New leaders come out of conference

More than 250 local students attended the Young Leaders Conference last week at Teelend Middle School, where they underwent leadership training from motivivational speaker Keith Hawkins, who speaks to thousands of students around the country every year.

Hawkins talked to a group of about 50 high school students Monday, giving them skills and the confidence to be better leaders and outstanding role models in their schools.

On Tuesday, those students took what they learned and helped provide leadership training to more than 200 middle school students Tuesday.

By building better leaders, entire student body populations benefit at schools, organizers said.

By providing the leadership training to more than 200 middle school students, it lays the groundwork for positive educational opportunities when they become highschool students, organizers said.