Pioneers

The 2010 Youth Leadership Initiative is a pilot program established by the AT&T Pioneers Board of Directors in Tennessee to foster community service and volunteerism values in high school students throughout the state of Tennessee.

Students across Tennessee applied for the opportunity to participate in the four month leadership program.  A total of thirty-two high school students led by seven team leaders participated in the program.  Beginning with a weekend symposium on April 16-17 at the AT&T-Tennessee Corporate Headquarters in Nashville, each student participated in team building and volunteerism activities that introduced them to concepts such as:

1) Leadership skills
2) Project management skills
3) Goal Setting
4) Time Management
5) Team work
6) Community Needs Assessment

These concepts were applied through a community service competition in which each team developed and implemented a local service project that impacted an area of need in their respective communities.  The community service projects were then presented by each team to a panel of outside judges at the AT&T-Tennessee Corporate Headquarters in Nashville on July 17.  At the conclusion of the presentations, the teams were awarded first place prizes, second place prizes, and honorable mention prizes based on the application of skills developed through participation in the program. 

Noah’s Ark                          
(Nashville, TN)  
Caroline Hill (Team Leader), Mikaela Redlin, Stephanie Vaughan, Jessica Freeman

Bats for a Better Cause     
(Nashville, TN)                      
Ethan Weaver (Team Leader), Caity Bosarge, Joe McWilliams, Jack Brandon, Carter Reed

Diamond in Rubble
(Jackson, TN)     
Brandon Perry (Team Leader), Aaron Stienberg, Megan Cuddihee, Kaylyn Kriaski, Garrett Henson

The West Tennessee Community Youth Coalition  
(Bethel Springs, TN)     
Macaria Surrett (Team Leader), Tenika Prather, Allen Bean, Norlecia Harris, Caleb Woods

Dear American Hero
(Knoxville, TN)
Nick Blackwel (Team Leader), Travis Blackwell, Clair Northern, Garrett Ivey

Love for the Homeless     
(Knoxville, TN)
Breanna Riggs (Team Leader), Vaughn Franklin, Claire Northern, Josh Gregorey

Touch of Hope      
(Johnson City, TN)
Anna Lavender (Team Leader), Joseph Lavender, Krista Lawson, Dylan Justis, Dustin Boring

“The leadership and activism of these students demonstrates the incredible spirit of volunteerism found throughout Tennessee,” said Lt. Governor Ron Ramsey.  “These future leaders are setting the pace in our communities and serve as a model of excellence for each of us.”
 
“AT&T Pioneers are proud of the achievements of these young people,” said Carolyn Harris, President – Tennessee Chapter of AT&T Pioneers.  “Our goal with the Youth Leadership Initiative is to plant a seed in young people with the hope that they will spark community activism and volunteerism through their leadership.”

AT&T Pioneers is a network of 325,000 active and retired AT&T employees who been volunteering for nearly 100 years to effect immediate, tangible change in local communities in partnership with AT&T.  The Tennessee Chapter of AT&T Pioneers consists of 8,826 Pioneers who reported 104,306 volunteer hours in 2009.