In an event bursting with pride and youthful exuberance, the Valley Today welcomed several graduates of the Top of Virginia Regional Chamber's Arising Leadership Program. The program, designed to cultivate the next generation of confident leaders, concluded with a memorable graduation ceremony that highlighted the growth and achievements of its participants. In today's episode, host Janet Michael, shares the experiences and speeches of both the graduates and program sponsors.

Cynthia Schneider, the CEO of the Top of Virginia Regional Chamber, delivered an inspiring opening speech to the graduates. She praised their dedication and growth throughout the program. "You all have already mastered many leadership principles. You showed up. That is number one. Your employers are looking for people who will show up on time every day, and you did just that... You've made some new friends. I hope you have," she expressed warmly.

Cynthia emphasized the importance of confidence and clarity that the program aimed to instill in the students. "The program was designed to cultivate leaders in the arising generation that radiate confidence. I remember when we were putting this program together two years ago that we wanted young people that would radiate confidence and I think that's what we are seeing."

One of the highlights of the evening was the speech by Ava Funkhouser, who was elected by her peers as a speaker for the graduation ceremony. Ava reflected on the personal growth and unexpected discoveries she made during the program. "When I first started this program, I thought we'd be learning about leadership in a traditional sense... But what I didn't expect was how much I learned about myself and what kind of leader I want to be," she shared, her words resonating with many in the room.

Ava beautifully articulated the essence of leadership, saying, "It's about listening. It's about caring. It's about showing up for people, even when things feel uncertain. Being a leader is about who you are when nobody's watching and who you become when people are counting on you."

Janet interviewed several students, including Ava Funkhouser, Kobe Kerns, Kiahna Venable, Brenden & Colton Luttrell, who shared their favorite aspects of the program and the friendships they formed. Kobe highlighted the unexpected enjoyment and learning experiences: "When I first started, I thought it was gonna be this boring thing. I'm doing it just for the experience of learning new things. And then when I got into it and I started meeting my people and my fellow friends, it just clicked to me that this is actually really fun and I actually had a lot of fun."

The program's success would not have been possible without the support of sponsors like Carmeuse Lime and Stone. Logan Thompson, the Area Operations Manager, expressed the company’s dedication to local leadership and community involvement. "Leadership is very near and dear to Carmeuse's heart... We want to be one of the places that attract people in a program like this to come back and work in the area."

Kaleigh Finchem, who created and led the program's first batch of students, saw it flourish under its new leadership. Sharing her sentiments, she remarked, "It's just really nice with these kids. They come out here, they have an expectation of what they think this program's gonna be... But I'll tell you what, three days in, it's like they come out of their shell."

As the event wrapped, Cynthia sat down with Janet to reflect on the program's success and its bright future. She shared the long-term vision for the program and its impact. "This is the culmination of an almost 10-year goal... And now getting that vision, like having the program was a vision. I'm just in awe of how beautifully it's rolling out." Cynthia highlighted the vital role of sponsors like Carmeuse Lime and Stone and shared her confidence in the program's continued success. "Because of them, we then had the confidence to launch knowing that we could pay for every student."

The evening concluded with a celebration of camaraderie and shared experiences among students, parents, and organizers. "Our future is looking pretty bright," Janet Michael remarked, reflecting the collective sentiment of hope and optimism for the leaders of tomorrow.

If you are interested in supporting the Arising Leadership Program or participating in its Community Leadership counterpart, visit regionalchamber.biz for more information.