On Saturday, December 6, Appalachian GEAR UP hosted the first L.E.A.D. Gather-Connect for the second cohort of the program.
Students from Ashe, Watauga, Burke, and Wilkes counties gathered in the Plemmons Student Union at Appalachian State University to meet one another and discuss the details of their participation in GEAR UP’s L.E.A.D program.
The day kicked off with a welcome address from L.E.A.D program director and Assistant Director for Student Leadership & Family Outreach, Yolanda Adams. Yolanda congratulated the students on their accomplishment of applying to and being accepted into the L.E.A.D program.
Yolanda also led students in team building activities, such as one activity that had students build towers out of marshmallows and toothpicks.
After this activity, students learned more about the L.E.A.D program. Yolanda explained the different contributions L.E.A.D scholars are expected to make to their respective communities, such as volunteering and networking.
On the success of the event, Yolanda Adams said, “The inaugural LEAD Gather-Connect Kick-Off Event, held at Appalachian State University, achieved incredible success. An incredible year of leadership, growth, and discovery lies ahead for this outstanding cohort.”
Also present at the event was local Boone nonprofit Wine To Water. Founder and president, Doc Hendley, spoke to students about his past, the founding of Wine to Water, and what being a community leader means to him.
Doc also led students in building one of the portable water filters that’s central to the Wine to Water mission. Students assembled the filters, packaged them, and wrote an encouraging note to the family who would be receiving the filter.
This was the first of several Gather-Connect events that L.E.A.D students will participate in throughout the year and was an incredible way for these scholars to begin their L.E.A.D. journey.
