ASHEBORO — Eleven Randolph Community College students reached out to identify a need and help others in the community through their volunteering efforts as members of the seventh Student Leadership Academy class.
They helped build houses, provided food for local families and served in other volunteer roles.
The efforts were the students’ leadership projects, required as part of their SLA participation, which were presented during their March 18 graduation. Approximately 70 attended the event held at RCC’s Asheboro Campus.
The class was divided into three groups with each one challenged to find a need in the community and identify ways to address it.
"They had no money to work with," explained Kevin Eames, a member of the SLA Planning Committee and Photographic Technology instructor. "They received no grade or special parking place."
The "Aiding Armadillos" group members volunteered their time for five organizations: Operation Red Sleigh, Helping Hands 4 Paws, the Lexington Crisis Center, Christians United Outreach Center (CUOC) and RSVP Community Theatre. Students included Connor Bryant, Isaac Ferguson, Amber Martin and Lacie Morrison.
"We were seeing the people we were helping firsthand," Ferguson said about assisting with serving food and handing out Christmas gifts for Operation Red Sleigh which raises funds throughout the year for the effort. "It was a humbling experience."
Other students had similar comments about their volunteering which they said is needed throughout the community.
Another group focused on "Building a Stronger Community One Nail at a Time" and assisted Habitat for Humanity of Randolph County with two houses in Asheboro. They were aided by more than 40 volunteers, including fellow and Asheboro High School students and others. Group members included Brandon Curtis, Kyle Mills and Josh Oldham (a fourth student had to drop out of the program).
"Very rewarding" is how Oldham described assisting at the houses and meeting the future occupants.
The third group focused on "Telling Hunger To Can It!!!" Its goal was to collect 100 canned food items to split between CUOC and COAT (Community Outreach Archdale-Trinity). Students were Cole DeHart, Jake Hunsucker, Noah Lowdermilk and Danielle Nagel.
Nagel explained the group’s purpose was to provide hope to others in the community.
"It’s difficult to be hopeful if you don’t have anything to eat," Lowdermilk noted.
Through community donations, the four students took in more than 1,000 items which were split between the two organizations.
Students also talked about the processes they went through to select their projects and how they learned to work with others with conflicting personalities and leadership styles.
Graduation speaker was Dr. Brenda Kays, president of Stanly Community College, who shared three leadership "pearls of wisdom" from the three individuals who impacted her career. She said leaders need to "to pick your battles wisely," not try to fix everything at once. They also need to be thick skinned, consistent and incorporate their values in their decisions. And leaders need to treat people as valuable resources, but realize that, with change, choose the right personnel.
RCC President Dr. Bob Shackelford explained that SLA began seven years ago as an all-day session on a Saturday. It has evolved into a September to March program with nearly monthly sessions on varied leadership topics — students making participation a priority while attending school and having family and job responsibilities.
Students were chosen based on a competitive process that considered leadership experience, leadership potential and a letter of reference from a faculty member.
Asheboro — Connor Bryant, Lacie Morrison and Danielle Nagel, all Associate in Arts (College Transfer); Charles Cole Dehart, Associate in Science Engineering Pre-Major; Kyle Mills, Computer Information Technology/Networking Technology.
Denton — Brandon L. Curtis, Associate in Arts (College Transfer).
Liberty — Isaac Ferguson, Associate in Arts (College Transfer).
Seagrove — Noah Lowdermilk, Amber Martin and William J. Oldham II, all Associate in Arts (College Transfer).
Trinity — Thomas Jacob Hunsucker, Associate in Arts Nursing Pre-Major.
SLA sponsors are Asheboro residents Dr. Stuart B. Fountain, a member of the State Board of Community Colleges; and Dr. Alan S. Luria, a member of the RCC Board of Trustees, through the RCC Foundation.