
Photo courtesy of Karen Campbell: Students also took a quick break to capture a photo with Be the Village Director Sandra Taylor and her volunteers before resuming stocking items that had just arrived.
Born out of desire to localize leadership development during COVID precautions, the area schools’ Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) determined the countywide collaboration on leadership development and community service was worthy of repeating. Monday, May 9, a group of 16 leaders and sponsors from the schools with chapters – Dresden, Gleason, and Westview – learned new skills, toured the University of Tennessee at Martin, and spent time volunteering at Dresden’s Be the Village.
In 2021, a mini leadership conference was planned as a response to the fall conference’s cancellation due to COVID-19. This year the concept was expanded to include time spent at Teddy Kay Studio hearing from artist and small business owner Teddy Kay Vincent, information on UTM’s Family Consumer Science program and tours based on leaders’ focus of study, and the service project at the donation center.

