Owego students participate in leadership workshop

Ten Owego ninth and tenth graders spent three engaging hours recently in the Coburn Public Library Community Room. They were there not to read, but to lead. 

Thanks to Graham Strolin, Sullivan O’Donnell and Shannon Maslin, youth Board members of the Charles H. Bassett Youth Foundation, this diverse group of youth volunteered time to participate in a Student Leadership Workshop conducted by the Foundation, and in partnership with the Coburn Library.

Bob Bassett, national Master PYLI trainer, facilitated activities in community building, team building and self building to prepare and challenge the students to be servant leaders in the school and most importantly in the Owego community.

The students mapped and discussed local problems and learned team problem solving skills in exercises such as the traffic jam, diminishing load, and team on a tarp.

The workshop was conducted to honor the contributions and memory of General Colin Powell, a great American military leader, statesman and founder of America’s Promise: The Alliance For Youth. 

Bassett stated, in a release, “Students left with new and deeper friendships, a better understanding of themselves, the strengths they contribute to a team, and the challenge to continue growing in a balanced way that includes doing volunteer service to better the Owego Community. 

Participating students included John Carvellis, Logan Georgia, Johnny Gilliland, Elijah Harris, Matt Higgins, Shannon Maslin, Joey Mikels, Sullivan O’Donnell, Graham Strolin, and Matthew Wood.