36 Students Join Youth Leadership Sandy Springs

SANDY SPRINGS, GA -- Youth Leadership Sandy Springs has launched its new year with its sixth class, which is made up of 36 students from eight area schools.

On Aug. 11, 2016, they were inducted in a ceremony at the Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School’s Fine Arts building and on Aug. 27, class members attended their half-day opening retreat at New Schools at Carver High School.

Challenged by Outward Bound Atlanta, YLSS students learned the value of teamwork during their retreat, and were undefeated by tarps and tightropes, balance beams and bridges.

YLSS is a unique year of leadership training and civic education for high school sophomores and juniors who live or attend school in Sandy Springs. The program takes students behind the scenes for an insider’s view of the community.

Some of the upcoming program days include a visit to Sandy Springs City Hall to learn about local government, participating in a mock trial in a courtroom, learning about the human services of area non-profit organizations, investigating environmental issues along the Chattahoochee River, participate in mock interviews, and more.

The emerging community leaders selected for this year’s class are (listed by school):

• The Weber School: Sari Olim
• Marist School: Blakely Dishman
• St. Pius X Catholic School: Ansley Stevens
• Holy Innocents' Episcopal School: Kate Wray, Lexi Swanson, Katie Smith, Julia Sherrill, Saffy Bashey, Ryan Blasberg, Aidan Collins, Jonathon Davis and Macnair Sawicki
• North Springs Charter High School: Jared Hopkins, Annabelle Finck, Jade Nowitz, Edgar Rodriguez, Jared Rakusin, Daniel Salpeter, Taylor Herold, Arianna Dinberg
• Riverwood International Charter School: Elaina Levy, Jacky Martinez-Dominguez, Ethan Hunt, Julie Mittelstedt, JP Lutz, Jack Kurlander, Olivia Koenig, Graci Goldstein, Jack Buehner, Ryan Belfi, Nate Arney, Michelle Stanek
• Mt. Vernon Presbyterian School: Bryce Jones and Abby Emerson Holy Spirit Preparatory School: Maddie Hardt and Ben Grisham.

The next event for the class will be a cell phone scavenger hunt scheduled for Sept. 14.

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Photo 1: the class of 2017
Photo 2: Annabelle Finck, Graci Goldstein, Lexi Swanson, Ansley Stevens (behind post), Olivia Koenig and JP Lutz all balance together.
Photo 3: Abigail Emerson (Mt. Vernon) climbs on to the beam.
Photo credits: Leadership Sandy Springs