This year’s Youth Leadership Academy, a program of Leadership Johnson County, meet for asession at Grace United Methodist Church. The program is designed to bring together Johnson County high school students to learn more about their community and practice leadership skills.
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For nearly three decades, individuals from local businesses, churches, organizations and schools have come together to go through leadership boot camp.
They’ve learned how to lead meetings, identify the best people to help with a particular job and organize a team during their time with Leadership Johnson County. Around the county, they’ve learned about agriculture, industry and social services.
Most importantly, they have worked together to create meaningful projects to better the lives of county residents, many of which are in existence.
“Not only are we helping the leaders with leadership, we’re helping them learn more about the community, what the community entails and what the community needs,” said Lisa Kress, Signature Program director for Leadership Johnson County. “These leaders are coming out having a better understanding where they can make a difference.”
Leadership Johnson County has helped shape the people who move the county forward. The program has helped create new agencies, efforts and programs to help the most vulnerable residents.
This year’s class is publicizing the contributions of area senior services, improving spaces where law enforcement officials can meet with young victims of crimes, helping a veterans memorial in Greenwood come to fruition, connecting companies with high-skilled workers and expanding social situations for individuals with autism.
Through these real-life experiences, the group will emerge after graduation as more well-rounded leaders for their organizations.
“I’m thankful to be a part of Leadership Johnson County because of the ongoing opportunities to truly understand local issues and celebrate what’s great about our area,” said Karen Metzger, a member of this year’s class. “It’s been wonderful to build relationships with current and former participants, all of whom bring their different experiences and perspectives to make Johnson County a better place for us all to live and work.”
Since it was founded in 1995, Leadership Johnson County has trained more than 800 local residents to be better leaders and contributors to the local community.
The organization was born after area residents expressed concerns about the direction local agencies, businesses and government would go in the future.
Duke Energy, known at the time as Cinergy/PSI, conducted a survey to gauge public opinion about the future of leadership in Johnson County. People wondered who would fill future volunteer vacancies and board leadership positions as the current generation of community leaders grew older. They were also worried that those leaders might not be qualified to lead and serve. Taking those concerns to heart, Duke Energy and Franklin College formed a leadership program for the county.
“We have seen numerous companies sponsor employees to go through the program, just to continue to build their leadership skills and community awareness,” Kress said.
The organization has grown to include special workshops and seminars held throughout the year, focusing on management, women in leadership positions and the power of innovation.
A recent addition to the Leadership Johnson County program is a Youth Leadership Academy. Founded in 2019, the five-month program is designed to bring together a select group of county high school students to learn more about their community and practice leadership skills.
But at the core of the organization is still the Signature Program. Those accepted to the program meet once a month, and each class asks students to focus on a different aspect of leadership.
Organizers try to split the curriculum into two parts: leadership skill enhancement and community awareness. Specific days of the class are divided into categories: media, infrastructure and agriculture, for example. Starting next year, organizers are also adding a coach piece to the program, providing additional guidance to participants, Kress said.
“We found that a lot of people need help figuring out what’s next for them. The participants are able to pick the goals, they decide what they want to work on. Then a coach creates a safe space for them to work on those goals, whether they’re career based or personal based,” she said.
The centerpiece of the program, though, is the group project. In the first month, participants break off into small groups, with each team required to envision and enact a project that would benefit the community.
“Along the way, we help them understand various elements of group work: we set up the groups, help them understand the different personalities in the group, how to understand why things are happening in the group,” Kress said. “For us, it’s all about the group process, how to make it work better for them, not only during the program but after the program as well.”
Past examples of projects that have endured include the Soup Bowl, a benefit for Habitat for Humanity of Johnson County, and a memorial tree-planting program with Franklin Parks and Rec.
This year’s round of projects has an ambitious scope.
The Storytellers group is working with Johnson County Senior Services to create a video campaign to assist with fundraising for the agency, which will then have the videos available for their use moving forward.
“We’d like to boost their social media presence and expand their outreach. Visual quick stories are an effective way to communicate in today’s world, and we want to help (Johnson County Senior Services) reach a new audience of people who might not know about the services they provide,” group member Missy Jones said.
Catalyst for Change is continuing a project started last year, when a Leadership Johnson County group helped paint a mural in the Child Advocacy Center at the Johnson County Prosecutor’s Office. This year’s project includes reworking the center’s interview and observation rooms, with a goal of ensuring that children who come to the center feel as comfortable and safe as possible.
Connect 6 for Autism reached out to the Autism Community Connection to raise money to hire part-time chaperones, which are critical so the organization can have social events for young adults with autism.
“Parents of young adults with autism really struggle with making them a part of a social network once their children graduate from high school. Their opportunities to connect with others socially plummet once they’re on their own, and the parents are often left wondering, ‘Now what?’” said Donna Jones, a member of the group.
Area 6 is working with ASSIST Indiana to install a shower for victims of rape or assault if they come looking for help.
Another group is raising awareness of the Greater Greenwood Veterans Memorial, partnering with existing organizers to plan fundraisers and raise money to finish the memorial.
Ready—Set—Skilled! came together to provide a one-stop resource hub for local businesses that promotes avenues for advanced industry jobs.
“Johnson County is in need of skilled workers and there are people out there who would be interested in the trade industries, but don’t know how to get started,” said Tiffany Freeman, a member of the group. “High schools tend to focus on college after high school, and many students do not know there are other successful options outside of college. We want to give everyone, including those looking for a career change, the opportunity to understand what skilled trades are and how to begin that journey if they desire.”
