The Community Education Center of Elk and Cameron Counties officially kicked off the twentieth year of the community leadership program with a class of 18 local participants. The inaugural session was hosted at The Rustic Wilderness Lodge on September 8^th and 9^th.  At Tuesday’s evening mixer, the participants were able to bring their sponsor and their spouse/friend to learn about the program and understand what to expect in the upcoming 10 months. Wednesday’s session set the stage for an intensive, hands-on leadership development experience designed to empower individuals with the skills and knowledge needed to foster community growth and collaboration.

Participants explored their own personal leadership styles, and those of others. This activity set the foundation for discussions on collaborative leadership and relationship-building. Kaitlyn Goode from The Center for Rural PA delivered a detailed presentation on the demographic and socioeconomic trends shaping the region. The session provided valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities facing local communities, arming participants with data to inform their own leadership journeys. Lunch was generously sponsored by Creative Concrete and provided by Wildwoods. A Volunteer Networking event was held with 14 different organizations where participants rotated through the organizations learning about volunteering opportunities.

This year’s participant sponsors include: The Brockway Center for Arts & Technology, the Community Education Center, Comtec Mfg., Contact Technologies, Dauch Corporation, Dickinson Center, the Elk County Housing Authority, the Emporium Foundation, First Commonwealth Bank, the Johnsonburg Borough, the Lumber Heritage Region, MADDMind, LLC, Northwest Bank, Pinky Promise Nails, the Ridgway Area School District, the St. Marys Area School District, and Sarah Jane’s Art Studio.

For more information or to get involved in future Leadership Elk and Cameron sessions, please contact the CEC (814) 781-3437.