[ February 10, 2025 ] They say time flies when you are having fun and that is definitely evident with our 21st Century Leaders of Pickens club. This is a group of 9-12th graders who have an agenda to help as many people as possible in their high school years so that they leave a legacy of servant leadership in our community.
During December, the club members were making a difference locally and internationally. Many of the members reported to the Chamber of Commerce to greet hundreds of motorcycles on their North Georgia toy run. They greeted Santa as the official leader of the group, and they began to take the toys from the cyclists so the toys could be sorted and bagged.
After sorting and bagging, they loaded all the toys and helped unload them at the distribution center. It was a long day, but smiles remained a constant sight among the group. Then in the following weeks they helped bag the toys according to the children's wish lists.
Finally, on one of the distribution days members arrived to get the bags of toys to the families. It was amazing to see these teens greet the families in such an uplifting way by saying things like, "It would be my pleasure to take these to your car for you." Or to the mom with a baby on the hip and holding the hand of another, "Oh please. You have your hands full. I would be more than happy to do this for you." It was never a moment of "let me have pity on your situation". It was moments where the unspoken words echoed, "Let me walk beside you and give you a helping hand."
After helping locally, we were called on to help with Operation Christmas Child (OCC). While many of you are familiar with the shoeboxes that you fill with simple goodies for children here and abroad, many of you do not know what happens after those are donated at your local church.
Our club members were given the opportunity to travel to the Acworth area to the OCC factory. Here boxes go through inspection. Some people, even with the best intentions, put things in the boxes that don't belong. The boxes at this center were being placed on pallets to be shipped out.
Some items that did not get removed could have grave consequences for the children receiving them. Toy soldiers must be removed because in some countries children are kidnapped to be a part of rebel forces. Therefore, this kind of toy is not a good choice to send. OCC requests that people help with postage and many people put their money in the box. If that money is not taken out before being shipped, in some countries a child would be killed for this money. Unpacking and checking these boxes closely was a big responsibility. Someone's life could depend on it.
21st Century Leaders Pickens ended 2024 with a celebratory dinner at Johnny's Pizza with a little karaoke. We wrapped the year up with a bow and made great plans for 2025.
The state organization of 21st Century Leaders has uniquely brought together thousands of Georgia students from diverse backgrounds to learn and grow from one another while providing them with the training, guidance, and encouragement necessary to enter college and the workforce with a highly developed set of leadership values and skills. And 21st Century Leaders Pickens is no different. As the premier provider of youth leadership and development programs in the state, we offer numerous ways to connect, transform, and inspire our young leaders and develop a diverse talent pipeline through:
☆ School + Summer Programming - The Pickens County members have already been to Georgia State University and Emory University where they were joined by their peers from all over the state, university staff and students, and business leaders as they worked together to develop career and college skills.
☆ Internships & Scholarships - We offer scholarship opportunities at the local level, while the state organization provides additional scholarships.
☆ Financial Support - Money should never stand in the way of gaining skills and serving your community. If a student needs financial assistance to be able to attend a 21 CL event, there are funds to assist.
☆ Volunteer Opportunities - Since the school year began, we have volunteered at the senior citizen center, helped with the annual Toy Run, helped feed the homeless, and helped at OCC. We also have individual students that are developing their own service projects.
21st Century Leaders club is equipping and empowering young talent to lead while fostering a culture of inclusion and service. Students are challenged to go out and serve their community with a vision. A vision that has them question, "What can I do to affect this situation?" It's more than just going to do the service and leave. It's about digging deeper to discover the impact they can have with their talents and knowledge.
In addition to community service 21st Century Leaders, along with its partners, prepares young diverse talent to enter our workforce with confidence and in-demand skills through college and career exploration and engagement with professionals. They are given opportunities to meet CEOs of large companies and be mentored by these same individuals.
Employers across the state and nation report that recent graduates are not doing what it takes to make it in the workplace. As a matter of fact, after surveying 1,000 U.S. business leaders, 1 in 6 say they are hesitant to hire recent college graduates again. 21st Century Leaders aims to fill in the gap and create firm foundation for those entering the college or career world.
If you want to see a teen in your life be "busy as a bee" helping in the community while gaining skills to stand out in the community, get them involved with 21st Century Leaders. Our club represents a mixture of home school, private school, and public school students in grades 9-12. You can find out more about our organization by contacting Traci Buckingham at 21clubpickens@gmail.com.
