Plemmons Leadership Scholars | Paying it forward
The Plemmons Leadership Scholars program offers a 4 year scholarship to 10 incoming students each year. These students come in as a cohort, take a Principles of Leadership course together during the first semester and engage with the program in a variety of ways throughout their 4 years. This program is based on leadership and service with an expectation that our scholars will work to achieve ambitious goals in these areas while at Appalachian and as a lifelong habit.
This year, our Plemmons Leadership Scholars have connected with the Junior Beta Club at Hardin Park School. This club is available to 6th, 7th and 8th graders and focuses on leadership and service. After a period of absence, the Jr. Beta Club was brought back to Hardin Park in 2016. Beginning late Fall semester, our Plemmons Scholars have attended Beta Club leadership team meetings to discuss helping with monthly meetings, providing additional advising and insights into a planned “Dance-A-Thon” fundraiser being planned by the kids and hosting a leadership program at Appalachian for these students.
The “Leadership Summit” program took place on Saturday, February 17 in Plemmons Student Union. Approximately 15 Plemmons Scholars hosted approximately 30 Hardin Park Beta Club students and their advisor in the Plemmons Student Union for 3 hours. This time was used to engage in leadership-based activities, a personality inventory exercise and to hear brief reflections from some of our college students on life as a college student. The program concluded with a brief closing from Appalachian and Plemmons Leadership Scholar alumnus, Brandon Winbush. Brandon graduated in spring of 2017 and is the new Choral Director for Watauga High School.
Our Beta Club friends quickly see these college students for what they are – older versions of themselves. Our Appalachian students make all of the possibilities ahead for these kids very real and tangible.
For our college students, to have arrived at this selective place with a prestigious scholarship does not come without years of support from family, teachers, mentors, Appalachian staff, faculty and the financial support of scholarship donors. This outreach represents one small opportunity to pay it forward to the next generation.