Thirty-nine students from eight local high schools who attended seven months of programming to cultivate their leadership skills in Youth Leadership Sandy Springs recently graduated from the Leadership Perimeter program.
The graduates of the Class of 2024 spent the school year in advanced sessions to gain a better understanding of their community and how to create a lasting impact, according to a Youth Leadership Sandy Springs news release.
Lori Peljovich, Leadership Perimeter Class of ’22, served as the program director of Youth Leadership Sandy Springs and guided the sophomores, juniors, and seniors.
“It’s been such a rewarding opportunity to help navigate these outstanding students as they learn more about their community as well as their innate interest in how they can start making an impact right away,” Peljovich said, according to the release.
The students attended monthly programming to learn how a community works and discover pathways for community engagement. They explored Sandy Springs to learn firsthand how government, environmental groups, social service agencies, public safety, and businesses come together to shape a community.
Their experiences included a poverty simulation, giving students a better understanding of the difficulties for some community members and how resources such as the Community Assistance Center help them to overcome challenges, the release said.
Students discovered how companies such as WestRock incorporate sustainability into their practices. They also learned how nonprofits such as Chattahoochee River Keeper and Morgan Falls Recycling Center’s volunteer programs allow students and their families to make an impact.
Learning about local government included a range of experiences from how legislation is drafted, and a city’s budget is devised and executed to insights into first responder operations from the Sandy Springs Fire and Police departments. Students gained key career skills during a visit to Inspire Brands and on interview day.
The Youth Leadership Sandy Springs Class of 2024:
Pace Academy – Harper Auchincloss, Dhru Lalaji, and Audrey Welch
Cottage School – Jackson Barnes
North Springs High School – Jack Baylin, Charlie Berss, Kamilly Da Silva, Lauren Drake, Chris Drake, Ethan Liddell, Henry Lott, Kate Lott, Leighton McIntosh, Clara Peres, Arianna Schultz, Aurora Seesink,
Riverwood High School – Daron Beldick, Elyse Chen, Aidan Colker, Trey Daniels, Tal Elkounovitch, Lila Fleisig, Noah Glenn, Heather Grant, RJ Houseman, Chloe Kentor, Andrew Lapes, Alan Marhic, Thomas Mason, Laila Patel, Alex Royal, Kyra Russotto, Zack Siegel
Innovation Academy – Cameron Boswell
The Mt. Vernon School – Kate Duncan, and Ernest Gephardt
The Weber School – Levi Gordon, and Amy Nowitz
Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School – Charlie Mutz
For more information about Youth Leadership Sandy Springs, Leadership Perimeter and the Class of 2024, visit www.leadershipperimeter.org.