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UF Health Flagler Hospital recently kicked off its Third year leading the Youth Leadership St. Johns program with a weekend retreat at Camp Montgomery in Keystone Heights, Florida. Participants, who are high school juniors from every school in St. Johns County, are selected through a highly competitive application process. Beginning with the two-day retreat, students learn the importance of teamwork, gain a better understanding of what it means to be a leader, and then put those skills to use as they discover many new sides of the county over the course of eight program days (like Law Day, Social Services Day, and Business Day).

“Our hope is that by the end of the program, students will have met a number of key contacts throughout the community, honed their leadership skills, gained a clear idea of what makes St. Johns County work, created fun memories and formed meaningful friendships,” commented Francesco Manfredi, who oversees the program as part of his role as Marketing Coordinator at UF Health Flagler Hospital.

The youth program was established seventeen years ago by the Chamber of Commerce Leadership St. Johns Class of 2001. Local leaders Kathy Mignerey and Nancy Birchall were part of that class and have been involved with the program ever since. They led the students through several sessions at the retreat including the Eight Styles of Leadership and how to plan a successful fundraiser. The students also learned “Roberts Rules of Order” and participated in fundamental team building activities led by a professional leadership coach.

There was some time for fun too, especially when members of the class learned that the three participants from Ponte Vedra High School were missing their homecoming event to be there. The class quickly crafted their own homecoming crowns, arranged an impromptu dance and crowned the Ponte Vedra students king and queens.

Although the impromptu homecoming was a great moment, the students’ thirst for knowledge and passion for community was most evident and inspiring throughout the weekend.