From Staff, Press Reports

MATHISTON - The 2004-05 class of Leadership82 had its first session last week at The Wood Institute.

The volunteer program works to improve leadership skills of individuals from Webster, Choctaw, Montgomery and Carroll County. The monthly sessions begin Thursday evenings and conclude on Fridays, classes continue through next spring.

This is the second year for the program, which uses the LeadershipPlenty curriculum designed by the Pew Partnership for Civic Change. The Pew Partnership describes the program as a tool to mobilize a change in mindset from one with a leadership lack to one with leadership plenty. Participants are taught that they can make a difference in their lives and in their communities.

The training program focuses on nine areas that need to be developed to create a successful leadership team. In the 50-hour program, participants learn how to look for leaders within the community, identify the assets of a community, manage groups effectively, make meetings more productive, manage conflicts, build strategic partnerships, develop and implement a plan, evaluate impact and communicate efforts to the local community.

Another session focuses on the challenges of racism and race relations in communities.

Representing Webster County in Leadership82 are Ron Barham, Larry Creel, Earl Frost, Erven Perrigan, ,Kevin Reed, Shirley Shepard and Caleb Tillman.

Representing Choctaw County are George Buell, Karmon Davis and Cyrena Shows.

Representing Montgomery County are John Avent, Tela Collins, Dale Gerstenslager, Orman Knox and Pat Woods.

Carroll County had no participants as of the first session.

Facilitators for the first session were Carolyn Lott, Liz Sadler and Dr. Ronnie White of the Mississippi State University Extension Services. Also assisting were Webster County Extension Director Cynthia Wilson and Webster County Development Council Executive Director Steve Anderson, members of the Leadership82 Taskforce.