By Andy Diffenderfer

Correspondent

About 60 middle and high school students received a preview this week of what their futures as community leaders may be like.

As part of the Youth Leadership Walker County program, students from all middle and high schools in Walker County toured government offices and listened to local and state officials discuss their leadership roles.

First, groups of students visited the Walker County jail and the office of Walker County Commissioner Bebe Heiskell. In the afternoon, they heard from state Sen. Jeff Mullis, R-Chickamauga, and state Rep. Jay Neal, R-LaFayette.

“The jail was real interesting,” said Christina Hannah, a seventh-grader at LaFayette Middle School. “It was all very informative.”

“I enjoyed hearing the state and local leaders speak,” said Ryan McCormack, a senior at Ridgeland High School.

The program was sponsored by the Walker County Chamber of Commerce education committee. What students learn through Youth Leadership Walker County is “an awareness of their community and a sense of what’s there,” plus teamwork and the value of making good choices, committee Chairwoman Brenda Noblitt said.

The group will meet again in the spring in conjunction with Walker County Special Olympics.

Each speaker Tuesday challenged the students to make sound, thoughtful decisions in their quests to become future leaders.

“If you have an issue and you know you’re right, you can take the steps to start making changes,” Mrs. Heiskell told students. “Leadership is your choice, and we do need leaders.”

Mrs. Heiskell detailed the functions of the commissioner’s office, and the tasks performed by her employees.

“My job is to provide services for 65,000 people and to make 65,000 people happy,” she said. “There’s an awful lot of things that need to be done.”

Walker County Sheriff Steve Wilson told them, “There’s no reason why any of you cannot accomplish any of your goals.”

Sen. Mullis urged the students to get involved in their communities, and invited them to the state Capitol.

“Working together is the only way to make things work,” he said. “Your ideas are how laws emerge.”

Rep. Neal said success comes from education, a strong work ethic and a desire to succeed.

“Do you have what it takes to buckle down and apply yourself?”

Andy Diffenderfer is based in LaFayette, Ga. Contact him at andydiff97@comcast.net.