jail.

Albertville High junior Jaxon Holland led the invocation to kick off the event held at Guntersville Senior Center Tuesday. Cody Nugent, president of the Marshall County Leadership Challenge Alumni board, welcomed the parents and students. Annie Furrer of Citizen’s Bank & Trust, presented student with certificates. 

In April, MCYL students travelled to Montgomery where they toured the House of Representatives, the old Capitol building and had lunch with Secretary of State John Merrill. 

McKenna Pell, a Marshall Christian student, said her favored visit of the year was to Marshall Medical South on Healthcare Day, where students met a pediatrician, a surgeon, a hospitalist, and took a tour of the hospital. 

“It opened our eyes to all the different medical fields available in healthcare.”

Grace Ann Pritchett, an Arab High junior, also enjoyed getting to meet the state official who oversees elections. She echoed many students saying they especially were touched by a visit to the Arab Historic Village and the Rice Church, where they sang hymns together. 

“At that point we were not students from Douglas, Boaz and other schools, we were MCYL,” Grace Ann said. “We were one group, and that will stick with me forever.”

Monthly meetings throughout the year

The 37 students from all nine high schools in Marshall County applied for the program and were interviewed for selection. They met monthly throughout the school year to learn out about their home county, as well as to practice the qualities of a leader. 

MCYL is sponsored by the Marshall County Leadership Challenge Alumni, Citizen’s Bank & Trust and Marshall Medical Centers. 

Claudette DeMuth, marketing director for Marshall Medical, encouraged graduates to strive for excellence in their lives, just as the hospital staffs do in everyday service to patients. 

“Being a sponsor of this program is a huge source of pride for Marshall Medical Centers,” she said. “I hope I’m looking out at our future doctors and nurses.”

Citizens Bank & Trust President and CEO Charlie Williams told students that leaders are desperately needed today. Leaders should have positive attitudes, good skills, serve as encouragers and be accountable. 

“Being a leader is more than just having a title,” he said. “It’s not the same as being the boss.”

Find Marshall Medical on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/mmcen... for more photos from the graduation dinner.