UNC Wilmington faculty, staff and local community members engaged students in workshops focused on public speaking, team work, fundraising and other topics related to effective leadership. Students participated in hands-on activities like team-building intensive rope courses, an identity-mapping session and networking opportunities with businesses including GE, BB&T, Seaside Mortgage Corporation, Verizon Wireless and General Electric Hitachi.
James McEachin, a student from Northern Nash High School, summed up the community-oriented attitude that the participants displayed throughout the weekend.
"Our communities are our responsibility," he said. "Since we are all from different parts of North Carolina, each of our projects will make the state as a whole a better place. If nobody else steps up, who will?"
The students are working on projects ranging from a Spanish language video and pamphlet on diabetes for the Hispanic community to an educational Heritage Program for African American males. They will implement the projects themselves but will receive ongoing help from their UNC Wilmington student mentors, who worked with them in small groups during the N2L weekend experience. The mentors will provide the students with distance coaching during the 2008-09 school year as service projects are actualized. In spring 2009, students will return to UNCW for a leadership symposium to showcase their completed service projects.
Keryn Vickers, UNC Wilmington Admissions assistant director and N2L program director, stated, "We plan to keep the students engaged in achieving their goals long after the weekend is over. We want them to continue to utilize the information they gain from the program and keep their projects moving forward."
Ciara Edwards, a Northern Vance High School student, said "We have a lot of challenges to balance with our projects, but we have people here to support us. That feels great."
Two hundred and sixty exceptional high school students from across the state were nominated by a school or community leaders for the N2L program, which is sponsored and facilitated by UNCW.
Visit the Web site at http://www.uncw.edu/admissions/need2lead_000.html
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