The Junior Leadership Program in Oxford and Lafayette County is helping high school sophomores step into leadership and connect with their community. Through leadership development and volunteer projects students are gaining skills that will last beyond high school.

The program focuses on developing young leaders while encouraging them to make a positive impact. Program coordinator Pam Swain emphasized the goals behind Junior Leadership.

“The main goal of the Junior Leadership Program is to identify and cultivate young leaders in the Oxford and Lafayette County area,” Swain said. “We want to foster leadership skills early and encourage students to have a strong, positive influence on their community.”

The program runs from late January through April and includes multiple different activities that expose students to different parts of the community. Students meet weekly and learn skills such as leadership development, team building, and community involvement.

“Students learn about different sectors like the university, legal, medical, and arts communities,” Swain said. “The program is designed for sophomores who want to sharpen their leadership skills and get involved in community service.”

For many students, the experience goes beyond what they expected. Sophomore Witt Bolton said he decided to join after hearing about the program from a friend.

“My friend Logan encouraged me to join Junior Leadership,” Bolton said. “He told me it would be a fun and worthwhile experience.”

One of Bolton’s favorite parts of the program was getting to explore different areas of the community. As well as volunteering with many different programs.

“My favorite part was getting to visit places like the Manning Center, the police station, and the fire station,” Bolton said. “At the Manning Center I was able to meet Ole Miss football player Kewan Lacy.”

In addition to weekly meetings, students also participate in volunteer projects. This year’s group worked with organizations including CASA of North Mississippi, More Than a Meal, and Love Packs. Each student completed at least nine hours of community service.

“This gives students exposure to different community projects and teaches them how to work together as a team for the common good,” Swain said. “While also educating and motivating participants.”

Through these experiences, Bolton said he gained a new perspective on leadership. He learned a lot about the community he did not know before.

“I learned that being a leader is a choice, you have to decide to step up and take responsibility,” Bolton said. “It’s a great opportunity to learn more about your community and discover things you might not have known before.”

OHS sophomore, Laura Lovelady, said she was inspired to join after seeing her brother’s positive experience in the program. She said hearing about his experience made her excited to learn more about the community.

“My brother graduated from the program two years ago, and he encouraged me to do it,” Lovelady said. “He loved learning things about our community and making new friends.”

Lovelady said one of her favorite experiences was visiting the hospital. This opened her eyes to many different career pathways.

“We got to learn more about a career path I might want to take in my future,“ Lovelady said. “I liked seeing the medical field from a different perspective rather than just as a patient.”

Beyond individual activities, Lovelady said the program helped her better understand how the community works as a whole. She was able to make new connections with community leaders and peers.

“We learned so much about different parts of Oxford and how they all connect,” Lovelady said. “It made me even more grateful to live here.”

A typical Junior Leadership day includes after school meetings on Mondays, where students hear from guest speakers and visit different locations around the community. Volunteer opportunities on weekends also play a big role in the experience.

“We had speakers for each topic and also volunteered on weekends,” Lovelady said. “We worked with organizations like Love Packs and More Than a Meal and even helped with a CASA event.”

With meaningful experiences, strong community connections, and opportunities to grow. The Junior Leadership Program continues to shape students into confident leaders ready to make an impact.

“These students are the future leaders of our community,” Swain said. “They gain essential leadership skills and a deeper understanding of how they can make a difference.”