Clinton, KY. Sept.  17, 2012 - The Chamber of Commerce and the Hickman County High School started its third year in the cultivation and growth of young leaders. The joint program is the only one of its kind in the state of Kentucky. This year’s program is made up of sixteen seniors. The two prior years students were sophomores and juniors.

The program is designed to enroll high school seniors into an intense eight month project to learn leadership skills and team building. As teams, these students tackle real world problem solving exercises confronting Clinton and Hickman County.

Last Friday and Saturday, these students spent over 12 hours of intense briefings and work exercises concerning current problems in economies, geopolitical events, personal leadership skills development and problem solving team building.

Deena Pittman, President of the Clinton/Hickman County Chamber, made this observation, “We in the Chamber welcome the opportunity to join in partnership with the Hickman County High School to help our youth to form a think tank for studying our futures.”

The program is designed to allow students the opportunity to work together in three critical areas: (1) developing new personal leadership skills (2) learning civic government organizations and how they relate to each other, and (3) establishing an innovative platform for community strategic vision development.

Students are expected to produce an original research paper, present their findings using multimedia to community leaders, perform community service and attend, observe and report on local boards and commissions. Adult leaders this year are County Extension Agent Melissa Goodman, Hickman County Schools Community Outreach Director Beverly Hopkins and futurist Ivan Potter.