HYLA High School Class Visits Mississippi Capitol

The Hancock Youth Leadership Academy (HYLA) High School Program Class of 2015 recently embarked on a tour across the state to team-build, learn more about formal leadership and government, and to get a glimpse of higher education in the state.

The 2015 HYLA High School Class is comprised of twenty-four high school juniors from Hancock County who represent all four area schools.  On Sunday, March 1, 2015, the group traveled to the Garaywa Camp & Conference Center in Clinton, Mississippi, where they participated in several challenges focused on team-building and effective leadership through self-awareness and respect for the contributions of others.  The adventure ended with a mock bonfire (due to the weather) and lodging at the conference center, before the next full day of the trip began.

Mississippi College in Clinton was the first stop of the day for the young leaders that included a tour of the beautiful campus.  From there, they travelled to Millsaps College in Jackson where the administration welcomed students with a campus tour and provided lunch.  The students then embarked on a full afternoon at the State Capitol, organized by State Representative David Baria (District 122).  Governor Phil Bryant greeted the students before they toured the Capitol Building and then met with Representative Patricia Willis (District 95) and Senator Phillip Moran (District 46).

The young leaders then visited the Supreme Court, and met with Honorable Randy Pierce and Honorable Eugene Fair, Jr., to learn about the inner workings of the state’s judicial system, before rounding out a very full two days of team building, civic education, and engagement with state leadership institutions.  This session was generously sponsored by Alexander, Van Loon, Sloan, Levens & Favre, PLLC.

Founded in 2008, the Hancock Resource Center (HRC) is a local nonprofit and HUD-approved counseling agency that works to improve housing conditions throughout Hancock County by fostering affordable homeownership, helping to repair or replace damaged homes, and providing foreclosure and homelessness prevention counseling. HRC also fosters community development programs, including HYLA, and provides counseling and case management services and assistance for a variety of community issues, including domestic violence, debt counseling, and disaster recovery.

Picture:  Hancock Youth Leadership students are pictured with Representatives David Baria, Patricia Willis, and Senator Phillip Moran.  Bottom Row:  Addie Haas (Bay High), Allyson Perkins (Hancock), and Beth Shiyou (Hancock)

2nd Row:  Victoria Power (OLA), Catherine Colbert, (OLA), Sofia Aderer (Bay High), Sarah Prine (Hancock), Mason Favre (SSC), Hannah Ladner (Hancock).

3rd Row:  Camaryn Bush (Bay High), Connor Sutherlin (Bay High), Loretta Resor (Bay High), Emily Stolz (Hancock), Maggie Kowalski (OLA), and Aviana Nash (Bay High).

4th Row:  Michael Shirah (SSC), Ryan Pitalo (SSC), Conner Ladner (Bay High), West Zimmerman (SSC), and Tyler Butler (Hancock).

Top Row:  Trey Labat (SSC), Dong Yul Kim (SSC), Tommy Reeder (SSC), and Mitchell Walk (SSC)

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