A group of aspiring youth leaders will add community outreach and “service before self” to their list of accomplishments this school year.

Thomas County Central High School’s branch of the Chick-fil-A Leader Academy began its new year on Thursday, Sept. 21. An on campus “Kickoff Experience” was held with student participants and sponsors.

“I think it went great,” TCCHS Service Learning Coordinator Stann McLeod said. “The students seemed most interested and engaged and are excited about what lies in store [for] the remainder of the year.”

Activities included breakfast and a leadership talk by Mike Zolt, the owner/operator of the local Chick-fil-A (sponsor of the TCCHS academy), as well as some icebreaker activities and the preparing and packaging of 100 meals for in need residents. The meals were sent to the local branch of Second Harvest of South Georgia.

“It is our desire [that] some of the meals will go to hurricanes Harvey, Irma or Maria victims,” McLeod said.

The academy was regularly advertised in the student-produced news show, News 4 You, and on the campus’ various announcement screens. To participate, interested students completed an online application that McLeod reviewed.

This year, the school has 23 academy participants. One is sophomore Jade Moser, 16.

“I wanted to participate in the CFA Leader Academy because it would get me out of my comfort zone and involved in my community by helping others,” Moser said. “I hope to gain more confidence and learn how to step out of the box and be the leader I need to be.”

Junior Landon Trotter, 16, chose to join the academy in order to become more involved and because it “seemed like an opportunity to try something new that could make a difference.”

His favorite part of the kickoff was learning about previous inspiring academy outreach projects.

“I'm looking forward to the outreach opportunity toward the end of the program,” Trotter said. “I have already heard about how great an experience it is, and I can't wait to see for myself.”

Also, six alumni – students who participated in a previous leader academy – will act as mentors.

The program’s focus, McLeod said, is teaching students to be servant leaders through tasks such as giving back to their community. He hopes participants learn to put “service before self” and learn what great accomplishments they can achieve when they put forth their best effort and come together for a common goal.

“Chick-fil-A Leader Academy is a great avenue for getting TCCHS to a full-up service learning institution, where students are doing more than simple volunteering but are also making their community service part of the overall academic process,” McLeod said.

Upcoming academy events include: the first of seven “leader labs” on Oct. 27 that will cover the topic “Vision & Values;” a trip to the Chick-fil-A corporate headquarters in Atlanta on Oct. 30; and, a second service project in December focused on helping local in need residents have a merry Christmas.

Moser most looks forward “to serving others and meeting new people.”

“I think CFA Leader Academy is a great experience for all high schoolers to help boost their confidence, give back to their community, and meet some great people along the way,” she said.

McLeod is “super excited” to work with this group of youth leaders-in-training and their mentors. The 30-year United States Air Force veteran and 15-year former senior instructor of Thomasville High School’s Air Force JROTC program hopes he “can now have a positive impact on our future leaders here at TCCHS.”

“I can't wait to see what impact the program will have on them as individuals and what impact they will have in their school and local community,” he said.

Trotter anticipates learning many lessons throughout his year of program involvement and said he is open to all possibilities.

“This is going to be a good year,” he said. “I hope everyone who participates goes into this program with an optimistic outlook and an intention to gain something, even if it's just one small memory.”

*For more information on the Chick-fil-A Leader Academy, visit www.chickfilaleaderacademy.com.