Alumni Spotlight: Gabrielle Elisabeth

Gabrielle (Benson) Elisabeth, is our first alumni spotlight for July. A graduate of Robert Alexander High School (2010) in Douglas County and of the University of West Georgia (2014). She currently lives in New York City, performing in Beautiful The Carole King Musical as Little Eva/ Shirelle on Broadway and is pursuing a career in the film and television industry. She’s also appeared on the TV show, The Marvelous Mrs.Maisel (season 2 on Amazon Prime). She was recognized and awarded by University of West Georgia with the 30 under 30 award for being on top of her career and she serves with several organizations that help give back to her local community through the arts.

Gabrielle says that 21CL provided her a safe place to learn how to be confident and to present herself in a business environment and opened her eyes to a world of opportunities. 

How did participating in 21CL transform you and lead you to where you are now?

21st Century Leaders helped me gain confidence in myself and helped me learn how to present myself in a business environment. I was a very shy child and having a safe place to learn these skills was an amazing opportunity.

How did 21CL prepare you for your next steps? Going into college and taking on leadership roles, heading into a new era of professionalism, etc. What skills/tools/perspectives have helped you along the way?

21st Century Leaders helped me see just how big the world is and how there are so many different types of people with an endless amount of skills. This may sound intimidating at first, but it helped me realize how important it is to work hard at your craft and to find what makes YOU stand out.

Which programs did you participate in, and when? What skills did you gain or improve through those programs?

I attended the summer leadership institute, EarthCare with Georgia Power in summer of 2010. I mainly learned self-confidence and how to conduct myself in business situations.

What was a memorable or ‘aha’ moment in 21CL? (Particular program, meeting professional and diverse peers, speaking in public for the first time, etc.?)

A standout moment for me during the program was having dinner with business professionals. Learning proper table etiquette and conversing with people who have already established themselves in their chosen field was important. It showed me that business is just as much social as it is professional.

Did 21CL assist you in developing a leadership style that makes you an effective leader? if so how? And have you recently learned something else about leadership? Please share!
21st Century Leaders definitely taught me the importance of following through, but also the importance of listening. Sometimes the best leaders say the least. It’s not always about getting the glory or being the face of a project. There is so much strength and professionalism in the details.

21st Century Leaders Receives Commendation from State of Georgia

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Founding Executive Director receives honor for 29 years of service to Georgia’s High School Students

(March 2019) Atlanta, Georgia – 21st Century Leaders is proud and honored to receive a 2019 Commendation from the State of Georgia from former Governor, Nathan Deal to recognize the organization’s 30th year history and specifically recognize the retirement of our founding executive director, Robert “Bob” Watson. 21st Century Leaders’ Board of Directors’ Chairman, Kevin Sessions presented the formal Commendation to Bob on March 2, 2019 at our annual Georgia Youth Leadership Awards.

Here’s a brief excerpt from the Commendation:

WHEREAS: Since 1989, 21st Century Leaders has served more than 14,000 high school students from over 250 high schools in Georgia. The efforts of the organization inspire young leaders and provide benefits for our state’s workforce by developing homegrown talent for Georgia communities and companies; and
WHEREAS: Mr. Robert “Bob” Watson, the founding executive director of 21st Century Leaders, has dedicated his career to the service of students in Georgia; and
WHEREAS: Mr. Watson retired in December 2018, following 29 years of service to youth leadership; and

WHEREAS: This year, 21st Century Leaders will celebrate 30 years of inspiring youth to lead and honor Mr. Watson for his decades of service; now
THEREFORE: I, NATHAN DEAL, Governor of the State of Georgia, do hereby commend

21ST CENTURY LEADERS
and join in recognizing Mr. Robert “Bob” Watson for his service to Georgia’s youth.

View the full 21st Century Leaders Commendation 2019

21st Century Leaders is also asking everyone to share how Bob and 21CL has impacted them and show your appreciation by writing him a message. Everyone is encouraged to submit it before April 15th! SUBMIT YOUR MESSAGE HERE

About 21st Century Leaders:
Since 1989, 21st Century Leaders has served more than 14,000 diverse high school students from over 250 Georgia high schools. 21st Century Leaders is a collaboration of business and professional leaders inspiring high school students to take on leadership positions, seek out opportunities and give back to their communities by connecting them a diverse group of enthusiastic peers, passionate professionals and powerful ideas, transforming their skills, attitudes, and abilities through training and hands-on experiences. For more information about 21st Century Leaders and how you can be a part of the 30 Year celebration, visit www.21stcenturyleaders.org.

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21st Century Leaders Appoints New Executive Director

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

21st Century Leaders Appoints New Executive Director

Founding Director retires after 29 years; New Executive Director to lead organization into its 30th milestone year of service to Georgia’s high school students

(November 2018) Atlanta, GA – The Board of Directors of 21st Century Leaders (21CL) has selected Kate Hewitt, Assistant Director of 21CL, as its next Executive Director. Ms. Hewitt assumed leadership in May 2018 as part of the transition, succeeding the organizations founding executive director Robert (Bob) Watson, who is retiring after 29 successful years of service.

Robert “Bob” Watson, Founding Director, 21st Century Leaders

Mr. Watson and Kevin Sessions, President of TalentQuest and Chairman of the 21CL Board of Directors, announced Ms. Hewitt’s appointment. “Kate’s in-depth leadership experience and her passion for the organization’s mission made her the ideal candidate to lead 21CL into its next 30 years of serving the students of Georgia. In 2019, 21CL will celebrate its 30th milestone year of service to the students of Georgia and we are excited to have her leading this new chapter in the organizations story.”

Kate Hewitt has served 21CL since 2014. She earned her B.A from Butler University. Prior to joining 21CL, Kate served a myriad of nonprofit and corporate clients through her work in marketing, public relations and event planning amassing an impressive track record of achievement in leadership, fundraising and operations excellence. Kate also has a background in broadcast journalism.

“I am humbled to be chosen for this role and very grateful to have the opportunity to lead 21st Century Leaders. It has been an honor to work alongside Bob for the last four years and to learn from his extensive experience and visionary leadership,” stated Hewitt.

21st Century Leaders is a youth leadership and talent development organization for Georgia high school students. 21CL provides year-round programming by collaborating with over 50 corporate and community partners. 21CL training includes residential summer leadership institutes, school-year training, school-based centers, and an online learning platform.

About 21st Century Leaders

Since inception, 21st Century Leaders has served more than 14,000 diverse high school students from over 250 Georgia high schools. 21st Century Leaders is a collaboration of business and professional leaders inspiring high school students to take on leadership positions, seek out opportunities and give back to their communities by connecting them a diverse group of enthusiastic peers, passionate professionals and powerful ideas, transforming their skills, attitudes, and abilities through training and hands-on experiences. For more information about 21st Century Leaders, visit www.21stcenturyleaders.org.

# # #

For media inquiries and image requests, please contact:

Liz Loreti

Director of Development

liz@21stcenturyleaders.org

404.373.7441

 

Alumni Spotlight: Nicholas Jones

Nicholas Jones who works for Eaton as a VAVE engineer is a graduate of Fort Valley State University (2014) with a Bachelor of Science degree in mathematics and of Georgia Institute of Technology (2017) with a Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering. He is a graduate of Southwest High School (2012). Nicholas says that the leadership skills he acquired from 21st Century Leaders helped him turn an internship into a part-time job while still in college and later into a full-time job when he graduated.

Paint a picture of what you are doing now.

My current role is a VAVE Engineer at Eaton’s Lighting Division in Peachtree City, GA. VAVE is an acronym for Value Analysis and Value Engineering. I have served in this role for a little over a year, and in this role my primary objective is to reduce the costs associated with our lighting products while maintaining or improving quality and value. This includes examining and/or changing manufacturing processes, suppliers, and product designs.

How did participating in 21CL change you and/or lead you to where you are now?

Participating in 21CL helped me work something that is very invaluable: soft skills. The programs at 21CL help students focus on communicating and building networks, which is a key resource in navigating college and career fields. Developing these skills helped me turn an internship into a part-time job during my last semester in college, which I was able to turn into a full-time position at Eaton once I graduated.

What was a memorable or ‘aha’ moment in 21CL? (Particular program, meeting a professional, etc.?)

The most memorable moment for me during my 21CL participation was learning to Salsa at EarthCare in 2009. It was memorable for me because it was a chance to interact with people I hadn’t normally interact with during the camp. It was also a chance to see everyone there having fun learning something new together in a more relaxed environment.

Which programs did you participate in, and when?

I participated in two 21CL programs: Earthcare at Berry College in 2009 and G5 ( now SYLI) at Goizueta in 2010.

How did 21CL prepare you for your next steps? Going into college and taking on leadership roles, heading into a new era of professionalism, etc. What tools/perspectives have helped you along the way?

Participating in 21CL prepared me for my next steps in life because it helped me appreciate diversity and different perspectives other than what I was used to. Being appreciative of and open to different thought processes and ideas allowed me to be a better leader in organizational roles in college. This is a key to being an effective leader.

What’s something you have recently learned about leadership?

Recently, I have learned that in order to be an effective leader, you have to know and build relationships with those under you. It’s important for those you lead to know that they can talk to you about issues they are facing.

VoyageATL Magazine Recognizes 21st Century Leaders as “Atlanta’s Most Inspiring Stories”

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21st Century Leaders was founded by a group of business executives who wanted to get their companies engaged with schools and talented youth that were in need of opportunities to reach their full potential for college and career. It soon became clear that there were a lot of youth all across Georgia with extraordinary potential but also a clear lack of opportunities for those same youth to develop that potential for themselves, their schools, their communities and their future places of work. They hired me as Executive Director to lead the effort to develop programs and reach out to additional businesses. The group incorporated in 1989 in Atlanta, and launched its first summer leadership institute program in 1991 with 31 students from 9 high schools. Read more>>

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VoyageATL 

Voyage Media started in Los Angeles, with their flagship publication VoyageLA.  After generating their first million page views in LA they knew their content was resonating with the community. They’ve since grown to Atlanta and a handful of other amazing cities with the help of an amazing network of friends, associates, local insiders and influencers, PR firms, local bloggers, artists, creatives, entrepreneurs and other professionals.

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Spirit of Leadership Awarded to Kathy Solley

Written by 21CL Youth Ambassador, Eric Mogaka, Morrow High School, Class of 2017

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21CL Board of Directors, Maria Flores-Blackburn presents the first "Spirit of Leadership Award" to Kathy Solley.
21CL Board of Directors, Maria Flores-Blackburn presents the first “Spirit of Leadership Award” to Kathy Solley.

Mrs. Kathy Solley, a long-time member on the 21st Century Leaders Board of Directors completed her final year in September 2017 on the board after many wonderful years. Recently, Mrs. Solley was awarded the first “Spirit of Leadership Award” at the Georgia Youth Leadership Awards. An award that truly embodies the spirit and passion of leadership. This award was created and chosen by the 21CL Board of Directors and was presented to Mrs. Solley by current board member and 21CL Alumni, Maria Flores-Blackburn.

It was my pleasure interviewing her and getting to know more about her and her experience serving on the board for 21st Century Leaders for over 20 years. In our interview she reflects on how her upbringing, educational background, and philanthropic service defines who she is.

Her Board History: When asked what accomplishments the board made since becoming a member, Mrs. Solley reminisced on the state of 21st Century Leaders when first founded (in 1991) and the vision of her fellow board members. The board of directors was not as formal as it is today, which you could expect from a growing organization, she asserted with laughter. With a new zeal, the board started meeting more frequently and decided maintaining a core vision of the organization is vital for the future of 21st Century Leaders, “moving in the direction of expanding our reach to as many high school students as we can”, she stated. 21st Century Leaders’ dynamic summer leadership institutes we see today are also a product of the actions of the board. She stated, that the board wanted to have summer institutes that each focused on a specific skills. Likewise, today 21st Century has three spectacular summer institutions with their own respective emphasis.

Her Massachusetts Background: Kathy Solley is from Kalamazoo, Michigan. Her father was a lawyer and her mother was a homemaker. She is the oldest of four with two younger brothers and one younger sister. Her secondary schooling was done at Western Michigan University and Kalamazoo Central High School. After graduating she attended Wellesley College. She later transferred to Yale University after it became coed, becoming part of the first undergraduate class with females at Yale!

While there, the male to female ratio was 8:1. She joked with me about how it was sitting in a class full of males. In spite of the scarcity of females, she became close to a lot of fellow students and cherished those years. She graduated Yale with a Bachelor’s in English. After graduating, she became a Vista volunteer (Teach for America) in Galveston, Texas helping students obtain GED’s. She later went to law school at New York University, while working with small firms during law school. After graduating law school she worked for Pennsylvania and Power  & Light Company as a lawyer in the legal department for 7-8 years . She later became in-house counsel at RJR Nabisco, when the company moved to Atlanta in 1987. She has been in Atlanta ever since working as a partner for Nelson, Mullins, Scarborough & Riley.  Quite an impressive leader!

Fun Facts: She loves to travel and has been to the Galapagos Island (site where Charles Darwin did his work on evolution) and still actively plays tennis. In fact, her mother played until 90! Mrs. Solley also owns a lake house at Lake Lanier where she loves to swim, and is a proud grandmother.

Concluding our interview, I asked her what advice does she have for us millennials for the future ahead and the advice. “Be open to new people, to experiences, and new ideas, it’ll make you a bigger person.”

The efforts of Mrs. Solley has certainly helped 21st Century Leaders emerge as a reservoir of leadership it is today, bringing out the leader in thousands of high schoolers, as it did me, and grooming them into potential leaders of the future.

On behalf of 21st Century Leaders, thank you Mrs. Solley for all of the years you’ve served 21st Century Leaders, we wish the best for you. – Eric Mogaka, Morrow High School

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Alumni Spotlight: Jevan Huston

JevanHutsonToday’s action challenge in the #21Days of Leadership social media campaign is to highlight a past leader who has made a difference in your life and inspired you to become a leader.

Meet 21CL alum Jevan Hutson, whose inclusive leadership has made a major difference in his community and its members! He attended SYLI (formerly known as G5!) at Emory’s Goizueta Business School in 2011 and served on the 21CL Youth Executive Board (Youth Leadership Team) from 2011-2012.

In addition to inspiring his peers at 21CL programs, Jevan was the recipient of the 2011 Georgia Youth Leadership Awards for his leadership as the 2011-2012 school coordinator for Whitewater High School’s Pennies for Patients, which benefits The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS). Jevan was directly responsible for leading his peers at Whitewater to donate approximately $40,000 over two years, raising enough money to support an LLS-funded researcher for more than 9 months. Read more about current and past Georgia Youth Leadership Award winners here!
#21daysofLeadership #21CL #iamINSPIRED

How did participating in 21st Century Leaders change you and/or lead you to where you are now?

At such a critical juncture in becoming a future leader and citizen-scholar, 21CL granted me a deeper sense of self-value and a more robust confidence to assert and contest my opinions as well as to engage and collaborate with community and industry leaders.

How did 21CL prepare you for your next steps? Going into college and taking on leadership roles, heading into a new era of professionalism, etc. What tool and perspectives have helped you long the way?

First and foremost, 21CL provided me a unique platform for both conceptualizing and operationalizing my academic and professional goals, which was very much integral to my successful transition into undergraduate life at Cornell University. Reflecting back on my experiences in 21CL, particularly now as a Master’s student at Cornell and soon-to-be law student, I can safely say that the program’s focus on collaboration, relationship building and professional networking skills was key not only to my professional development — helping me garner numerous, prestigious internships (Research & Technology Intern at the Boeing Company) and research assistantships during my undergraduate tenure — but also to my successful career as a student leader and community advocate on campus.

What’s something you’ve recently learned about leadership?

Overall, my leadership and service to the Cornell community has taught me that true leadership is interdisciplinary and requires organization that is inclusive and nurturing of all stakeholders. I ground my own pursuit of public service and passion for equity in an ability to be highly self-aware and to engage a practice of conscious activism. I listen deeply to the communities I serve, so that I may center their needs ahead of my own presumptions and understandings. While my own tenacity, advocacy, and intellectual curiosity are valuable and unique, they do not exclude the incorporation of others’ skillsets and the necessity of coalition building. Through inclusive leadership and a recognition of the power of solidarity within the experience of injustice, I learned they are in fact an imperative toward that organization.

Jevan graduated in 2012 from Whitewater High School in Fayetteville, Georgia. He earned his Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in History of Art (2016) from Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, where he is now pursuing a Master’s Degree in Information Science and guides students as a Teaching Assistant in “Personal Relationships and Technology” and “Information Ethics, Law, and Policy.” #iamINSPIRED

Alumni Spotlight: Britney Lovett

0c8f6fcWritten by Britney (Blackwell) Lovett, 21CL Alumni, Cox Communications

21st Century Leaders had a significant impact on my life in high school in several ways. I made so many new friends! I still talk to them even though it has been 7 years since we graduated from high school at Jonesboro High School in Clayton County. I gained an immense amount of knowledge about networking, teamwork and what it means to be a leader. 21CL I believe really gave me the tools to continue the same concepts in my professional career.

 

21CL exposed me to a career path I wouldn’t have originally considered. Before 21CL, I didn’t really know what I wanted to do. After my experience, I was 100% certain I wanted to go to business school and become a businesswoman.

1910317_19452360939_7913_nMy most memorable moment in 21CL was the summer leadership institute, (SYLI @Goizueta) at the Goizueta Business School at Emory University. My stay at Emory was a key point in my life because that is when I decided that when I graduated high school I wanted to go to business school. During my week long stay, I was exposed to what my life could be like in the future. I met a diverse group of business professionals. I was able to stay on the campus which exposed me to college life and I gained so much insight into the business world. The best part was that I was able to experience the whole thing with my friends.

Without a doubt I felt more prepared going into college and taking on leadership roles because of 21CL. I was able to gain some internship experience through the 21st Century Leaders’ Cartoon Network Closet internship program in 2008 while in high school. At went on to attend the University of Georgia, Terry College of Business, where I quickly took on leadership positions in different organizations because it felt natural at the time.

In 21CL, you are encouraged to step outside the box, to seek out opportunities and to help others. Servant Leadership is a term I remember well while in 21CL. I apply it in my everyday working life. In order to lead you must first serve. To make sure others needs are taken care of and not prioritizing your own needs first. I believe this has allowed me to make connections in the workforce. My professional career is doing well because of this mentality. Since graduating from college in 2012, I’ve been promoted twice in the company.

Going through the programs while in high school, I realized I was more analytical than I imagined. I had a passion for technology and the corporate world. For my very first job out of college the person interviewing me for the position happened to be on the board for 21CL and I do believe it was that connection and my skills that helped me land the job. I continue to work at a resource manager for a vendor company onsite at Cox Communications. I’m proud to say that I’ve been promoted twice in the past 3 years.  I thank 21st Century Leaders for inspiring me to become the leader I am today and to discover a career I’m passionate about!

Alumni Spotlight: Marcus Kernizan

profile picAt age 24, Marcus Kernizan is a 21st Century Leaders alumni, a graduate of Georgia State University, where he was the President of the SGA and received the highest leadership award during graduation, and is a recent hire as a consultant at Accenture, a 21CL corporate partner.

Marcus joined 21st Century Leaders in 2007 while in high school at Martin Luther King Jr. High School. It was through 21CL experiences that Marcus’ passion for leadership was forever changed. He says the leadership skills he learned and the professionals he met transformed him to take action at his own high school and ultimately become a strong leader during college and in his new career. As Marcus makes his leadership transition into the work force, we caught up with him about how 21CL shaped him as a leader.

 

“21st Century Leaders impacted my life in several ways in high school. By participating in the summer leadership institute, Oglethorpe and Leadership Unplugged: A CNN Experience (now Turner Voices Youth Media Institute), I was exposed to various professionals and careers in the media and news industry, which fueled my passion for leadership and on air broadcasting and video editing. And I was able to have a sit-down conversation with one of the company executives where I asked him plenty of questions about his career, and he was able to give me future career advice, ” Kernizan said. “The semester following that summer, I went back to my high school and started our first live morning news program. Looking back, my passion for technology probably wouldn’t have been so strong if I did not participate in this program.”

After his high school graduation in 2009, Marcus went on to attend Georgia State University where he took on leadership roles and received the highest leadership award at GSU’s graduation.

“Because of my experience with 21st Century Leaders, I felt very comfortable with getting involved in leadership positions in college such as serving as President of the Student Government Association at Georgia State University. During my term as President, many of the skills I acquired in 21st Century Leaders were put to use,” Kernizan said. “For example, when I attended dinners and luncheons with University faculty, staff, and city leaders, I used the etiquette skills that were taught in the program. Also I learned the fundamentals of public speaking while in 21CL, which I definitely put to use in college and now will in my career.”

Congratulations, Marcus on your leadership accomplishments thus far! We are proud to call you a 21st Century Leader.