With bright futures ahead of them, graduates of the fourth annual Leadership Academy celebrated their accomplishments on June 30 at the Youth Center in Los Alamitos. The top rated non-profit awarded certificates of completion after a week of intensive workshops designed to give a real world education of adult life beyond high school.
With bright futures ahead of them, graduates of the fourth annual Leadership Academy celebrated their accomplishments on June 30 at the Youth Center in Los Alamitos. The top rated non-profit awarded certificates of completion after a week of intensive workshops designed to give a real world education of adult life beyond high school.
Partnering with educators, local business professionals and residents, the academy provided free training in nine workshops which included financial skills, how to live successfully independently, auto maintenance and knowledge, goal setting and leadership skills, success in the personal and business world, home economics, and career skills.
On hand at the graduation was Los Alamitos Mayor Richard Murphy, who awarded certificates to the students, which will benefit them in building their resumes for future employment and applications to college. The students were also awarded certificates from 72nd District State Assemblyman Travis Allen’s office.
“I think the Leadership Academy is fantastic,” said Mayor Murphy. “These are the skills people need in life that’s not being taught in high school. They should be taught to everyone. It’s great work that the Youth Center is doing here.”
Upon completion of the academy, the graduates walked away with a 2016 Leadership Academy certificate of completion, a letter of recommendation, written goals, resume, professional photo, bank account (upon parental approval), and peer-to-peer friendships.
For Spencer Torres, 18, of Buena Park who just graduated from John F. Kennedy High School he especially enjoyed the team building he experienced with his peers and how all the workshops were interactive. He was recently awarded Eagle Scout because he attended the academy to learn leadership skills. Scott Newton of the Youth Center and Seal Beach Lion’s Club taught on leadership skills.
Topics for the workshops were new to Torres, but for fellow graduate Jesse Daniel Martin, 18, of Buena Park who also graduated from John F. Kennedy High School the topics were presented in a way he’d never experienced or heard before.
“I really liked workshops that addressed emotional well-being, evaluating and finding yourself ,” said Martin. “On finding myself, I have already been evaluating myself and it’s helped me to be more introspective.” Workshops addressing these topics were taught by Rebecca Schrock, MFT. He also learned how to take action, and enjoyed the cooking aspect of the academy as well. Home Economics and cooking skills were taught by Amy Loe and Teri Appleton, owners of Chef Tech Cooking School in Long Beach.
For Austin Hubert, 16, of Los Alamitos who attends Los Alamitos High School cooking was found useful to him along with learning budgeting and financial skills, but his favorite topics were on automotive care, financial skills, and job interviewing/resume writing career skills. “I learned new things, but was reinforced some of what I already knew,” he said. Automotive maintenance was taught by Mike Levia, manager of Coastline Auto in Los Alamitos. Financial skills were taught by financial advisor Jennifer Fontanilla as well as Josh Wilson of Southland Credit Union in Los Alamitos.
Joseph Maass, 17, of Long Beach who just graduated from Los Alamitos High School also benefited learning new things from the career skills workshops. “I learned what to say in an interview and that it’s okay to ask questions,” he said. “The career skills and learning resume writing were my favorite aspects of the academy.” Career skills were taught by Orange Coast College Professor Emeritus Ann Harmer of Women Helping Women and Men to Work of Santa Ana.
Career skills and financial skills were also beneficial to Harrison Russell, 16, of Seal Beach who attends Los Alamitos High School. “Currently, I am applying for jobs, and will definitely use the interview techniques and resume format I learned,” he said. “I also learned a lot of helpful financial and business world success things.”
Some of these topics were new to Russell, as they were also for Joseph Mena, 16, of Whittier who attends Los Alamitos High School. “I wasn’t quite taught these things before,” he said. “I’m sure I will apply what I’ve learned because it’s very useful and is not taught in school.” He also really enjoyed the cooking because it was interactive with his peers, and liked the automotive maintenance workshop.
The only female of the group, Andrea Dickey, 17, of Long Beach who attends Los Alamitos High School was impressed by the motivational speaker, Seth Eaker of Black Marble Consulting who spoke on life and how to be successful personally and in the business arena.
Learning about personal success, emotional management and the different life paths people take benefitted Andy Lam, 15, of Artesia who attends Los Alamitos High School. “When I was learning on life paths, it really opened my eyes making me aware of all the ways people try to get through life,” he said.
All the students echoed the same sentiments that it was good to learn all these skills while they were young so they could get a head start in life as strong leaders who care about their futures and the future of the community.