07/25/17 — Four county students attend leadership camp

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Four county students attend leadership camp

By Phyllis Moore
Published in News on July 25, 2017 10:56 PM

Four Wayne Early/Middle College High School students attended Cooperative Leadership Camp, an educational five-day camping program that features workshops and team-building exercises.

Students from across the state participated in the event, held in Whiteville.

Rising juniors Rebecca Eliassaint, Tai Love, Brenda Sanchez-Lorenzo and Aanyah Sykes were chosen from WEMCH.

"A guidance counselor told me about it and I applied for it," Love said. "I liked how I heard that it could building leadership."

The most beneficial aspect was getting to see how co-ops work in communities, she said.

"A co-op is a business like a grocery store that will have a board of directors -- we the people will vote for them in this community, we would ask for something to be in the store," she explained. "I would probably try to get involved more in my community."

She said the leadership camp sparked an interest in speaking with business leaders and taking a more active role in the future.

Miss Eliassaint said she had been a bit apprehensive going in but found she liked the caring and fun vibe of the camp.

"The food was delicious and I made really good friends that I still talk to every day," she said. "By the end of our stay, I was in tears because I didn't want to leave."

In addition to learning about what a co-op is, there were other lessons imparted, she said.

"I learned how to budget like an actual adult," she said. "I also learned a lot about myself, my personality and how to work better with people I've never met."

The experience provided some takeaways she said she will be able to apply in the future.

"I've established how to work and be comfortable around new people," she said. "I can work with anyone now, instead of just partnering up with my friends. I will also use an actual budget to help make these tough, real-life decisions a little more easily.

"I now know my options and will try to seek out co-ops in my area, instead of constantly investing in businesses that don't care about me or my opinions."

The Cooperative Leadership Camp was hosted by the Cooperative Council of North Carolina, an educational program for rising high school sophomores through seniors.

CCNC members sponsor high school teens from their community and allow them the opportunity cost-free.